Enjoying the great outdoors is one of our favorite things to do in West Virginia. Most people don’t realize the Mountain State is home to a virgin forest filled with enormous trees and wonderful trails – or that you can explore it all in just a single day.
The largest old growth forest in the state is located near Aurora and a day spent here is in keeping with the state's famous moniker: Almost Heaven.
The forest is the showcase of the 133-acre park known as Cathedral State Park, home to the largest virgin tract of timber in the state. Technically speaking, a virgin forest is a spot that's gotten very old without major disturbance to the growth.
It's here at Cathedral State Park that you can wander among a mixed forest of mostly giant eastern hemlock trees. The park boasts three miles of well-marked trails that meander among these towering giants
The shortest (0.2 mile) and easiest trail in the park leads straight to the biggest tree in this forest: a eastern hemlock with a circumference of 21 feet. You're sure to be wow'd by the sheer size of this one!
