Audra State Park outside Buckhannon, West Virginia has been a popular destination for summer fun since well before it opened as a state park all the way back in 1950. And it’s not hard to see why: it’s a beautiful, refreshing natural oasis perfect for hiking and swimming and picnicking and camping. But what is less known about this treasured state park is what a must-see gem it is in the winter season as well. Pull out your warmest clothes. Find yourself a walking stick tipped for ice. And then head out for an adventure to Audra State Park in the coldest months of the year, where you’ll find this popular summer destination completely transformed into a magnificent West Virginia ice palace.

Wild and wonderful West Virginia. What an apt description of Audra State Park in the depths of winter!
West Virginia State Parks / Facebook
What can you expect to encounter when you venture out into this popular summertime park during the coldest of the winter months, will Audra State Park be frozen solid? Yes. Will it be barren? Absolutely not!
West Virginia State Parks / Facebook
Rather, Alum Cave at Audra State Park, which is accessible by a beautiful, 2.7-mile boardwalk hike any time of the year, transforms into an absolutely magical winter wonderland during the coldest months thanks to water seepage from these mighty cliffs.
Jason Doczi / AllTrails

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Massive icicles hang like curtains from the rock ledges. Pillars of ice flow down toward the Middle Fork River below.
West Virginia State Parks / Facebook
Even the boardwalk glistens in the sunlight, coated as it is with a sheet of ice!
WILLIAM KNOTTS / Google Maps
Please note: nature's ice palaces are gorgeous, but they can also be dangerous! Practice extreme caution as you hike through Alum Cave in the winter season; the walk is beautiful, but the pathway can get extremely slippery.
Davette Saeler / AllTrails
Experienced Audra winter enthusiasts recommend using special hiking gear, like an ice pole or walking stick designed for winter use. The ice shifts the Alum Cave Boardwalk Trail from a moderate hike to a difficult one during the winter months.

We don’t really have much in the way of ice sculptures or ice festivals here in West Virginia, but we sure wouldn’t trade those things for what we do have, beautiful natural ice castles like the ice palace found at Audra State Park during the coldest of the winter season!

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Audra State Park, Audra, Buckhannon, WV 26201, USA