Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tari's
( 304-258-1196; 33 N Washington St; lunch $8-12, dinner $19-27; 11am-9pm; )
is a very Berkeley Springs sort of spot, with fresh local food and good vegetarian op-
tions served in a laid-back atmosphere, where all the right hints of good karma abound.
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Monongahela National Forest
Almost the entire eastern half of West Virginia is marked green parkland on the map, and
all that goodness falls under the auspices of this stunning national forest. Within its 1400
sq miles are wild rivers, caves and the highest peak in the state (Spruce Knob). More
than 850 miles of trails include the 124-mile
Allegheny Trail
, for hiking and backpack-
ing, and the 75-mile rails-to-trails
Greenbrier River Trail
, popular with cyclists.
Elkins
, at the forest's western boundary, is a good base of operations. The
National
Forest Service Headquarters
( 304-636-1800; 200 Sycamore St; campsites $5-30, primit-
ive camping free)
distributes recreation directories for hiking, cycling and camping. Stock
up on trail mix, energy bars and hippie auras at
Good Energy Foods
(214 3rd St;
9am-5:30pm Mon-Sat)
.
In the southern end of the forest,
Cranberry Mountain Nature Center
(
304-653-4826; cnr Hwys 150 & 39/55; 9am-4:30pm Thu-Mon May-Oct)
has scientific inform-
ation on the forest and the surrounding 750-acre bog ecosystem, the largest of its kind in
the state.
The surreal landscapes at
Seneca Rocks
, 35 miles southeast of Elkins, attract rock
climbers up the 900ft-tall sandstone strata.
Seneca Shadows Campground
(
877-444-6777; campsites $11-30;
Apr-Oct)
lies 1 mile east.
WORTH A TRIP
ROADSIDE MYSTERIES
See gravity and the known limits of tackiness defied at the
Mystery Hole
(
304-658-9101;
www.mysteryhole.com
/
; 16724 Midland Trail, Ansted; adult/child $6/5;
10:30am-6pm)
, one of the great attractions of roadside America. Everything inside
this madhouse tilts at an angle!It's located 1 mile west of Hawks Nest State Park.
Call ahead to check open days.
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