Potomac Highlands - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 1010

the highway leads into Stuart Memorial Drive, a winding mountain road that passes some
of the region's most spectacular alpine scenery, including 4,020-foot-tall Bickle Knob, just
to the north. For a closer look at this rocky giant, take the turnoff for the Stuart Recre-
ation Area to the Bickle Knob Picnic Area, where a lookout tower four stories high affords
unforgettable 360-degree views. From its observation deck, you can see the front range
of the Cheat Mountains, the rim of nearby Otter Creek Wilderness, the summit of Spruce
Knob—at 4,861 feet, the highest point in West Virginia—and the town of Elkins, which
sits astride the Tygart Valley River.
In addition to being the headquarters for the Monongahela National Forest, Elkins
is home to Davis and Elkins College. Its campus features two of the most meticulously
restored Victorian structures in the state, the Halliehurst Mansion and Graceland Inn.
Formerly the home of Stephen Elkins, cofounder of the college and onetime Secretary of
War,thebaronialmansionwasnamedinhonorofhiswife,Hallie.Thecampusalsohouses
the Augusta Heritage Center, which hosts a variety of workshops and events celebrating
traditional music, crafts, and customs of the highlands. Continue south on Rte. 219 to Hut-
tonsville, then follow Rtes. 92 and 250 to the Gaudineer Scenic Area.
6. Gaudineer Scenic Area
Nearly half a million acres of West Virginia mountains were once blanketed by hemlocks.
In only a few decades, timber barons devastated these rich woods, but on the slopes below
Gaudineer Knob, 140 acres of virgin forest escaped the axe by a fluke of fate: They were
simply overlooked by a surveyor.
Stretching 100 feet skyward, this stand of trees is estimated to be three centuries old
and forms a cluttered canopy of limbs above the silent mosses of the forest floor. Skirting
the region's western border, the Shavers Fork River is one of the most abundantly stocked
trout streams in the region.
7. Snowshoe Mountain
Scraping the heavens at 4,848 feet, Snowshoe Mountain, just north of Rte. 66, is one
of West Virginia's most popular four-season resorts. It's a haven in winter for skiers, of
course, but when spring turns its white slopes green with grass, mountain biking becomes
the sport of choice. Those who prefer a more leisurely form of sightseeing can hike along
the resort's 100 miles of trails and old logging roads, which crisscross an enchanted coun-
tryside of hardwood forest, burbling mountain streams, and meadows spangled with wild-
flowers.