Wesley Chapel on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College
Wesley Chapel on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College

Three delightful day-trips to experience fall in the hills of Upshur County

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – Nestled in the heart of West Virginia, Upshur County is the perfect place to explore the Mountain State’s renowned fall foliage.

Experience Upshur County this fall as the gently rolling hills explode into everyone’s favorite fall colors. You do not want to miss this opportunity to get outside in the crisp, mountain air around Buckhannon.

Here are three day-trip ideas to add to your travel wish-list:

Experience natural beauty on the Upshur County Trails
Experience natural beauty on the Upshur County Trails

Trip 1: Hear the leaves crunch underneath your hiking boots at the Upshur County Recreation Park’s extensive trails system, but be sure to keep an eye out for mountain bikers who are also enjoying the outdoors! Several miles of trails wind through a compact area that surrounds the recreation park and Buckhannon-Upshur High school. After a hike in the crisp air, stop by Stone Tower Brews on Main Street in Buckhannon for a warm Campfire Mocha or a refreshing West Virginia craft beer.

Buckhannon Riverwalk Trail
Flowers on the Buckhannon River Walk Trail

Trip 2: Take a relaxing stroll at the Buckhannon River Walk with your friends, family or your furry friend! Your pup may want to stop by the adjacent Buckhannon Dog Park for a game of fetch and fun with fellow pups. Located adjacent to the beautiful West Virginia Wesleyan College campus, the River Walk meanders in a 1.5 mile loop along the Buckhannon River. After your stroll, order a mouth-watering calzone at the delicious C.J. Maggie’s Restaurant before heading home.

Kayaking on Stonecoal Lake
Kayaking on Stonecoal Lake

Trip 3: As cooler days are upon us, bundle up and head to Stonecoal Lake for a picnic, kayaking or fishing! The Stonecoal Lake Wildlife Management Area boasts 2,985 total acres of forests and a serene 550 acre lake (no power boats). You will probably work up an appetite after a day on the water, so stop by Hillbilly Grill for dinner on your way back to town.

If your quick day-trip turns into an all-day excursion, that’s okay! Buckhannon has a variety of places for you to rest your head. Check out our tourism website for a full list of hotels, motels, inns and cabins for you and your travel companions to relax for the evening. We hope you stay around Buckhannon for a while because there’s so much to see and do here this fall!

Visit the Upshur County Visitors Center Facebook page to follow the fall foliage travel across the county. Post a photo on Facebook with #BuckhannonFall in the caption. Also, be sure to include the date and location of the photo so viewers can track the changes of the leaves.

Download the WV Tourism Digital Fall Inspiration Guide and Fall Foliage Map to track the change of the leaves across the Mountain State. While you’re there, don’t forget to sign-up for weekly updates about the fall foliage via email!

Happy fall, y’all!

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