Coal Heritage Route
The 98-mile route passes through four southern West Virginia counties in a region that commemorates the history and culture of the coal industry. Areas of interest include the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and the historic town of Bramwell. Byway also offers recreational opportunities, such as fishing on Bluestone Lake, hiking the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, or camping in Camp Creek State Forest. It crosses the Bluestone National Scenic River near Bramwell and provides access to the New River Gorge east of the town of Beckley.
Start and end point: Byway runs from the West Virginia-Virginia border north along US 52, which becomes SR 16, then continues north to the town of Beckley at the intersection of SR 16 and I-77.
Scenic Highland Highway
This 43-mile route in the Monongahela National Forest passes through river valleys and mountain ridges, offering panoramic views of the Allegheny Highlands, as well as opportunities to hike through mountain swamps and the blueberry glades. Areas of interest include the 35,846-acre Cranberry Wilderness and the 750-acre Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, the largest area of wetlands in West Virginia. The Monongahela National Forest offers opportunities for camping, hiking, and fishing.
Start and End Point: The detour runs from Richwood on SR 55 and then east on SR 150 until the route ends at the edge of the Monongahela National Forest, at the junction of SR 150 and US 219.
Historic National Highway
America’s first interstate highway, National Road, was built to link people and cities along the East Coast with those on the western borders of the Allegheny Mountains. Authorized by Congress in 1806, construction of the highway began in Cumberland, Maryland, in 1811. The highway reached Vandalia, then the Illinois state capitol, in 1839 and was then completed at the Illinois border at East St. Louis, opening a link to the Mississippi water route.
The West Virginia section of the detour passes through Wheeling, where visitors can see West Virginia Independence Hall; Wheeling’s “Old Town,” a neighborhood of Victorian houses overlooking the Ohio River; Capitol Music Hall, established in 1933 and home to Jamboree USA and the Wheeling Symphony; the Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum, home to Marx’s annual toy convention; Wheeling Park and Wheeling Heritage Trails; and the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, the first to cross the Ohio River; and the Elm Grove Stone Arch Bridge, the oldest existing bridge in the state.
Start and End Point: The east / west route runs from Baltimore, Maryland, to the Mississippi River at the Eads Bridge in East Saint Louis, Illinois. It crosses six states: Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. The West Virginia section of the detour begins on the Pennsylvania-West Virginia state line on US 40 and continues to the town of Wheeling, where it crosses the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. The detour continues onto Wheeling Island and ends across a bridge leading to Bridgeport, Ohio.
The West Virginia section of the entire 824-mile detour is 15.7 miles in length.
Sendero Midland
The 117-mile detour is a gateway to world-class whitewater rafting, with access to the New and Gauley Rivers. Several providers in the area offer class V-VI rafting. The area is also a mecca for outdoor activities, such as rock climbing on the face of the New River Gorge. The trail itself was a war trail for the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War and includes several historic sites. Other points of interest include the Greenbrier Hotel, a National Historic Landmark and West Virginia’s only five-star resort, and nearby Oakhurst Links, the oldest golf course in the country, built in 1884.
Start and End Point: The route runs northwest from the town of White Sulfur Springs on US 60 past Charleston.
Washington Heritage Trail
The 137-mile detour traverses a landscape rich in historic, natural and scenic resources, from forested mountains and valley farmland to historic towns and remnants of past industries. Near the detour, visitors will find Harper’s Ferry National Historical Park, 21 National Register Historic Districts, and 126 National Register Historic Sites, many of which are associated with the George Washington family. A number of live history programs, including artillery demonstrations and battle reenactments, are held throughout the year.
Start and End Point: From the community of Pawpaw, the detour runs north to Berkeley Springs on SR 9, where it becomes a circular route. The northern loop follows SR 9, then various county highways and SR 480 southeast to Shepherdstown, then south on CR 230 and US 340 to Charlestown. The southern loop runs southwest from Berkeley Springs on County Road 9/10 until it merges with US 522, then follows various county highways to Charlestown and US 340.
Autopista Staunton-Parkersburg
Connecting the upper Shenandoah Valley to the Ohio River, the route was essential to the early development and settlement of the area. It was also of primary importance in the political dissent that led to the separation and eventual statehood of the section of Virginia that became West Virginia. The historic detour and associated corridors include Civil War sites such as Rich Mountain Battlefield, Beverly Historic District, Cheat Summit Fort, Camp Bartow, and Camp Allegheny. The points of interest that accompany it are the many historical sites, houses and villages that reveal the difficulties of the first years of the life of the settlers.
Start and End Point: The 180-mile detour follows US 250 west from the West Virginia-Virginia state line to Huttonsville, then US 219 north to Beverly, US 33 to near Troy, and SR 47 to Parkersburg.
