The best domes in West Virginia

West Virginia’s central lakelands offer a welcome change of pace for campers. Pitch your tent or park your RV by Summersville, Sutton, or Stonewall Jackson lakes, and take to the water to boat, kayak, paddleboard, or fish. Encircled by forested mountains, there are still plenty of opportunities for hiking, especially at Audra and Holly River state parks.

Victorian-era mansions and historic towns dot the banks of the Ohio River in the Mid-Ohio Valley, where campers can enjoy simple pleasures like woodland walks, river fishing, and sipping craft beer at a country pub. The 72-mile-long North Bend Rail Trail is the ultimate challenge for hikers and cyclists, and one of the most scenic sections runs through North Bend State Park. Continuing west, Charleston and Huntington are the principal towns of the Metro Valley, while the best campgrounds are hidden away in the Kanawha State Forest.

Raging rivers, soaring cliffs, and vast swathes of wooded hills make up West Virginia’s southern region, affording endless options for adrenaline seekers. Rev up your OTV and explore 800 miles of off-road trails in the Hatfield-McCoy mountains, go mountain biking or horseback riding in Greenbrier State Forest, or check out the state’s best whitewater rafting at the New River Gorge and Gauley River National Recreation Area.