Blackwater Falls is Closer Now

Last winter a new section of Corridor H (US 48) opened in West Virginia between Mount Storm and Davis. This means Blackwater Falls State Park is less than two hours away! This is about half of how long it took twelve years ago. 

As you can see, the highway cuts through the mountains. There's still a two-lane section between Strasburg and Wardensville which isn't going to change any time soon because the state of Virginia has little reason to expand their portion to four lanes.

Route 55 East of Wardensville

Some of us have our doubts as to whether this superhighway was actually needed, since traffic on it is very light and Route 55 served the same purpose (albeit slowly). But without a doubt the new road is spectacular and fast.

When we crossed the Allegheny Front, the season changed from autumn to winter. Temperatures were mild that day but there had already been a hard frost and most trees were bare. Soon we reached the end of the new road and followed the signs to Blackwater Falls.

I've been there before and easily found the "Gentle Trail" to an overlook. A few years ago we took the steep trail which gets closer to the falls, but I still have some foot pain so the accessible trail seemed like a good idea. We could hear the falls thundering and reached the overlook quickly.

Notice the people on the lower overlook on the left side of the photo.

The Blackwater River here has an amber color from tannin that comesfrom the needles of hemlock and spruce. At the falls, the river drops 57 feet. It flows west and later heads north to join the Ohio River.

This is a beautiful park that I remember visiting as a child. I am delighted that now we can go there and still be home by dark!

Sharing with Signs, Signs and Fences

Wind Turbines Near Mount Storm

See Previous Posts: Wind Farm and Mt. Storm Lake

Autumn Near Wardensville

P.S. The next section of the superhighway has been delayed by a flying squirrel!