Destination: Heat Relief

The perfect escape from mid-summer’s heat is found at the top of West Virginia in Tucker County.  And this is not the top as in latitude, but elevation!  Canaan Valley and mountain peaks reaching as high as 4,400 feet make eastern Tucker County an oasis for cool, dry air.

As temperatures soared over 100 degrees in July all over the mid-Atlantic, on the mountain in Davis and Thomas, the mercury never went above 88.  Hikers and bikers find paradise in the dense forest canopy, shaded from long sunny days.

Off the mountain, water lovers are greeted with cool water and lazy floats on the Cheat and Shavers Fork Rivers.  River fun begins with Blackwater Outdoor Adventures in Saint George, West Virginia.  Whether it’s a tube-float or paddling sit-on-top kayaks, relief from summer’s heat is never far away on the river.

Summer Events Heat Up

Once a year runners have the ability to take on Blackwater Falls State Park under the cover of darkness during the Moonlight on the Falls Marathon.  Talk about escaping the heat, nighttime temperatures typically dip into the 60’s in Davis, WV.  This year’s event is August 24-25.

The Moonlight on the Falls Marathon, which will take place on Pendleton Point, is an approximate 6.5-mile-long looped course. Runners will have the option to run a 26.2-mile marathon, a 13.1-mile half marathon, a 6.55-mile quarter marathon, a relay and an ultramarathon distance challenge. 

The internationally acclaimed Pickin’ in Parsons Bluegrass Festival kicks off July 30 in Parsons, West Virginia, for five nights. The best of the best come every year to Fiver River Campground on the banks of the Shavers Fork River to celebrate friendship, bluegrass, and good ole fashioned Appalachia.

Mountainside Music Series on the lawn at Canaan Valley Resort happens every Friday through Labor Day Weekend. This is a free concert open to the public from 6 – 9 p.m. at their ski resort lodge. A perfect natural amphitheater forms with the ski slope which makes for incredible acoustics and viewing. Bring chairs and a cooler! The ski-chairlift is also operating scenic rides at this time for an adventurous evening.