The Mechanic has been busy for months rebuilding his vintage (if 1987 is vintage, lol) truck, all leading up to our West Virginia road trip last week. We spent a relaxing (and chilly) four nights/five days exploring south-eastern West Virginia, an area of the state neither of us had ever visited. And that brief trip was enough to convince me that we need to go back – we barely scratched the surface of all the things there were to see and do!
Welcome to West Virginia
Lewisburg
The first night we spent in a hotel in downtown historic Lewisburg. Our room overlooked an old house and some lovely trees, and we were walking distance to a recommended hotel‘s bar with absolutely delicious and very inventive cocktails.
From Lewisburg, we stopped in at Lost World Caverns and were amazed at the large open cave with stunning cave features. I just love caves, and always try to imagine the first people to discover the dark holes armed only with candles. It was the perfect stop on the one rainy day we encountered.
Fayetteville
We then spent two nights in a “legacy” cabin in Babcock State Park, just outside of Fayetteville. The legacy cabins were built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp.. Heated only with the fireplace, and complete with a complimentary mouse visit in the middle of the night, this was absolutely my favorite place that we stayed. I wish we’d had more time to just hang out at the cabin, so maybe next time. 
The biggest photographic draw is the refurbished mill, and although I hate to take *the same* photos as everyone else, I couldn’t help it. It was far too picturesque not to! 
While in the area, we visited the main attraction, the New River Gorge Bridge. Completed in 1977, this bridge is the longest steel span in the western hemisphere and the third highest in the United States. It’s -mind-boggling to think about – and since we drove over it, and the original (ish) route it replaced, I can see how it was a welcome feat of engineering for the region.
New River Gorge Bridge, seen from the river
Beartown State Park
Admittedly just about everything we did on this trip exceeded our expectations, but probably our visit to Beartown State Park blew us away. The description on the website, and what I’m about to tell you, is a complete understatement about how stunning this park is. A series of boardwalks leads you around these massive, moss-covered rock formations on top of a mountain that defy proper descriptive words. Even photos can’t show how amazing this park is. Here’s a few of the best: 
Seneca Rocks
After a somewhat lackluster and chilly night of camping at Seneca Shadows (too close to our neighbors AND the main road below us), we spent our last morning at Seneca Rocks, in the Monongahela National Forest. This is another one where the online description fails to impress how imposing and incredible this rock formation is. I think we took a million of the same photo of it from every angle! Then we hiked up to the observation platform – it was a beautiful yet steep climb, worth the view, but only when we were having lunch at the pizza place below did we realize how high up we’d been. My legs still feel it. 
We were way up *there*?!?
There’s so much more tell about this trip but I promised you eye candy, and here’s more of West Virginia, in all it’s autumnal glory: 
tinlizzieridesagain 