formation about the falls and nature preserve. A partnership between The Nature Conservancy, West Virginia State Parks, West Virginia American Water, the American Water Foundation helped fund the trail project. Mercer County Commission President Bill Archer also helped secure a grant from the West Virginia Department of Highways Recreation and Trails Program
Erica Byrd, senior marketing and communications manager for The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia, said visitors are now enjoying the improved hiking trail.
“ We’ ve already seen that people are making the round trip down to both sets of falls,” she said.“ They’ re included in the West Virginia Department of Tourism Waterfalls Trail. We just think it makes it easier for people to get through the preserve and to enjoy the natural beauty of the site.”
Brush Creek Falls is the largest and highest waterfall in southern West Virginia.
“ It’ s right around a 33-feet vertical drop on Brush Creek here right beside us,” Powell said.“ And then Brush Creek empties into the Bluestone River where it continues downstream to Pipestem and Bluestone State Park. White Oak Falls is a tributary that comes into the Bluestone River. It’ s a large cascading waterfall; probably a 100 feet or more of multiple drops where it drops all the way down to the Bluestone River.”
Being close to the West Virginia Turnpike, travelers have learned that Brush Creek Falls with its trail is a place where they can stop and relax before resuming their trips.
“ We talked to a lady yesterday traveling for Charlotte to Indianapolis and she routinely goes through this area and stops here every time to just have lunch, hike to the falls and have a little leg stretcher,”
Powell said, adding that the hiking trail is not difficult to traverse.
“ If you do the entire hike from here to White Oak Falls and back, it’ s about 4 miles,” Powell said.“ It’ s a relatively gentle grade. Most of it if not all of it follows an old railroad grade. What we don’ t know is some of the exact history when the trail turns downstream at the Bluestone. Was that part of an old railroad grade or old logging road? I just don’ t have that history. The trail is relatively gentle, so 4 miles of relatively easy hiking.”
During the hike Friday, Powell pointed out features such as rare plants and the remains of mills that once used Brush Creek to generate energy. Around 1851, wool and grist mills were built at Brush Creek and the trail was likely once a road to the mills. Later, a narrow-gauge railroad was used by the Bluestone Land & Lumber Company to haul logs to a saw mill near Gardner. A logging camp was locate downstream from Brush Creek Falls. Brush Creek Falls State Park can be reached by leaving I-77 at Exit 14 to Athens Road, then turning east to Mercer Springs Road( County Route 7), then turn onto Eads Mill Road( County Route 14). Visitors then drive a little over 3 miles to Brush Creek Falls Road( County Route 3) and drive down to the parking area.
“ I think one of the best features of this preserve is it’ s so incredibly accessible to the folks down here in Mercer County and the surrounding counties,” Byrd said.“ Improvements to the trail have made it even more accessible. It’ s literally just a few minutes drive right off the interstate. It’ s such a shining example of this nexus between conservation and recreation. West Virginia’ s recreation landscape is first class. It’ s outstanding and The Nature Conservancy really wants to add to that throughout the state, so we are finding these places.”
W. VA. WATERFALLS Camp Creek State Park
While many visitors flock to southern West Virginia to experience the thrill of the Hatfield-Mc- Coy Trail with its fast-paced ATV rides and muddy adventures, there are also those who prefer a more peaceful and leisurely way to explore the beautiful forested mountains of West Virginia. Camp Creek State Park and Forest provides a variety of activities including hiking, scenic waterfalls, equestrian trails, and much more.
In 1987, Camp Creek State Park and Forest joined the parks system when 550 acres were designated from the existing Camp Creek State Forest, according to state officials. The name of Mash Fork, one of the park’ s streams, hints at a history of moonshining that is not unusual in the Appalachian region.
Situated at Exit 20 off Interstate 77, Camp Creek features approximately 35 miles of trails suitable for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. There are around 14 different trails, ranging from the moderate Bear Wallow Road and Trail, which spans about 5 miles, to the more challenging 1-mile Mash Fork Falls Trail. For those seeking longer adventures, the nearly 9-mile Turkey Loop Road and Trail provides a moderate option.
As spring brings warmth and summer approaches with its heat, visitors looking to cool off while enjoying the great outdoors can find plenty of options at the local state parks.
Campbell Falls is the larger of the two most popular falls visited at camp Creek. Its water falls from a height of about 15 feet. Both campers and locals find the large pool at the base of the falls a great place for swimming on a hot summer day.
The falls sit near the park’ s horse camp, giving equestrian campers another unique adventure opportunity and a place to cool off and relax after enjoying a ride along the park’ s miles of trails.
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