HQ 109 | SPRING 2020
Almost Heaven. That’s how folk singer John Denver described West Virginia in his legendary song Take Me Home, Country Roads. Unquestionably one of the most scenic states in America, we decided to track down the 25 most beautiful photographs of the Mountain State. It wasn’t easy because there are so many amazing images out there worthy of consideration. Nevertheless, our staff spent weeks combing through books and magazines, and we scoured the internet looking for what we deemed were the best of the best. From high atop Spruce Knob down to the floor of Canaan Valley, from Bear Rocks to Glade Creek and everywhere in between, we found beauty. Dazzling sunsets, gushing rivers, soothing waterfalls and an ever-changing landscape through the four seasons all make West Virginia wild and wonderful.
Seneca Rocks in Pendleton County is one of the best-known landmarks in West Virginia. Rising nearly 900 feet above the North Fork River, the large crag is popular with rock climbers. Photo by Frank Ceravalo.
The sun sets at Dolly Sods, the highest plateau east of the Mississippi River, in the Monongahela National Forest. Photo by Jon Bilous.
At more than 60 feet tall, Cathedral Falls in Fayette County is one of the state’s highest waterfalls. Photo by McKenzie Young.
Fog engulfs the New River Gorge Bridge — the longest steel span in the western hemisphere and the third highest in the United States. Photo by Randall Sanger.
An early morning fog rolls over distant mountains and a farm field in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia. Photo by Jon Bilous.
The sun rises over Bear Rocks Preserve, one of the most photographed spots in the state, located in Grant and Tucker counties. Photo by Xavier Ascanio.
The New River, one of the five oldest rivers in the world, winds its way through a gorge. Photo by Anthony Heflin.
A lush forest floor brims with life at Gaudineer Knob — a 4,432-foot mountain summit on the Randolph and Pocahontas county line. Photo by Steve Shaluta.
Autumn’s fiery colors surround the Highland Scenic Highway, a 43-mile corridor within the Monongahela National Forest. Photo by Steve Shaluta.
Summersville Lake in Nicholas County is a reservoir formed by a rock-fill dam on the Gauley. It is the largest lake in the state. Photo by Steve Shaluta.
The colors and textures of autumn enfold the Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park in Fayette County. The iconic setting is one of the most photographed spots in the eastern United States. Photo by Steve Shaluta.
A surreal sunrise over Bear Rocks in Grant County illustrates why singer John Denver called West Virginia “mountain mama.” Photo by Steve Shaluta.
The Sandstone Falls near the city of Hinton in Summers County are powered by water from the New River. Photo by Kenneth Keifer.
Waters from the Blackwater River cascade over Albert Falls near the city of Thomas in Tucker County. Photo by Geren Knight.
A fresh blanket of snow covers the Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park in Fayette County. Photographer unknown.
Stars ignite the evening sky over a picturesque farm in Monroe County. Photo by David Martin.
The brilliant colors of autumn are subdued in the early morning fog at the Dolly Sods Wilderness in Tucker County. Photo by Anthony Heflin.
A long exposure captures an awe-inspiring sunset on the Shenandoah River near the town of Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County. Photo by Jon Bilous.
At Blackwater Falls in Tucker County, a 57-foot cascade of amber waters is tinted by the tannic acid of fallen hemlock and red spruce needles. Photo by Steve Shaluta.
A rhododendron, the official state flower, blooms in the high mountains overlooking the New River Gorge near Grandview in Raleigh County. Photo by Steve Shaluta.
Summer flowers blow in the cooling breeze at Big Spruce Overlook along the Highland Scenic Highway in Pocahontas County. Photo by Malachi Jacobs.
The autumn color is unparalleled at Canaan Valley State Park — one of West Virginia’s largest state parks. Photo by David E. Fattaleh.
The amber waters of the Blackwater River wind through the Allegheny Mountains at Blackwater Falls State Park in Tucker County. Photo by Jon Bilous.
A stream meanders through a lush valley floor at Canaan Valley State Park. Photo by ESB Professional.
