Find Places To Go Whether Leaves or Snow in Almost Heaven

The air is getting cooler. The days are getting shorter. But the stunning views in Almost Heaven remain the same. Whether colored with golden leaves or topped with a fresh layer of snow, these getaways are perfect no matter the weather.

Blackwater Falls State Park

In the fall, this state park is covered in bright orange, red, and yellow leaves. The treetops are bustling with the colors of fall. And the waterfalls look heavenly envelope with changing trees. When the temperatures plummet, the magnificent 62-foot cascade and namesake of Blackwater Falls State Park freezes into a solid curtain of ice. Framed by snow-covered evergreens, the park is a favorite winter retreat, too. It has  more than 10 miles of trails suitable for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and beautiful overlooks of the Blackwater Canyon. The park also boasts the longest sled run on the East Coast. The quarter-mile groomed track has a conveyor belt to transport riders and their sleds to the top of the hill, while a warming hut nearby serves hot drinks and homemade soups to chilly sledders.

Canaan Valley Resort State Park

Canaan Valley Resort State Park offers great recreation all year long. Take a seasonal chairlift to enjoy the fall color and dine overlooking sprawling vistas covered in colorful leaves. But it really “heats up” in winter, with 47 slopes for all skill levels, as well as 18 miles of cross-country skiing trails and a 1,200-foot tubing park, which is the longest in the Mid-Atlantic. There’s also an outdoor ice skating rink set against a beautiful backdrop of Canaan Valley and the Allegheny Mountains and a ring side fire pit where skaters can take a break to warm up.

Oglebay Resort

Located in the Northern Panhandle, this resort has stunning views – whether it’s multicolored trees on the golf course or a layer of snow on the ground. Home of the world-renowned Winter Festival of Lights, Oglebay Resort also has its own ski slope and terrain park. A triple chair lift accesses an 815-foot slope with a 168-foot vertical drop. Another can’t-miss activity in winter is Oglebay’s The Good Zoo, where you can watch some of its residents — like reindeer — frolicking in the snow.

Snowshoe Mountain

You could spend weeks at Snowshoe Mountain and never run out of things to do. The mountaintop village offers a wide range of options for lodging, dining, shopping and entertainment, and its outdoor recreation is just as diverse – no matter the season. In the fall, you can take a scenic chairlift, splash in the heated pool and hike through the area. Zip down the ski slopes and hit the terrain and tube parks, hop on a snowmobile ride through the backcountry or enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride through softly falling snow in the winter.

This post was last updated on March 18, 2022