Whether you’re visiting West Virginia’s northern panhandle or are a permanent resident, winter is a great time to hike. Outdoor activity fights anxiety and depression, both of which often go hand in hand with the holiday season and dark winter days.

Here you’ll find a selection of day hikes accessible from northern West Virginia on one tank of gas. Given the panhandle’s geography, several of the hikes are in neighboring Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Tomlinson Run State Park, Hancock County, WV

Tomlinson Run State Park offers 12 miles of excellent hiking through an eastern hardwood forest and along overhanging sandstone and shale cliffs. Hikes vary from easy to difficult with over half a dozen trails, some of which are long enough that you can spend a full day in the park. The cliffs and streams are especially neat.

The park also offers facilities like a campground, picnic areas, and playgrounds, as well as a lake for boating. Trout are stocked once a month, February through May. Leashed dogs are welcome. Some hikes may not be appropriate for young children.

Grand Vue Park, Moundsville, WV

On the hilltops above Moundsville, Grand Vue Park offers 12 miles of forested trails for running, hiking, and mountain biking. The challenging terrain is punctuated by scenic overlooks of the Ohio River. Geocaching is a popular activity within the park, and it’s a great place for kids to explore the woods. If you want to ride, you can bring your own bike or rent one by the hour or day.

Grand Vue is also known for its aerial adventure course and zipline, the longest of which runs 2,100 feet. The adventure center is open during the warmer months, so for now, it’s a great place to go for a long—or short—winter hike. You can also stay in a cabin or treetop villa.

Oglebay Park, Wheeling, WV

Visitors to Oglebay Park have more than 15 miles of paved and wooded trails to choose from. The Susan Wheeler Walking Trails and the Arboretum Trails offer an accessible way to experience Oglebay’s gardens, museums, and lakes. Visitors of all abilities can utilize the paved surfaces, which cover 4.5 miles and provide the smoothest and easiest way to see the park’s main valley. Through various habitats and elevations, the interlacing nature of the trails allows you to create a different path every time you visit.

Oglebay’s wooded trails are popular with hikers and trail runners. They cover a variety of terrain; some cross streams while others weave through sugar maple groves. Hills range from gentle to steep. In addition, Oglebay has recently opened a mountain biking area and bikes are available for rent.

Leashed dogs are welcome on most trails.

Cranesville Swamp Preserve, Preston County, WV

The 1,774-acre Cranesville Swamp straddles the border of Garrett County, Maryland, and Preston County, West Virginia. It lies in what’s known as a frost bowl, a place where cold air and moisture are trapped by the surrounding hills and sink to the valley floor. It’s always colder in a frost bowl than the rest of the region, sometimes by more than 10 degrees. The result is an ecological island, a place where colder climate species thrive. Cranesville Swamp Preserve is a little patch of Canada just south of Terra Alta. The flora and fauna that live there — such as the American Mountain Ash — belong to more northern latitudes. Red spruce grow, too; you’ll normally find them on West Virginia’s highest peaks. Sedge, sundew and pitcher plants (both carnivorous), and cranberry grow on the ground, and the bog is spongy with sphagnum moss.

You may see a black bear, flying squirrel, porcupine, or snowshoe hare. The northern water shrew lives here as does the saw-whet owl and the Blackburnian warbler. Cranesville is a birdwatcher’s paradise: it’s home to over 100 bird species.

Five hiking trails wind their way through Cranesville Swamp Preserve, including a 1,500-foot boardwalk over the peat bog. The trails are all less than two miles long. Pets are prohibited in this delicate ecosystem.

Dysart Woods, Belmont County, Ohio

Dysart Woods is a 50-acre tract of mixed oak forest in the middle of Belmont County, Ohio. This is the largest old-growth forest remnant left in southeast Ohio, and only a handful of the original trees remain. These relics are giants—four feet in diameter, 140 feet high, and 400 years old. Unfortunately, the forest continues to lose the ancient trees to old age, disease, and underground mining activity. Over half have been lost since 2006. Currently, the forest belongs to Ohio University and is not only a national natural landmark but an outdoor research laboratory.

There are two choices at Dysart: the red trail (0.8 miles) and the blue trail (0.9 miles). Both go down through their respective ravines to streams and then rise again to return to the entrance road. Parking is convenient. There are a few rickety bridge crossings, and dogs are welcome.

Raven Rocks, Beallsville, Ohio

If you’ve visited Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio, you’ll love Raven Rocks and its waterfall, overhung cliffs, and recessed caves. Located in Beallsville, Ohio, the land was purchased in 1970 by an environmentally-minded group who wanted to preserve the natural area. Some of the owners still live on the property. The public is invited to responsibly enjoy Raven Rocks.

A boardwalk and stairs lead down into the spectacular gorge. The uneven terrain requires you to navigate boulders and muddy paths. Good shoes will help. This hike isn’t recommended for very young children as there are steep cliffs and long drops. This is a great winter hike, especially when the waterfall is frozen. Leashed dogs are allowed.

Piatt Park, Woodsfield, Ohio

Located in Monroe County near Woodsfield, Ohio, this park offers camping sites, restroom facilities, and a very unique hike.

The trail leads from the parking area along a cliff edge and down a series of steep wooden staircases. These can be extremely slippery and should not be attempted in flip flops or smooth-bottomed shoes. The rock shelter cave hangs over a ravine. Huge boulders have fallen from the roof and are perfect for climbing, scrambling, and watching the waterfall nearby.

Continuing to the bottom of the path, the stream that carved the gorge flows over a larger waterfall, and you can climb into the canyon. With appropriate, waterproof footwear (which should be treaded because this place is slick), you can rock-hop up stream all the way back to your original starting point. Older folks—and dogs—with limited mobility should skip this one, nor is it a good hike for very young children.  

Raccoon Creek State Park, Beaver County, PA

This is one of Pennsylvania’s largest state parks. The 7,572 forested acres are home to plenty of wildlife and a 100-acre lake with a beach. It’s a popular spot for camping.

The best thing about the park is the extensive trail system. You’ve got 44 miles of trails to choose from, and they range from an easy, one-mile stroll to a moderate four-mile lake trail to a very challenging 20-mile loop that covers a wide range of habitats and offers overnight spots for camping. Like all state parks, Raccoon Creek has modern facilities that include campsites, cabins, and a lodge. Birders will appreciate the Audubon Trail in the Wildflower Reserve. Waterfowl are common on the lake and along the Wetlands Trail. Leashed dogs are welcome.

Now get out there!