Wild and Wonderful Watoga
A view of the mountains of Pocahontas County. (Photo courtesy of wvstateparks.com)
Many of my favorite childhood memories revolve around the time spent with my family in many of West Virginia’s state parks. My parents, sister, and I would pack the car and go spend a weekend camping in the West Virginia Wilderness. One trip my family made every year was to Watoga State Park, surrounded by Calvin Price State Forrest and nestled in the hills of Pocahontas county, this park holds a special place in my heart. Most of our visits here were amplified by the addition of my grandparents, who helped influence my love for the outdoors and made the time spent at Watoga all the more memorable.
Watoga has meant such a great deal to me and my family, that I truly believe everyone should experience all this wonderful park has to offer. When we would visit we would typically camp in one of the parks two campgrounds, but one trip we switched it up and rented a cabin. As West Virginia’s largest state park, Watoga has 34 different cabins to choose from and over 80 campsites located on its 10,100 acres of property.
In addition to camping, one of the most unforgettable activities we would participate in while visiting the park would be floating the Greenbrier River. I still have vivid memories of my grandmother and I going to Jack Horner’s Corner store and renting inner tubes to float several miles down the river as if it were yesterday. Following along the river is also the Greenbrier River Trail, standing at 77 miles and is the longest continuous trail in West Virginia, making Watoga a great place to ride your bike or go for a hike.
The park is also home to an outdoor swimming pool, a recreation room, and a full-time naturalist with an interpretation program. With an 11-acre lake stocked with largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill and trout Watoga is a fisherman’s dream. But the one thing that makes this state park so unique is that it is home to a synchronous firefly population. These “lightning bugs” all-flash their lights in sync creating a show that can only be seen in the U.S on four different pieces of public lands, the most famous being The Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
My grandmother and I floating the Greenbrier Rive.
The discovery of this species of firefly has been important to Watoga not only for the protection of the insect but for the park’s application to become an International Dark Sky Park. One of Watogas’s most breathtaking features is its view of the night sky. Located near the Greenbank Observatory, the park has one of the best views of the milky way east of the Mississippi. If the application is approved Watoga would be added to a prestigious list that includes parks like the Grand Canyon and would make sure that the area continues to receive protection from artificial light pollution.
After traveling the country and visiting multiple states, national and state parks I have yet to find a place as special as Watoga. This park is a true embodiment of “Wild and Wonderful West Virginia” it’s home to a breathtaking night sky, a lightning show of great magnitude, and family moments that are worth more than their weight in gold. With so much to offer to all of its visitors, my hope is for everyone to get the chance to visit Watoga State Park and create their own unique memories.
