Winter Sports in Southern West Virginia

Winters here in West Virginia are beautiful.  Gorgeous snowfalls and chilly sunny days mean we get to play outdoors year-round.  

Snow Tubing at Winterplace Ski Resort

And as long as you’re up for it, many of the activities that are popular here in the warmer months can also take place in the winter. With today’s fabric technology and cutting edge gear designed to protect users from even the harshest weather conditions, there’s not much that can’t be done in the winter.

So what outdoor activities can you do in southern West Virginia during the winter?  Look no further!

Traditional

West Virginia has elevations that are significantly different than almost all the surrounding states.  This elevation accounts for West Virginia’s main wintertime sport, skiing.

Skiing and snowboarding can be accessed in under a 2-hour drive from almost anywhere in the state. Winterplace, Canaan Valley, Timberline, Silver Creek and Snowshoe all offer skiing and snowboarding opportunities.  A few of these resorts have tubing areas.  Our favorite part of tubing?  The lift that gets you back to the top.

Canaan Valley also boasts the White Grass cross country ski area. But you don’t have to go to a resort to cross country ski.  Many skiers take to our forests and snow-covered areas because of the snowfall levels and varied terrain. Cross country skiing is a vigorous and intense exercise that is accessible to many fitness levels.

Snow-shoeing is also available in many higher backcountry areas.

Non-Traditional

Depending on the weather, the activities you may be able to enjoy here on any given day may change. Hiking, biking, and running are year-round activities, and now you can add ATV parks and Zip Lines to that mix.
Burning Rock Outdoor Adventure Park, Adventures on the Gorge, and ACE Adventure Resort all offer ATV riding and zip lines and canopy tours.  The Hatfield and McCoy Trail System offers spectacular off-road adventures every day of the year.

Kayaking and rafting are also year round sports. In fact, if you are an advanced level boater, the amount of streams that can be kayaked or rafted actually increases in the winter months due to increased water volume.
Do you have a sport you participate in year round?