The Recreation Center
In the center, the Midland Trail passes over West Virginia's most beautiful and rugged mountain terrain. Fayette County, the trail's recreational center, provides physical activities from the mild to the wild--fishing, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, and rock climbing draw visitors from around the world. This region's prestine vistas and breath taking natural beauty are worth a Trail-hop alone. At Hico, U.S. 19 intersects the Trail providing access to even more adventure.
Gauley Bridge CMP
At Gauley Bridge, the New and Gauley Rivers merge to create the Great Kanawha River, which flows to the Sate Capitol and eventually into the Ohio River. As eastbound visitors round the bend at Glen Ferris (MM-93) they get their first view of the merged rivers.
Gauley Bridge was first explored in 1671, when Captain Thomas Batts discovered and claimed the area east of Kana...
Seasonal Waterfalls CMPTwelve Seasonal Waterfalls
Water cascades over rugged sandstone outcroppings on the north side of Route 60 from Falls View to Gauley Bridge (MM-92 - MM-97). Plus the dramatic Kanawha Falls on the south side of Route 60 (MM-93).
At the waterfall pulloffs, notice above the falls the remains of the original Midland Trail as conceived by George Washington and completed to C...
Boomer & Alloy CMP
The town of Boomer grew up around the coal industry. A large, five to six-foot-thick seam of coal running through the hills above Boomer drew mining operations as early as 1896. The Kanawha and Michigan Railroad's completion from Malden to Gauley Bridge allowed the formation of Boomer Coal and Coke operation, whose three mines were some of the most productive in the dist...