Birthday Trip to West Virginia

For my birthday, my boyfriend took me camping and exploring in West Virginia. Here was our trip:

Sunday

leave Maryland, drive to Spruce Knob WV (4863 feet [1482 m] and the highest point in the state), decide not to sleep there because it's incredibly windy and cold and a thunderstorm seems to be brewing

camp for the night at Spruce Knob Lake Campground

Monday

check out Seneca Shadows Campground for future use

attempt to visit the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center, which contains artifacts from the nearby archeological dig; however, it was closed

visit the Green Bank National Radio Astronomy Observatory, view the exhibit, take the tour

visit the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center, view the exhibit, buy some wonderful books in the gift shop

check out Hawks Nest State Park

camp for the night at Babcock State Park

Tuesday

hear wild turkey gobbling when we wake up

visit New River Gorge National River, view the exhibit, walk the walkway to view the bridge, drive down along 82 to go under the bridge, hike the 1.8 mile Kaymoor Trail and view structures from past mining days, watch the coal trains go past, drive over the bridge

find the trailhead for the Endless Wall climbing area along the New River

have a picnic lunch on the tailgate of the truck

visit the Gauley River and reject a bunch of campgrounds nearby

visit Cranberry Glades Botanical Area

camp for the night at Tea Creek Campground

Wednesday

hear ruffled grouse drumming when we wake up

get lost and discover the wonderful Williams River, check out a campsite for future use (not marked on the map), buy a fishing license with a trout stamp, and fish for several hours

having left the campsite at 9:40 am, we now drive past the same campsite at 3:40 pm and head in the correct direction

get lost again and spend some time in the George Washington National Forest and the rolling hills of Virginia

arrive back home in Maryland