West Virginia has always held a special place in my heart. I never lived there, but it’s where both of my parents were born and raised, and most of my family still lives there. Growing up, we visited frequently, and some of my most vivid childhood memories are from there- catching tadpoles in the creek that ran by my cousin’s house, riding four wheelers with my grandpa and uncle, big Thanksgiving dinners at my grandma’s table.
As I have gotten older and busier raising my own family here in North Carolina, my visits to West Virginia have gotten fewer and farther between. But this week, my darling husband grudgingly dragged the giant camper over 400 miles through the mountains to my dad’s hometown of Point Pleasant, which is in the western part of the state, right on the Ohio River.
Just getting there was an adventure in itself! We started off the trip with a flat tire- luckily, Adam found it before we even left home. We had never really pulled the camper through the mountains, and we were nervous about how the truck would do. No worries there, though- the truck pulled like a champ and made it up those mountains with no problem at all! Thank goodness, because once we got over the fear and worry of towing through the mountains we were able to really enjoy the sheer beauty of the drive. Just looking up at the tall mountain peaks and down into the lush green valleys leaves me in awe every time. I haven’t had the chance to travel much past the southeastern United States, but looking out over those mountains, I feel like it has to be one of the most beautiful sites in the world.
The first few days we spent some long overdue time with family. It was so good to see my uncle, aunt and cousins. My children barely remembered them, which broke my heart a little. But after a few days of some serious fishing, ice cream dates, and water balloon fights, we were all best friends again! We stayed at Krodel Park, which is a city park there in Point Pleasant. The campground was older, with mostly permanent and seasonal residents, but they welcomed us with open arms, and the kids had a blast in the park’s splash pad and on the zipline!
After one last evening of Mothman pizza, adults hanging out on the tailgate of the truck, children running through the park, we said our sad goodbyes, promising it wouldn’t be so long before our next trip. We left Point Pleasant and headed to Princeton, in the southern part of West Virginia, a good halfway point on our journey back to North Carolina. Princeton is an awesome little town, with picturesque mountain views, friendly people, and all kinds of outdoor activities. The area is well known for its ATV trails, and we were wishing hard that we had our own ATV so that we could go riding! But the children are still a little young for that, so we decided to go to a local state park instead.
Brush Creek Falls State Park was just down the road from our campground. We read online that it was just a short hike to the waterfall, so we decided to give it a shot. A few miles down a winding mountain road, we almost missed the turnoff and the small parking area for the trail. Thank goodness we didn’t though, because it was one of the highlights of our trip! The trail was wide and easy to navigate, nestled between the creek and a mountain ledge in the woods. It was cool and refreshing on that hot summer day. We all enjoyed stretching our legs, and even the kids were amazed by the beauty around us. The waterfall was breathtaking, the kind of view you see on a postcard, and the sounds of the water falling into the rocks just brings peace to your soul. We trekked down a steep ledge because we just had to put our feet in that water! A kind local hiker advised us that the trail continues several miles to where the creek empties out into the Bluestone River. We followed it for a while, but of course the kids got tired, so we reluctantly turned around. Still, it was a perfect escape and a wonderful glimpse of the beauty of the world around us.
While in Princeton, we stayed at Brushcreek Falls RV Resort, a privately owned campground just a few miles from the state park. It was a little slice of heaven tucked away on a hillside right by the interstate. They had a fabulous pool, playground, putt-putt, gem mining, and all sorts of fun stuff for the kids. There was a go-cart track on the property, and we were told that they hold races and events there, although nothing was going on that weekend. After all the traveling and visiting of the prior few days, we adults were pretty exhausted, and this was the perfect place for us to rest and relax while the kids blew off some steam.
We left Princeton and headed home, feeling refreshed. It had been a perfect week, a good mix of spending time with family, adventuring, and relaxing. It’s always nice to get home, but the heat and humidity of eastern North Carolina had me wishing for those mountain breezes. I guess it’s time to plan our next adventure!