Itineraries
Explore the Mon Forest Towns of West Virginia through curated itineraries designed for easy 3-day and weekend trips. From family-friendly adventures to scenic drives and heritage-focused experiences, these itineraries help you discover forest trails, historic towns, and outdoor destinations across the region—one weekend at a time.
Family
3 Day
Davis • Petersburg • Seneca Rocks • Thomas
Chase waterfalls at Blackwater, scramble Bear Rocks' outcrops, and duck underground at Smoke Hole Caverns. This Thomas-to-Petersburg loop serves up big West Virginia highlights the whole family can enjoy.
Family
3 Day
Cowen • Marlinton • Richwood
Rare boreal bogs, cascading waterfalls, and rail-trail biking make the Cranberry Highlands a natural playground. This loop through Marlinton and Richwood mixes scenic drives and easy hikes keeps kids engaged at a relaxed pace.
Heritage
3 Day
Davis • Elkins • Parsons • Thomas
Colonial surveys, Civil War battles, railroad-era boomtowns, and early civil rights victories are all embedded in the landscapes of Tucker and Randolph Counties. This scenic driving loop connects all of it.
Scenic
3 Day
Durbin • Marlinton • White Sulphur Springs
Summit lookout towers, push through ancient spruce forest at Gaudineer, and wander Beartown's strange rock formations. The Greenbrier Valley packs each day with rewarding moderate hikes.
Family
3 Day
Durbin • Marlinton • White Sulphur Springs
Ride a historic steam train at Cass, scramble through Beartown's ancient rock formations, and swim at Lake Sherwood. The Greenbrier Valley route is packed with family adventures from White Sulphur Springs to Durbin.
Family
3 Day
Davis • Elkins • Parsons • Thomas
From the Canaan Valley wetlands to the amber falls of Blackwater, this loop connecting Elkins, Thomas, and Davis serves up stunning highland scenery and accessible nature adventures for the whole family.
Scenic
3 Day
Franklin • Petersburg • Seneca Rocks
From Dolly Sods to Seneca Creek, this route pushes into the Potomac Highlands' most dramatic terrain with sweeping ridge-lines and remote wilderness built for hikers ready to earn the view.
Scenic
3 Day
Davis • Elkins • Parsons • Thomas
From Elkins to Canaan Valley, Dolly Sods, and the deep gorges above Davis, this loop serves up challenging summits, canyon overlooks, and high-elevation ecosystems across some of West Virginia's most demanding terrain.
Heritage
3 Day
Durbin • Elkins • Seneca Rocks
Elkins sits at the heart of West Virginia's railroad legacy, and this circuit fans out to Civil War battlefields, homesteads, and old-growth forests that tell the full story of how the highlands were built, fought over, and protected.
Scenic
3 Day
Durbin • Elkins • Seneca Rocks
Climb a fire tower, explore Spruce Knob's subalpine forests, and scramble up the iconic fins at Seneca Rocks. This Elkins-to-Durbin circuit packs full days of rewarding day-hikes across the Mon Forest's most dramatic landscapes.
Heritage
3 Day
Davis • Petersburg • Seneca Rocks • Thomas
From coal-era coke oven ruins outside Thomas to pioneer homesteads near Petersburg, this loop traces the Allegheny Highlands through industrial boom, frontier settlement, and the dramatic landscapes that shaped it all.
Scenic
3 Day
Cowen • Marlinton • Richwood
Crest the Highland Scenic Highway, follow the wild Williams River through remote wilderness, and hike to cascading waterfalls and rare boreal bogs across southern West Virginia's most spectacular scenery.
Family
3 Day
Durbin • Elkins • Seneca Rocks
With scenic train rides, easy trails, and Seneca Rocks' dramatic formations, this Elkins-to-Durbin loop is built for families with kids who want big mountain experiences without the backcountry commitment.
Heritage
3 Day
Durbin • Marlinton • White Sulphur Springs
History runs deep in the Greenbrier Valley. This route uncovers Civil War battlefields, CCC camps, and Cold War relics across the stretch from White Sulphur Springs through Marlinton and Durbin.
Family
3 Day
Franklin • Petersburg • Seneca Rocks
From underground caverns to soaring rock faces, Petersburg, Seneca Rocks, and Franklin serve up big adventures for little explorers — with scenic mountain drives and easy trails the whole family can tackle together.
Heritage
3 Day
Cowen • Marlinton • Richwood
Civil War battlefields, a Wild West shootout, a federal prison, and an early Black separatist community at Watoga — this Cranberry Highlands circuit uncovers stories and scenery few West Virginia itineraries touch.
Scenic
3 Day
Davis • Petersburg • Seneca Rocks • Thomas
North Fork Mountain's ridge-top vistas, Dolly Sods' windswept alpine plateaus, and the iconic formations at Seneca Rocks anchor three days of demanding, full-day hikes through the Mon Forest's most dramatic terrain.
Heritage
3 Day
Franklin • Petersburg • Seneca Rocks
Few corridors in Appalachia carry as much history and natural beauty as the South Branch Valley. This route connects Smoke Hole Canyon, Civil War earthworks, and pioneer homesteads at Seneca Rocks.