Hawk’s Nest and the Best Caches in Charlie West

My life began and largely developed on the west coast, hopping between British Columbia and California. That is where all of my blood relatives are (my husband’s family is much closer, only a 3 hour drive to another part of West Virginia) so when they visit it is kind of a big deal and the top priority is showing off all of the wonderful things in the region. I mean, I have to find some way to convince them that it is worth a few snowstorms each year. After bouncing a few ideas off of my husband, we decided to take my mother to Hawk’s Nest State Park to both ride the aerial tram and enjoy a unique perspective of the New River Gorge Bridge, by jet boat. Afterward, we would take scenic Route 60 all the way to my husband’s hometown of Huntington.

The state park system in West Virginia is truly a treasure. Most parks operate without an entrance fee, yet the attractions and opportunities parallel the best state parks in other states. They also seem to do a good job partnering with other businesses and organizations to develop attractions that may not be feasible through the state alone. I believe the jet boats at Hawk’s Nest are a prime example of this. The jet boat operation is largely run by two people, Sue and Rick. Sue is from England and Rick is from Montana and they’re each hilarious in their own right, but when they play off of each other it is comedic gold. Yet despite the laughs, the boat trip through Hawk’s Nest Lake to the base of some of the most extreme rapids on the New River feels as if it is operated by a true professional, even if our patronage gives him opportunity to “play with the boat.” Even my mother, who is typically terrified of boats, had an absolute blast.

The other unique way to take in the scenery at Hawk’s Nest is the aerial tram, linking the lake with the lodge. My crippling fear of heights is not a great match with this attraction, but it is worth the few moments of sheer terror to take in the scenery from a new perspective.

Hawk’s Nest isn’t too far off U. S. Route 19, which is a four-lane divided highway in these parts and it is on U. S. Route 60/The Midland Trail. Route 60 is probably one of my all-time favorite routes in West Virginia because of all of the different “West Virginias” you can observe simply by following it from end to end within the state. Hawk’s Nest illustrates the stunning scenery that is almost overwhelming, heading west and closer to Charleston both historical and charming communities, such as Glen Ferris, dot the road as well as harder-working communities, like Quincy and even Alloy. Charleston itself is the largest city in the state and the capital, offering the most authentic urban feeling you’re going to find in the entire state. The mostly developed area between Charleston and Huntington is a pastoral suburb, while Huntington is actively reimaging itself as a college town and regional restaurant and shopping hub.

But let’s back up to Charleston. As mentioned in previous posts, Chris and I have a “most wanted” list when it comes to geocaching. Charleston is home to two caches that were on our most wanted list: In the Basement of the Library and ReCache. Each of these caches uniquely illustrates points of note in Charleston. The former is a geocache in a “Little Library” that is in the heart of a historical townhome/rowhouse community that was likely one of many at the turn of the last century. The latter is an example of recycling (upcycling?) at a place that aims to do exactly that on a larger scale, a Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

We then made tracks to Huntington, where we would enjoy a wonderful hibachi feast at Taste of Asia with Chris’s mom. The mom’s enjoyed catching up before we headed back to our own beds in Morgantown. When you have the opportunity to show off a state like West Virginia, it’s easier than you might think to find amazing things to impress guests.