Area Attractions – Things to Do
Mountains of outdoor activities and opportunities await you. Pendleton County has several of the most notable natural features in the state. Boating, floating, fishing, climbing, caving, backpacking, biking; Pendleton County is a mecca for largely undeveloped outdoor exploration. Home to the glorious Smoke Hole Canyon, the highest summit in the state, Spruce Knob, the epic 900-foot Seneca Rocks, hundreds of miles of rugged trails in the national forest, waterfalls and caves galore. It is beautifully rugged with busty mountains and ample big sky which means the area is primed for authentic adventures OFF the beaten path, and away from crowds. We are confident you will find something for the whole family or group here in Pendleton County. Check out our recommendations below to gain some local knowledge.
We know our area is rural and remote and that is part of the reason why we love it so much! Rather than spending money outside of the county, please consider supporting our local businesses, we don’t have many and they need your support!
Pendleton County Convention & Visitors Bureau
THE place to find information about things to do and places to go.
Information about our local national forests & digital maps galore.
We have tons of local outdoor recommendations, here are a few of our favorites – Seneca Creek Backcountry (the high falls can’t be missed), primitive river tubing at Big Bend, & Mule’s Hole in Bemis!
Warners Drive In Movie Theatre
Open all summer with an updated snack bar and themed nights.
Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce
Local business directory
On the Rocks Craft Beverage Trail
Support our friends at Swilled Dog Cider & Spirits, Dry Run Spirits, Still Hollow Distillery, & Big Fish Cider.
Elevated Grounds: Coffee & Treats
Pendleton County’s ONLY coffee shop. Located on Main Street in downtown Franklin.
The Via Ferrata at NROCKS is a one-of-a-kind adventure experience, offering a mile of fixed-anchor, professionally-guided rock climbing. Operating year-round, weather permitting, since the early 2000s, the Via Ferrata attracts thousands of people annually from the East Coast and beyond.
Steam locomotive rides are fun for the whole family, routes will take you to historic logging areas in neighboring Pocahontas County
The first trailblazers of American radio astronomy called Green Bank Observatory home over 60 years ago. Today, their legacy is alive and well. Nestled in the mountain ranges and farmland of West Virginia, within the National Quiet Zone, radio astronomers are probing the furthest reaches of the universe, in order to discover answers to our most astounding astronomical questions.
Tucker County Area Attractions
Check out the charming towns of Davis, Thomas, and Parsons in Tucker County, about a 1.25 hour drive from the SKMC (that means it’s close)
Randolph County Area Attractions
Looking for a taste of ‘big town’ life in West Virginia? Another 1 hour drive from the trail center is the town of Elkins in Randolph County