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The best places to unplug in West Virginia

West Virginia is mostly mountains, and a lot of it is a long way from anywhere. That's the point. A few hours from DC, Pittsburgh or Columbus you can be somewhere with no stoplights, no cell signal and a river out back.

Every place here is rated highly by guests and sits close to trails, water or a dark sky. These are the ones we'd send a friend to, sorted by the part of the state they're in.

Board gamesHiking trailsFishingFire pitFireplaceHot tub

See them on the map

Pocahontas County and the Radio Quiet Zone

This is the quietest corner of the state, and we mean that literally. The Green Bank Observatory sits in the middle of the National Radio Quiet Zone, so cell service across most of the county runs from weak to none.

Marlinton is the county seat, with the Greenbrier River Trail running right through town. Snowshoe is up the mountain if you want to ski, but most of the county is farms, forest and small towns.

A small inn with a few cabins just outside Marlinton. Two creeks run through the property and it's a good spot for bird watching. The one-bedroom chalet has a hot tub and a fireplace, and some rooms come with breakfast. Full disclosure: this one is ours.

Read our Radio Quiet Zone guide →

New River Gorge

The New River Gorge became a national park in 2020. People come for the bridge, the rafting and the climbing, but you don't have to do any of that. Fayetteville is the main town.

A lot of the best cabins are out on the ridges around Hico, a short drive from the park and far enough from the crowds that it's quiet at night.

A group of cabins out in Hico, a short drive from the gorge. Every cabin has its own hot tub, dogs are welcome, and it's one of the best-rated places in the state.

The Highlands: Canaan Valley, Davis and Seneca Rocks

Canaan Valley is a high mountain valley and it gets real winters. Davis is the little town at the top, right next to Blackwater Falls State Park. Dolly Sods is close by, a wide open plateau that looks more like Canada than West Virginia.

Seneca Rocks is about an hour south, a big fin of rock you can see from the road. Spruce Knob, the highest point in the state, is nearby and has some of the darkest skies in the East.

A ten-room bed and breakfast in Dryfork, between Seneca Rocks and Canaan Valley, with river and mountain views. There's a sauna, a garden and an outdoor fireplace, and they'll pack you a lunch for the day.

Before you go

  • Download your maps before you leave. Cell service drops out in a lot of the state, especially in Pocahontas County.
  • Fill up the tank when you see a gas station. They can be far apart.
  • Stay at least two nights. The drive in is part of it, and one night goes by fast.