Category Archives: Mountain State Monday

Sep 23

Mountain State Monday: Summersville Lighthouse

Happy Fall, everyone!  Yesterday marked the official start of my favorite season and I am so excited to see what it has in store for me this year.  In true fall fashion, the first full day of the season started off quite chilly and although I love the cold weather, I did not dress for it this morning.  Brrrr.  So for our Mountain State Monday, I’m going to take you back to warmer times — and the grand opening of the Summersville Lake Retreat Lighthouse!

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To celebrate West Virginia’s 150th Birthday, the Summersville Lake Retreat Lighthouse opened to the public on June 20, 2013.  It is West Virginia’s only lighthouse and stands 104 feet tall with a top elevation of 2,164 feet above sea level.  A steep 122 steps can take you to the top for a beautiful 360 degree view of Summersville Lake and surrounding areas.  Aside from being the only lighthouse in a land-locked state, what really makes the lighthouse unique is that it is made from a “damaged” wind turbine base from a nearby wind farm in Greenbrier County.

Jon and I visited the grand opening event on West Virginia Day back in June and I must say, the lighthouse and its views are really gorgeous!  On one side you have a view of the lake and on the other, you have Route 19 and farms.  It’s an odd combination, but for $7, it’s a cheap way to see an aerial view of the land and it’s a great stop for families.

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The lighthouse is still open daily through the end of October, so plan a trip today!  For more information on the Summersville Lake Retreat’s Lighthouse, visit http://summersvillelakeretreat.com/.

Until next time,
Sara (WV Travel Queen)

Oct 8

Mountain State Monday: Honeycomb Rocks

Today I have a severe “case of the Mondays.”  I’m the only one at work, there’s not much on my agenda, and I’m freezing.  However, I had a wonderful weekend in the hills of West Virginia and I’m not ready to switch into work mode just yet.  So for all of us who have a case of the Mondays, I’m starting a new series called Mountain State Monday to help us ease into the work week.  Each Monday morning, expect a snippet of West Virginia, whether it be a quirky attraction, natural wonder, or something entirely random that is somehow related to the Mountain State.

This morning, I bring to you Honeycomb Rocks.  These unique rock formations are easily accessible along the Highland Scenic Highway (Route 150) in Pocahontas County.

Neat, right?  Although they appear man-made at first glance, the “honeycomb” shape developed naturally due to minerals, eroded sandstone, and harsh elements.  Through weathering effects, the sandstone went through multiple wetting/drying periods ultimately eroding the soft sandstone, leaving the harder sandstone behind to create the formations.

If you’d like to see the rocks in person,  they are accessible along Route 150 via a short 1/4 mile interpretive trail leads to the impressive formations.  The rock pictured above is the most complete example of they honeycomb shape along the trail.

Until next time,
Sara (WV Travel Queen)