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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about cross-country skiing between Herrington Manor and Swallow Falls State Parks in western Maryland. It’s a good, minimally crowded destination, but unless volunteers have found the time to do so, more than likely the route won’t be groomed, meaning you may have to break trail—not one of the [...]

I’m going to admit to you that I have never done any downhill skiing. However, whenever Mother Nature blesses the southern mountains with enough of the white fluffy stuff, as she certainly did just a few days before Christmas, I enjoy putting on the cross-country skis. The mountains of western Maryland are often overlooked as [...]

Western Pennsylvania’s Ohiopyle State Park is an all-access pass to outdoor adventure. Located an hour and a half southeast of Pittsburgh but feeling like worlds away from the Rust Belt, the 20,000-acre park is the gateway to the craggy Laurel Mountains, featuring over 120 miles of trails for hiking and biking. The park also features [...]

If any place in Appalachia can still make you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, it’s West Virginia’s Canaan Valley. Development is limited. Light pollution is minimal. Backcountry is everywhere. START HERE The unimposing Whitegrass Ski Touring Center (whitegrass.com) is the home for cross-country skiing in the rugged region of the Mountain State. [...]

The Roan Highlands offer a rare stretch of wide-open high country splendor in the Southern Appalachians. “The Roan” is actually a lengthy stretch of grassy peaks. The bald beauties feature expansive, open meadows—not typical of Appalachia’s deep wooded forests. EXPLORE The best way to take in the Roan experience is an epic 20-mile jaunt on [...]

In the fall, being a Mountaineer in Morgantown usually means congregating at Milan Puskar Stadium to watch West Virginia University’s beloved football team battle it out with Big East rivals. But if your outdoor passions go beyond pigskin, this revitalized small city on the edge of the Monongahela River has plenty of options to whet your adventure whistle.

BY BOAT, BOOT, AND BIKE

Briefs from the Blue Ridge

Slatyfork is the gateway to one of the International Mountain Biking Association’s Epic Rides. The 37-mile Gauley Headwaters ride moves from open meadows to a maze within the Mon’s tight and technical hardwood forests. A legendary highlight includes the lengthy Tea Creek Mountain descent.