Watoga State Park
Watoga State Park is the largest of West Virginia's state parks, covering slightly over 10,100 acres (41 km2).[2] It is located near Seebert in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
Watoga State Park | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)[1] | |
Watoga Lake | |
Location of Watoga State Park in West Virginia | |
Location | Pocahontas, West Virginia, United States |
Nearest town | Seebert, West Virginia |
Coordinates | 38°06′13″N 80°08′59″W |
Area | 10,100 acres (41 km2)[2] |
Elevation | 2,894 ft (882 m) |
Established | May 1934[3] |
Named for | Watoga Lake |
Governing body | West Virginia Division of Natural Resources |
Website | wvstateparks |
New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District | |
Location | HC 82 (9 miles southwest of WV 39), near Marlinton, West Virginia |
Area | 10,269 acres (4,156 ha) |
NRHP reference No. | 10001227[4] |
Added to NRHP | February 4, 2011 |
History
The land that forms the nucleus of Watoga was originally acquired in January 1925, when the park was initially planned to be a state forest. In May 1934, a decision was made to instead develop the site as a state park. Much of the development on the site was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the park was first opened on July 1, 1937.[3]
New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District
The New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District is a national historic district encompassing 59 contributing buildings, 35 contributing structures, 2 contributing sites, and 11 contributing objects. They include water fountains; trails; a swimming pool; a reservoir; rental cabins; and picnic shelters; as well as a former CCC camp. The park is the site of the Fred E. Brooks Memorial Arboretum, a 400-acre arboretum that encompasses the drainage of Two Mile Run. Named in honor of Fred E. Brooks, a noted West Virginia naturalist who died in 1933, the Arboretum's construction began about 1935 and a dedication was held in 1938.[5]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.[4]
Features
- 34 cabins
- 2 campgrounds with 88 total campsites (50 with electricity)
- Swimming pool
- 11-acre (45,000 m2) fishing lake
- Hiking trails
- Brooks Memorial Arboretum
- Ann Bailey Lookout Tower
- Greenbrier River Trail
Hiking Trails
Watoga State Park has many hiking trails to choose from that vary wildly in length and difficulty. There is a wide variety of trail choices, so any level hiker will enjoy their time on the Watoga State Park trails.
A small list of these trails includes[6]
- Allegheny Trail
- Ann Bailey Trail
- Arrowhead Trail
- Bearpen Trail
- Brooks Memorial Arboretum Trails
- Buck and Doe Trail
- Burnside Ridge Trail
- Honeymoon Trail
- Jesse's Cove Trail
- Kennison Run Trail
- Lake Trail
- Monongaseneka Trail
- North Boundary Trail
- Pine Run Trail
- T. M. Cheek Trail
- Ten Acre Trail
- South Burnside Trail
These trails are regularly maintained by the Watoga Foundation[7], and you can look at a map by clicking here.
References
- "Watoga State Park". Protected Planet. IUCN. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
- "West Virginia State Parks Facilities Grid" (PDF). West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
- Where People and Nature Meet: A History of the West Virginia State Parks. Charleston, West Virginia: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. April 1988. ISBN 0-933126-91-3.
- "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 2/14/11 through 2/18/11. National Park Service. 2011-02-25.
- Lena L. Sweeten (July 2010). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District" (PDF). State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
- "Watoga State Park". West Virginia State Parks. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
- "About Watoga Foundation -". Retrieved 2020-05-07.