Carnifex Ferry State Park in central West Virginia is a historical site offering short trails and easy access to rafting and other outdoor adventures.
Images by Matthew Durfee
Not far from the towns of Summersville and Fayetteville in West Virginia, you'll find quite a collection of state parks — and, of course, one national park, New River Gorge.
If you want to put together a trip in this region of the state, you'll probably include Babcock State Park, Hawks Nest, Summersville Lake, and Carnifex Ferry.
Carnifex Ferry is a historical site and day use park about a 20-minute drive from Summersville. It's spread over 150 acres atop the Gauley River Canyon. The name refers to a river ferry that operated about a mile away in the 19th century.
Places to Eat + Stay
In Summersville, we really enjoyed the cute cafe at Honeybee Coffee and Donut House. There are several other restaurants in town, including Mexican, barbeque, and a beer garden.
Slightly closer to the state park (near Summersville Lake) you'll also find pizza places and bar-and-grill type restaurants.
If you're interested in camping, you'll need to stay outside of this state park, but there are several options close by. Summersville Lake Retreat is only about 10 minutes away. It has both campsites and cabins, and is also home to a lighthouse.
The lighthouse is generally open to visitors from spring through fall, and you can climb 122 steps to check out the view from the top.
Why does this lake have a lighthouse, you may ask? It all started when construction was being done at a nearby wind farm and one of the tower sections was damaged in a storm. Turns out, it was the perfect size and shape to be repurposed for a lighthouse, complete with beacon.
There are other campgrounds and cabin rentals close by, and several hotels in Summersville.
What to Do Near Carnifex Ferry
On site is the historic Patterson House, built in the 1850s. It functions as a museum and gift shop.
The longest trail in the park is Patterson Trail, a 2-mile loop that brings you to three very nice overlooks of the Gauley River, starting with one that's close and convenient to the picnic area.
There are a couple of other short trails you can hike within the park, but this is mostly a place to do some fairly easy strolling and maybe relax at an overview with a snack.
Up for a more adventurous time? We went rafting on the Gauley River (only available in the fall) with a guided trip from Adventures on the Gorge, and experienced some pretty wild rapids — up to Class V in some spots.
For summertime trips, or if you're a first-time rafter or have young children, you might want to try the New River instead. But trips on either river leave from the same resort, less than 30 minutes from the state park.
This is a fun section of West Virginia! We hope you enjoy exploring.
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