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Mountaineer Country
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Mountaineer Country pairs West Virginia university towns and Appalachian heritage with forested mountains, waterfalls, lakes, trails and local food.

Mountaineer Country occupies the north-central highlands of West Virginia, a broad travel region of wooded ridges, river valleys, historic towns and university life. Its communities extend across Barbour, Doddridge, Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Randolph, Taylor and Tucker counties, where the landscape changes from the Monongahela River valley around Morgantown and Fairmont to elevated forests, reservoirs and mountain settlements farther east. The region is part of Appalachia, but its identity is shaped as much by universities, energy, railways and industry as by its scenery.
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Morgantown, home to West Virginia University, is the region's largest urban centre and a useful base for dining, arts, outdoor recreation and sporting events. Fairmont and Clarksburg preserve the architectural and commercial character of former industrial communities, while smaller places such as Philippi, Grafton, Kingwood, Thomas, Davis and Elkins offer distinct historic or creative identities. The Monongahela River and its tributaries connect many of these communities, although the region's uplands are equally important to its character.
Outdoor travel is central to Mountaineer Country. Coopers Rock State Forest provides overlooks, ravines, rock formations and a large network of walking trails near Morgantown. In Tucker County, Blackwater Falls State Park and Canaan Valley combine waterfalls, spruce forests, wetlands and high-elevation recreation. Tygart Lake supports boating and fishing, while the Cheat River, the Cheat Mountain landscape and extensive state forests create opportunities for hiking, cycling, paddling, skiing and wildlife observation. Conditions can change quickly in the higher country, especially during winter.
The region's history is visible in covered bridges, forts, railway structures, courthouse squares, company-built neighbourhoods and restored downtown buildings. Prickett's Fort interprets the frontier world of the late eighteenth century, Arthurdale reflects a major New Deal resettlement experiment, and the Philippi Covered Bridge remains an emblem of local engineering and Civil War history. Coal, timber, glass, rail transport and manufacturing brought wealth and upheaval, while contemporary communities increasingly combine heritage tourism, outdoor recreation, higher education and independent arts.
Food and drink provide another route into the region's culture. Fairmont is closely associated with the pepperoni roll, while buckwheat cakes, trout, ramps, apples, locally produced beer and Appalachian baking appear across the region in different forms. Farmers' markets and small-town festivals are often seasonal and community-focused rather than staged solely for visitors. A successful itinerary should allow for driving between valleys and mountain districts: Mountaineer Country is best understood as a collection of connected communities and landscapes rather than a single compact resort area.

Getting to and around Mountaineer Country

How to get there

Morgantown Municipal Airport is the region's principal commercial aviation gateway, with onward connections rather than a broad international network. Many international visitors use Pittsburgh International Airport in neighbouring Pennsylvania, outside Mountaineer Country, and drive south-east into the region. North Central West Virginia Airport near Bridgeport serves the Clarksburg and Fairmont area with domestic flights. Interstate 79 is the main north-south road corridor, while Interstate 68 provides access from Maryland and eastern Pennsylvania towards Morgantown; other approaches use mountainous state and US highways.

Transportation

A car is generally the most practical way to explore Mountaineer Country because parks, covered bridges, mountain communities and historic sites are widely dispersed. Morgantown has local bus services, and intercity options connect some larger towns, but rural coverage and evening services are limited. Walking works well in downtown Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg and smaller historic centres, while trails and state forests require suitable footwear and preparation. Mountain roads can be narrow or winding, and winter weather may affect higher routes around Tucker and Randolph counties.

Top city travel guides in Mountaineer Country

The cities of Mountaineer Country, and the easiest places to base yourself.

Destinations in Mountaineer Country

Resorts, valleys and scenic spots worth a trip of their own.

Best attractions in Mountaineer Country

Mountaineer Country's attractions range from university museums and restored downtowns to deep forests, waterfalls, reservoirs and historic settlements. Morgantown offers West Virginia University facilities, the West Virginia Botanic Garden and access to Cheat Lake and Coopers Rock State Forest, whose trails and sandstone overlooks are among the region's most accessible outdoor experiences. Prickett's Fort State Park near Fairmont interprets eighteenth-century frontier life, while the nearby Monongahela River valley contains industrial and transport heritage. Tygart Lake State Park provides boating, fishing and waterside recreation near Grafton, and Arthurdale Heritage in Preston County explores a New Deal community. Farther east, Blackwater Falls State Park, Canaan Valley Resort and the surrounding highlands provide hiking, skiing, birdwatching and scenic drives. Small towns such as Thomas, Davis, Philippi and Elkins add galleries, historic buildings, music and local events, although some lie at considerable driving distance from one another. The region rewards visitors who combine a main town with a specific landscape rather than expecting a concentrated attraction district.

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Best landmarks in Mountaineer Country

The Philippi Covered Bridge is one of Mountaineer Country's most recognisable structures, spanning the Tygart Valley River and linking a distinctive nineteenth-century bridge form with the story of the 1861 Battle of Philippi. Prickett's Fort near Fairmont represents the region's frontier era through a reconstructed wooden fort and an associated historic landscape. In Morgantown, the West Virginia University campus and its hilltop setting form a major civic landmark, while the Monongalia County Courthouse and surrounding downtown reflect the city's long commercial and governmental role. Arthurdale's planned community buildings in Preston County are important reminders of New Deal social reform. Natural landmarks define the eastern part of the region: Blackwater Falls drops through a forested gorge in Tucker County, Canaan Valley forms a high-elevation basin of wetlands and ridges, and Coopers Rock's sandstone cliffs overlook the Cheat River gorge. Tygart Lake adds a broad engineered landscape of water, wooded slopes and recreational shorelines near Grafton. Together these places show how military, civic, industrial, reformist and geological histories overlap across the region.

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Explore Mountaineer Country on the map

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Best restaurants in Mountaineer Country

The region's food culture blends Appalachian home cooking, immigrant influences, university-town experimentation and products from surrounding farms. The pepperoni roll is especially associated with Fairmont and the north-central coalfield tradition, where portable bread filled with pepperoni became a practical bakery food for miners and workers. Buckwheat cakes, biscuits, country ham, trout, ramps, apples and seasonal vegetables appear in diners, family restaurants, farmers' markets and festival cooking, while mountain communities often feature smoked meats and hearty soups. Morgantown provides the broadest choice of international food, cafés, breweries and contemporary restaurants, with Fairmont, Clarksburg, Elkins, Thomas and Davis offering their own smaller dining scenes. Rural inns and independent restaurants can be widely spaced, so meal planning matters when exploring state parks and highland roads. Local craft beer and West Virginian baking make useful additions to a regional food itinerary, but food traditions vary from household to household rather than forming a single fixed menu.

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Best bars in Mountaineer Country

Evening life in Mountaineer Country is concentrated in Morgantown, where West Virginia University's student population supports pubs, bars, live music, sports venues and late-night restaurants. The atmosphere and opening patterns vary with the academic calendar and major sporting events, so visitors should expect busier streets on game days. Fairmont, Clarksburg, Elkins, Thomas and Davis offer smaller selections of pubs, breweries, lounges, live music and community events rather than a large club circuit. In the mountain districts, evenings often centre on a restaurant, historic inn, brewery, seasonal performance or accommodation with a communal atmosphere. Drinking is not essential to experiencing the region, and rural journeys after dark require particular care because roads can be winding, poorly lit and distant from services.

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Best nightclubs in Mountaineer Country

Evening life in Mountaineer Country is concentrated in Morgantown, where West Virginia University's student population supports pubs, bars, live music, sports venues and late-night restaurants. The atmosphere and opening patterns vary with the academic calendar and major sporting events, so visitors should expect busier streets on game days. Fairmont, Clarksburg, Elkins, Thomas and Davis offer smaller selections of pubs, breweries, lounges, live music and community events rather than a large club circuit. In the mountain districts, evenings often centre on a restaurant, historic inn, brewery, seasonal performance or accommodation with a communal atmosphere. Drinking is not essential to experiencing the region, and rural journeys after dark require particular care because roads can be winding, poorly lit and distant from services.

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Best shops in Mountaineer Country

Shopping in Mountaineer Country is strongest in its market towns, university centre and small creative communities rather than in a single regional retail district. Morgantown has the widest range of bookshops, clothing, specialist food stores, galleries and everyday retail, with student-oriented businesses adding a younger commercial character. Fairmont, Clarksburg, Grafton, Elkins and Kingwood retain traditional downtown shops, antiques, cafés and local services, while Thomas and Davis are known for galleries, crafts, books, food and independent creative businesses. Farmers' markets and seasonal market days offer apples, preserves, baked goods, honey, vegetables and handmade items, though schedules vary by town and season. Useful regional purchases include pepperoni rolls, buckwheat products, locally made beer, Appalachian crafts, pottery, woodwork, art prints and mountain-themed books. Visitors should distinguish locally made goods from generic souvenirs and check rural businesses' payment options before travelling far from the larger centres.

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Mountaineer Country essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the United States dollar (USD), as throughout West Virginia and the United States. Credit and debit cards, including contactless payments, are widely accepted in hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, petrol stations and larger attractions. Carry some cash for farm stands, small-town festivals, rural craft sellers, trail-area concessions and businesses affected by weak mobile reception. Tipping is customary in American table-service restaurants and is generally calculated as a percentage of the pre-tax bill; check whether a service charge has already been included.
Safety
Mountaineer Country is broadly suitable for ordinary travel, but visitors should take normal precautions in towns, car parks and busy event areas. Outdoor hazards deserve more attention than urban crime: rocks, roots, steep slopes, fast streams, changing weather, black ice and limited phone coverage can affect trails and mountain roads. Keep to marked routes, check park advice, carry water and tell someone your plans for longer hikes. Secure vehicles and valuables, drive cautiously on winding roads and treat waterways, cliffs and winter conditions with respect.
Emergency Situations
Call 911 anywhere in Mountaineer Country for police, fire or ambulance assistance; the number is part of the United States national emergency system, not a special regional service. Give the dispatcher a precise road name, trail, park entrance, landmark or GPS location, since rural addresses can be difficult to identify. For serious backcountry incidents, contact 911 rather than attempting a risky self-rescue. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text for mental-health emergencies, while visitors with medical needs should confirm insurance and access arrangements before travelling.
Do's and Don'ts
Do observe posted rules in state forests, parks, waterways and historic sites, and leave natural areas as you found them. Do slow down for pedestrians, cyclists, school buses and wildlife on rural roads. Ask before photographing people, private homes or small community events, and remember that many historic buildings remain active places of worship or community use. Do not enter abandoned industrial structures or private land without permission, feed wildlife, litter, or assume that an unmarked forest route is suitable for every vehicle. In restaurants, tipping service staff is a normal US custom.
Local Tips
Use Morgantown for urban amenities and university culture, Fairmont and Clarksburg for regional services and heritage, and Tucker County for highland scenery and outdoor recreation. The eastern mountain districts are cooler and snowier than the river valleys, so clothing and plans may need to change within the same trip. Local farmers' markets are useful places to find seasonal produce, baked goods and Appalachian specialties. Game-day traffic can alter parking and journey times around West Virginia University, while autumn foliage and winter weekends bring heavier demand to popular mountain parks.
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From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHowdy[How-dee]
GoodbyeSee ya[See ya]
YesYep[Yep]
NoNope[Nope]
Please/You're welcomePlease/No problem[Please/No prob-lem]
Thank youThanks a bunch[Thanks a bunch]
Excuse me/SorryPardon me/Sorry 'bout that[Pardon me/Sorry 'bout that]
How are you?How ya doin'?[How ya doin'?]
Fine. And you?I’m good. And you?[I’m good. And you?]
Do you speak English?You speakin' English?[You speakin' English?]
I don't understandI ain't gettin' it[I ain't gettin' it]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I see the menu, please?[Can I see the menu, please?]
I don't eat meatI don’t eat meat[I don’t eat meat]
Cheers!Cheers![Cheers!]
I would like to pay, pleaseCan I pay up, please?[Can I pay up, please?]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![Help!]
Go away!Get outta here![Get outta here!]
Call the Police!Call the cops![Call the cops!]
Call a doctor!Get a doctor![Get a doctor!]
I'm lostI'm all turned 'round[I'm all turned 'round]
I'm illI ain't feelin' good[I ain't feelin' good]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wanna buy...[I wanna buy...]
I'm just lookingJust lookin' around[Just lookin' around]
How much is it?How much's this?[How much's this?]
That's too expensiveThat’s a bit pricey[That’s a bit pricey]
Can you lower the price?Can ya cut the price?[Can ya cut the price?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What time we got?[What time we got?]
It's one o'clockIt's one o'clock[It's one o'clock]
Half past (10)Half past ten[Half past ten]
MorningMornin'[Mornin']
AfternoonAfternoon[Afternoon]
EveningEvenin'[Evenin']
YesterdayYesterday[Yesterday]
TodayToday[Today]
TomorrowTomorrow[Tomorrow]
1One[One]
2Two[Two]
3Three[Three]
4Four[Four]
5Five[Five]
6Six[Six]
7Seven[Seven]
8Eight[Eight]
9Nine[Nine]
10Ten[Ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where’s a...?[Where’s a...?]
What's the address?What’s the address?[What’s the address?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Can you show me on the map?[Can you show me on the map?]
When's the next (bus)?When's the next bus?[When's the next bus?]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket to...[A ticket to...]

History of Mountaineer Country

Indigenous Homelands and Frontier Expansion

The valleys and uplands of present-day Mountaineer Country were used by Indigenous peoples long before European settlement, with rivers and ridgelines serving as travel corridors and hunting grounds. During the eighteenth century, growing colonial settlement brought fortified farms, trading routes and conflict to the region. Prickett's Fort near Fairmont commemorates this frontier period, although the fort itself is a later reconstruction and an interpretive site rather than an untouched survival. The region's early history is therefore best understood through both Indigenous presence and the disruptive expansion of Euro-American settlement.

Philippi and the Civil War, 1861

The first organised land engagement of the American Civil War is generally associated with the Battle of Philippi, fought in Barbour County in June 1861. Union forces attacked Confederate troops stationed in the small town, helping secure north-western Virginia for the Union during the opening weeks of the conflict. The Philippi Covered Bridge, later rebuilt after wartime damage, is a prominent reminder of the town's strategic position and remains one of the region's best-known historic structures. West Virginia was created from Virginia during the war in 1863.

Railways, Timber and Coal

From the late nineteenth century, railways transformed Mountaineer Country by linking mountain resources and river towns with wider American markets. Coal mining expanded especially in Harrison, Marion, Randolph, Tucker and neighbouring upland districts, while timber operations reshaped the high forests and supported sawmills, rail sidings and company settlements. Rail connections helped towns such as Clarksburg, Grafton, Elkins and Fairmont grow as commercial and transport centres. The period also brought dangerous working conditions, labour disputes, immigration and rapid environmental change, legacies still visible in industrial landscapes and local museums.

Glass, Manufacturing and Urban Growth

The region's economy was never based solely on extraction. Clarksburg and surrounding communities developed glassmaking, metalwork, machinery, chemicals and other manufacturing, while Fairmont and Morgantown became important commercial and educational centres. Abundant fuel, rail access and nearby markets supported factories and encouraged population growth in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Historic downtown buildings, warehouses, churches and neighbourhoods preserve traces of this era, even as many communities have moved towards healthcare, education, services, technology, recreation and heritage tourism.

The New Deal and Arthurdale

Arthurdale in Preston County was established in the 1930s as the first of the United States government's planned New Deal resettlement communities. Designed to assist families affected by the Great Depression, it combined small farms, community buildings, schools and cooperative ideals. The experiment faced economic and practical difficulties, but its surviving buildings and museum make it an important site in the history of American social policy. Arthurdale also demonstrates how national reform programmes left a physical and social imprint on rural West Virginia.

Universities and a Diversifying Regional Economy

Higher education became a major force in the modern region, most visibly through West Virginia University in Morgantown and other colleges serving north-central West Virginia. Research, healthcare, sport and student life have influenced the growth and character of Morgantown, while regional campuses and training institutions support surrounding communities. At the same time, older coal, timber and manufacturing economies have contracted or changed. Contemporary Mountaineer Country consequently combines industrial heritage with outdoor recreation, cultural enterprises, medical services, education and efforts to sustain smaller mountain towns.

Mountaineer Country in Photos

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Mountaineer Country

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Experience Mountaineer Country like a local with Evendo, your comprehensive, free travel guide app. Explore top attractions, dine at famous eateries, and create unforgettable memories.

  • History of Mountaineer Country and travel essentials.
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Planning a trip to Mountaineer Country, West Virginia? Let Evendo be your personal guide to this enchanting region. From the towering peaks of the Appalachian Mountains to the vibrant streets of Morgantown, Evendo offers detailed information on everything you need for an unforgettable adventure.

Explore famous attractions like Coopers Rock State Forest, where breathtaking views and hiking trails await. Visit the historic Prickett's Fort State Park to step back in time and experience 18th-century frontier life. For art enthusiasts, the Art Museum of West Virginia University offers a rich collection of regional and international works.

Food lovers can indulge in local flavors at renowned restaurants like Table 9 for a farm-to-table experience or Black Bear Burritos for a taste of fresh, creative cuisine. With Evendo, you can easily find and book the hottest spots and hidden gems in the area.

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