Its unofficial nickname may be the Switzerland of America, but West Virginia is nowhere near as wealthy as its namesake. It is one of the poorest states in the US. The mountains, though, are picture-perfect, and although coal mining still dominates the economy, tourism is booming.
The first stop-off on the tourist trail is the little town of Harpers Ferry, now the picturesque centrepiece of a National Historic Park. It was here, in 1859, that abolutionist John Brown seized the federal arsenal, an incident that would help to spark the Civil War.
Next, stop for a soak in the thermal waters at Berkeley Springs. A fashionable spa resort in the 18th century, its visitors included George Washington. These days, it’s also home to a thriving artistic community.
To the west, in the Allegheny Mountains, is Monongahela National Park. Miles of trails show off its caves, forests, blueberry thickets and rivers, and it has two downhill ski resorts.
In southern West Virginia, the terrain is even wilder; the New River Gorge National River, a 305-metre deep canyon, offers superb white-water rafting, as well as hiking and gorge climbing.
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