There’s the kind of walking you do because you know it’s good for you: think treadmills and mall marching. And then there are walks you’ll remember and yearn to repeat, like those waiting in the heights and hollows of West Virginia. You’ll never run out of trails or mountain-fresh air laced with scents of evergreen forests or fragrant wildflowers. There is endless beauty to discover, whether it’s a hidden waterfall, a grazing deer, a rose blooming in the remains of a mining camp, or a panorama of mountain ranges under a dome of blue sky.
West Virginia is home to hundreds of trails, ranging from smooth walking paths to steep, rocky terrain for hardcore hiking. Here’s a sampler of places (all of which allow leashed dogs) where you can choose to be easy or hard on yourself—and find rewards either way.