1. Their award-winning Chef Ed features local meat, produce, and other ingredients that will delight the most discriminating palate. Ed is a European Trained Sommelier that offers wine tastings every Saturday evening along with their fine dining. Carol is our Pastry Chef and creates delightful baked goods to tempt your sweet tooth. They have onsite massage services and a business conference center that can accommodate small weddings. Another area of specialization is their corporate planning retreats and ministry retreats. They offer discounts upon request for Active Duty Military, First Responders, Ministry, and Teachers. They are conveniently located in the Monongahela The North Fork Mountain Inn is centrally located in the Potomac Highlands and provides a great place to stay as you explore this region with natural beauty and outdoor activities. This Select Registry Full-Service Inn has received the 5 Star Award of Excellence for the last five years. National Forest and a short hike to popular hiking trails in the area including the North Fork Mountain Trail.
2. The South and North Forks of the South Branch of the Potomac River is a "fisherman's paradise. These rivers attract fly fisherman from across the USA year around as they fish for the Golden Trout propagated at the Petersburg Fish Hatcheries. You can see when and where they are stocking the Golden, Brook, Brown Trout and other fish species that enjoy the cool stream waters by going to www.dnr.gov. For those seeking help to find and bag that trophy catch go to Three Rivers Guiding. Enjoy majestic and scenic views while you try your fishing skills. The North Fork Mountain Inn will cook your catch if you will clean them first. For the real avid fly fishers there is a long section of the South Fork that is catch and release. It is a sportsman's paradise.
3. Mount Storm is home to the largest wind farm East of the Mississippi. This wind farm has 132 two-megawatt wind turbines with plans to add 32 additional turbines. This area is conveniently located by the interconnection to the PJM grid that provide much of the power for the East Coast of the USA. The nearby Greenland gap has 32 wind turbines adjacent to one of the most scenic areas of Grant County. The Mount Storm Power Plant is a modern leader in carbon capture and is a major supplier of power for the East Coast. This coal fired power plant uses the adjacent Mt. Storm Lake to cool the furnaces that results in a water temperature that is a constant temperature of 72 degrees year around. As such it is popular for scuba diving and training.
4. Smoke Hole Road is popular for sightseeing and has been referred to as the "most scenic 17-mile drive" in West Virginia. Along this road you will pass trailheads for the North Fork Mountain trail, Landes trail, and the Redman trail. The North Fork Mountain Trail, the Number One trail in West Virginia is popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and backpackers. It winds for 28 miles along the Ridgeline overlooking the Seneca Rocks Valley and provides magnificent views including Chimney Rock. Smoke Hole Road is very popular with motorcyclists providing beautiful scenic vistas on a road less traveled. Smoke Hole Road is a boundary of and provides great access to the Monongahela National Forest, a popular destination for hunters and fly fishers.
5. The history of Smoke Hole Caverns is tied to the Seneca Indians who used the front section of the caverns to smoke wild game. The slow-burning wood fires sent clouds of smoke swirling out into the valley. The scene was so common that early settlers called the place Smoke Hole.
The many rooms and secluded nature of the Caverns were also the ideal place for early settlers and immigrants to make corn whiskey after the Civil War. The clean cold stream that flows through the Caverns was perfect for "moonshine" and it is estimated that perhaps as many as 20 stills operated at one time!!
Deep under the now scenic beauty of West Virginia, the Smoke Hole Caverns provide visitors with a peek into the scenery below the surface. Caverns and the breathtaking beauty that fills them are created by the constant, trickling flow of mineral-carrying water that deposits the minerals making stalactites and stalagmites. Stalactites are mineral formations that hang from the ceiling of a cavern, a stalagmite is a mineral formation formed on the floor. Each of these is generally cone-shaped.
For those who have never been into a cavern, Smoke Hole Caverns is a must visit. The bizarre-looking formations of minerals look like a scene from a lost world of an old science fiction movie. Bring a jacket as the caverns are a pleasant 56 degrees year-round. A Sturdy pair of comfortable shoes is another recommendation. The tours through the caverns take a little less than an hour and will be pleasing for the entire family. This area which is famous for its natural caves includes Seneca Rocks Caverns and the Smoke Hole cave for spelunkers that enjoy this year-around activity. If you need some retail therapy or a souvenir to take home their claim to fame is West Virginia's largest gift shop.
