Some of the most beautiful stretches of the Monongahela National Forest are in the central northern part of the state, where the thundering torrents of the Blackwater Falls pour over a 60ft limestone cliff before crashing down through a steeply walled canyon. South from here spreads the dense maple, oak, walnut and birch forest of broad Canaan Valley , while to the east rise the barren subarctic highlands of the Dolly Sods Wilderness , the whole area crisscrossed by hiking, cycling and skiing trails.

Rising up at the far end of the Canaan Valley, the state's highest point, 4861ft Spruce Knob , stands out over the headwaters of the Potomac River - you can actually drive all the way to the summit. Even more impressive views can be had from the top of Seneca Rocks , some twenty miles to the northeast, whose 1000ft limestone cliffs are commonly considered to present the most challenging rock-climb on the east coast. If you want to take the easy way up, a good trail leads in around the back of the North Peak, and takes well under an hour to the top. The helpful Discovery Center at the junction of US-33 and Hwy-28 (summer daily 8am-4.30pm; rest of year Sat & Sun only; tel 304/567-2827) has details of outdoor recreation opportunities in the entire region. Yokum's (tel 304/567-2351 or 1-800/772-8342, ), near the base of Seneca Rocks, takes care of all your vital needs, with a cheap motel ($35-50), self-service cabins ($75-100), and a pretty riverside campground (from $5), plus a country store and down-home restaurant serving tasty, good value meals.

The old logging town of DAVIS (population 1000), just east of US-219 at the north end of the Canaan Valley, makes another convenient base, with a couple of places to stay : the Best Western Alpine Lodge (tel 304/259-5245; $50-75) has standard motel rooms, and the Bright Morning Inn (tel 304/259-5119, ; $50-75) on Williams Avenue doubles as the town café . Muttley's next door (tel 304/259-4858) serves great-value steaks. Among local outdoor guides and outfitters , Blackwater Outdoor Adventures, nearly twenty miles away on Rte-72 at St. George (tel 304/478-3775, ), runs rafting, caving and canoeing trips, and also rents out bikes. Timberline Resort (tel 304/866-4801 or 1-800/SNOWING, ) operates the state's largest downhill ski area several miles southeast of town. For more information on the region, contact the visitor center on Main Street (daily 9am-5pm; tel 304/259-5315 or 1-800/782-2775, ).

Blackwater Falls, the Canaan Valley and Seneca Rocks

• Blackwater Falls, the Canaan Valley and Seneca Rocks

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