Blue Bend Recreation Area
A CCC-built swimming area on Anthony Creek in the Monongahela National Forest, with a deep green pool below a stone-walled beach, a campground and a loop trail up onto the ridge. One of the best-known natural swimming spots in the state.
Know before you go
- Water is cold well into summer
- The Blue Bend Loop is a solid 5-mile hike with real climbing
- Connects toward the Greenbrier River Trail near Anthony
What you can do here
Guides, gear and lodging near Blue Bend Recreation Area
Place-level placement for operators within range of this trailhead, put-in or crag.
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Nearby in the Greenbrier Valley
Greenbrier River Trail
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Beartown State Park
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Cranberry Glades Botanical Area
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Falls of Hills Creek
Three waterfalls in three-quarters of a mile, dropping 25, 45 and 63 feet — the last is the second-highest waterfall in West Virginia.
Highland Scenic Highway
A 43-mile National Scenic Byway climbing over 4,500 feet across the Allegheny plateau between Richwood and US 219, with four major overlooks and access to Cranberry Glades, the Falls of Hills Creek and the Cranberry Wilderness.