First visit
Kanawha State Forest
Kanawha State Forest. Twenty-five miles of trail, serious mountain biking and outstanding spring warbler birding, fifteen minutes from downtown Charleston.
Full guide to Kanawha State Forest →Water trails and forest trails near Charleston
Metro Valley
The Kanawha and Guyandotte valleys around Charleston and Huntington, containing the largest share of the state's population. Recreation here is concentrated on restored urban and suburban rivers and on close-in public land. The Coal River Group maintains an 88-mile water trail on the Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal rivers, and the Guyandotte Water Trail Alliance is developing a similar system to the south. Kanawha State Forest covers 9,300 acres roughly fifteen minutes from downtown Charleston.
This region contains the largest share of the state's population, and its recreation is built on restored urban and suburban rivers and on public land close to Charleston and Huntington.
A state forest fifteen minutes from a capital city, and eighty-eight miles of water trail on a river that used to be written off.
Our recommendations
What we'd do here
Second visit
Coal River Water Trail
Paddle a section of the Coal River Water Trail with the maps the local group publishes. Warm, slow, and full of smallmouth.
Full guide to Coal River Water Trail →What locals do
Kanawha Falls
Fish Kanawha Falls at Glen Ferris, camp at Beech Fork, and ride the Charleston and Huntington greenways in the evening.
Full guide to Kanawha Falls →One day here
Morning ride in Kanawha State Forest, lunch in Charleston, and an afternoon float on the Coal River out of St. Albans.
Practical note
This is working-river country and it shows in places, with barge traffic, industry and road noise along some sections. The eastern counties offer more remote water; this region offers accessible water close to population centers.
Signature places
- Coal River Water Trail — Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal with maintained access
- Kanawha State Forest — hiking, mountain biking and birding minutes from Charleston
- Guyandotte Water Trail development
- Beech Fork and East Lynn lakes for bass and flatwater
- Kanawha River trail and riverfront access in Charleston and St. Albans
- Ritter Park and the Huntington greenway system
What this region does best
Coal River Water Trail — Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal with maintained access.
Guyandotte Water Trail development.
Apr–Oct · SeasonBeginner–Intermediate · Suits
Where, in this region
Coal River Water Trail
River
Local organizations
Water Trails across West Virginia →1 place in the Metro Valley carry recreational kayaking.
Apr–Oct · SeasonBeginner · Suits
Where, in this region
Coal River Water Trail
River
Local organizations
Active Southern West Virginia
NONPROFIT
Coal River Water Trail — Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal with maintained access.
Kanawha River trail and riverfront access in Charleston and St. Albans.
Apr–Oct · SeasonBeginner–Intermediate · Suits
Where, in this region
Coal River Water Trail
River
Local organizations
Canoeing across West Virginia →Beech Fork and East Lynn lakes for bass and flatwater.
Apr–Oct · SeasonBeginner · Suits
Where, in this region
Flatwater Paddling across West Virginia →Kanawha State Forest — hiking, mountain biking and birding minutes from Charleston.
Mar–Nov · SeasonIntermediate–Advanced · Suits
Where, in this region
Kanawha State Forest
State Forest
Chief Logan State Park
State Park
Coal River Water Trail — Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal with maintained access.
Guyandotte Water Trail development.
Year-round · SeasonAll · Suits
Where, in this region
Kanawha State Forest
State Forest
Beech Fork State Park
State Park
Chief Logan State Park
State Park
Cabwaylingo State Forest
State Forest
Local organizations
Active Southern West Virginia
NONPROFIT
2 places in the Metro Valley carry road running.
Year-round · SeasonAll · Suits
Where, in this region
Kanawha State Forest
State Forest
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park
State Park
Local organizations
Active Southern West Virginia
NONPROFIT
Coal River Water Trail — Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal with maintained access.
Guyandotte Water Trail development.
Mar–Nov · SeasonIntermediate · Suits
Where, in this region
Kanawha State Forest
State Forest
Local organizations
Active Southern West Virginia
NONPROFIT
Beech Fork and East Lynn lakes for bass and flatwater.
Year-round · SeasonAll · Suits
Where, in this region
Coal River Water Trail
River
Beech Fork State Park
State Park
East Lynn Lake
Lake
Kanawha Falls
River
Cabwaylingo State Forest
State Forest
4 places in the Metro Valley carry kayak fishing.
Apr–Oct · SeasonIntermediate · Suits
Where, in this region
Local organizations
Kayak Fishing across West Virginia →Kanawha State Forest — hiking, mountain biking and birding minutes from Charleston.
Year-round, peak May · SeasonAll · Suits
Where, in this region
Kanawha State Forest
State Forest
Chief Logan State Park
State Park
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park
State Park
Cabwaylingo State Forest
State Forest
2 places in the Metro Valley carry disc golf.
Year-round · SeasonAll · Suits
Where, in this region
Beech Fork State Park
State Park
Chief Logan State Park
State Park
5 places in the Metro Valley carry camping.
Apr–Oct · SeasonAll · Suits
Where, in this region
Kanawha State Forest
State Forest
Beech Fork State Park
State Park
Chief Logan State Park
State Park
East Lynn Lake
Lake
Cabwaylingo State Forest
State Forest
Every place we cover here
8 named destinations in this region.
State Forest · Metro Valley
Kanawha State Forest
9,300 acres of steep, wooded hollow just fifteen minutes from downtown Charleston, with more than 25 miles of trails, a well-known mountain bike network, a swimming pool, campground and some of the best spring warbler birding in the state.
9,300 ac forest25+ mi trails
River · Metro Valley
Coal River Water Trail
An organized water trail on the Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal rivers south of Charleston, with maintained access points, mapped mileages and signage — the product of sustained work by the Coal River Group to turn a working-class industrial river back into a recreation asset.
88 mi water trailClass I difficulty
State Park · Metro Valley
Beech Fork State Park
A 3,981-acre park around a 720-acre Corps reservoir near Huntington, with one of the largest campgrounds in the state park system, good bass fishing and easy trails.
3,981 ac park720 ac lake
State Park · Metro Valley
Chief Logan State Park
A 4,000-acre park in Logan County with a wildlife exhibit, trails through reclaimed coal country and an outdoor amphitheatre.
4,000 ac parkLogan County location
Lake · Metro Valley
East Lynn Lake
A 1,005-acre Corps reservoir in Wayne County with a strong bass and crappie fishery, a large wildlife management area around it and very little traffic.
1,005 ac lake23,000+ ac surrounding wma
River · Metro Valley
Kanawha Falls
A wide ledge falls at Glen Ferris where the Gauley and New join to form the Kanawha — a well-known bank fishing spot for hybrid striped bass, walleye and catfish, with roadside access and a historic inn across the highway.
Confluence new + gauleyRoadside access
State Park · Metro Valley
Tu-Endie-Wei State Park
The smallest park in the system, at the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio rivers in Point Pleasant, marking the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant.
4 ac smallest state park1774 battle
State Forest · Metro Valley
Cabwaylingo State Forest
A large, quiet forest in Wayne County named for the four counties it borders, with CCC-built cabins, a campground and a fire tower.
Local knowledge
8,123 ac forest1930s ccc-built
On Instagram
AdvertiseThis space is available
Local outfitters, lodging and shuttles
Regional placement for operators based in or serving the Metro Valley. Capped at three per page.
List your business hereQuestions about the Metro Valley
What is the Metro Valley known for?
This region contains the largest share of the state's population, and its recreation is built on restored urban and suburban rivers and on public land close to Charleston and Huntington.
What can you do here in one day?
Morning ride in Kanawha State Forest, lunch in Charleston, and an afternoon float on the Coal River out of St. Albans.
Which counties are in this region?
Kanawha, Putnam, Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, Mason.
Where should I base a trip here?
Charleston, Huntington, St. Albans, Hurricane, Milton, Point Pleasant.
Organizations working here · 7
Agencies, watershed groups and access organizations tied specifically to this region.
Morris Creek Watershed Association
Kanawha-area watershed restoration group focused on acid mine drainage remediation.
Visit Paint Creek Watershed Association
Rivers
Paint Creek watershed monitoring and restoration in the Kanawha basin.
Visit Coal River Group / Coal River Water Trail
Rivers
Paddling, river access, conservation and recreation along the Big Coal, Little Coal and main-stem Coal rivers — one of the most developed water trail networks in the state.
Visit
Guyandotte Water Trail Alliance
Rivers
Guyandotte River paddling and water-trail development in southwestern West Virginia.
Wildwater Kayakers
Paddling
Charleston-based paddling community covering the New, Gauley, Elk and other rivers.
Active Southern West Virginia
Running
Free outdoor fitness, hiking, running, paddling and community recreation programming throughout southern West Virginia.
Visit Hatfield-McCoy Trails / Trails Heaven
Off-road
Essential statewide and southern West Virginia motorized trail resource — permits, trail systems, maps and trail town information.
Visit Every organization we link to: local tourism offices, the state and federal agencies that manage the land, the nonprofits and clubs that keep access open, and the universities doing the research.
West Virginia has roughly 1.5 million acres of public land and a handful of places that carry almost all of the attention. The consequence is that a great deal of very good ground sits nearly empty, usually for one of three reasons: nobody has heard of it, the road in is gated or rough, or it is undeveloped and has nothing to advertise. Those are the places below — of them across regions.