Soar over wooded forests on a zip-line tour, explore the underside of the New River Gorge Bridge as the river courses 876 feet below, or rev engines along motorcycle-friendly back roads and byways. The adventures are endless in this scenic state.

“West Virginia offers some of the best outdoor recreation in the East,” according to Tourism Commissioner Betty Carver. “From adventures mild enough for the whole family to wild recreational opportunities that will get your heart pumping, the Mountain State secures its reputation as an outdoor lover's destination.”

Zip-line Tours
For another way to enjoy the breathtaking views of the New River Gorge, Adventures on the Gorge, a partnership of local operators, Class VI, Rivermen and Adventure Mountain River, offer TreeTops Canopy Tours. Participants zip from tree to tree through West Virginia's hemlock forest. The tours crisscross Mill Creek Canyon, near the border of Pennsylvania, and include 10 zip lines; five sky bridges, a rappel and three short hikes. The views are spectacular from the platforms in the trees. For more information about the TreeTops Canopy Tours, visit www.newrivergorgecanopytour.com.

In addition to Adventures on the Gorge, other whitewater outfitters offer zip-line tours in the New River Gorge area, including ACE Adventure Resort. Participants are able to ride a series of zip lines linked by tree platforms and cliff-tops. For information about ACE Adventure Resort, visit www.aceraft.com

Dual-racing Zip-line
A dual-racing zip line created by Bonsai Design Inc. opened recently at Burning Rock Outdoor Adventure Park just outside Sophia, West Virginia, Riders glide half a mile, side-by-side, through the treetops at exhilarating speeds. This newest addition complements other activities available, such as dirt biking, mountain biking, all-terrain-vehicle and utility-terrain-vehicle riding. For more information, visit www.burningrockwv.com.

Road Cycling
In West Virginia, beautiful scenery lies around every bend in the road. The mountains provide challenging climbs and scenic rides while the valleys and farmlands make for ideal touring. Many races throughout the year offer great opportunities to experience the best rides. For more information, visit www.wvtourism.com.

Mountain Biking
West Virginia has been hailed as a world-class destination for mountain biking enthusiasts due to the abundance of trails, beautiful scenery and variety of terrain, from the miles of trails traversing approximately 900,000 acres of the Monongahela National Forest, in the east of the state, to roughly 80 miles of the Greenbrier River Trail in the south of the state. For more information, visit www.wvtourism.com.

Camping
In addition to numerous state parks and forests, there are many private campgrounds with unbelievable views. Campers will be able to find everything from seasonal back-to-nature tent campgrounds to year-round luxurious RV resorts. Continue the camping adventure by whitewater rafting on some of the nation’s best whitewater or taking a motorcycle tour through scenic mountain vistas, or off-road with an ATV ride at places such as Hatfield-McCoy Trails or at Burning Rock Outdoor Adventure Park. For more information, visit www.wvtourism.com.

New River Gorge Bridge Walk Tours Planned
With one of the world’s oldest rivers coursing 876 feet below, new Bridge Walk Tours in Fayette County, in the centre of the state, offer a secure way to experience the New River Gorge. A cooperative venture among the West Virginia Division of Highways, the National Park Service and Bridge Walk LLC, the attraction is scheduled to open by the end of the year. The tours will start at the Canyon Rim Visitor’s Center where a short pathway on the north side of the gorge leads to a walkway surrounded by the immense steel structure of the bridge. Participants will be able to see videos about how the bridge was built and how the New River Gorge was formed. They then journey on a 24-inch wide walkway underneath the entire 3,030 foot length of the New River Gorge Bridge while being harnessed to a safety system. For more information, visit www.bridgewalk.com.