Discover South Charleston

South Charleston offers a range of starting points for planning a trip: the history of the Adena culture, exhibits at the South Charleston Interpretive Center & Museum, trails and recreational activities at Little Creek Park, and programs at the Memorial Ice Arena. If you’re looking for a hotel in South Charleston, these highlights can help you tailor your stay to your interests.

Criel Mound and Adena history

Criel Mound, also known as South Charleston Mound, is located on US 60 in a city park. In the area west of Charleston extending to Institute, it is the largest of about fifty conical mounds built by the Adena culture. Around 2,000 years ago, the mound served as the burial place for an Indigenous village at the present-day site of the city of South Charleston. The history of the place therefore extends far beyond a single landmark: the mound is connected to a village and to a larger group of Adena mounds in the region.

Archaeologists believe that Criel Mound dates from the same period as Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville. Its exact age is unknown. The earthworks that once surrounded South Charleston Mound are also part of the historic landscape: they extended for several miles on both sides of the Kanawha River. This historical and geographical context can be considered during a visit to the mound alongside the museum’s exhibit themes.

Exhibits and the Midland Trail

The South Charleston Interpretive Center & Museum provides information about the beauty, history, and significance of the Midland Trail and the Adena culture. The exhibit includes models, artifacts, brochures, pictures, films, and an information panel. Maps complement the exhibits, showing other Adena mounds in the area as well as the six counties along the Midland Trail. In this way, archaeological topics and regional orientation materials sit alongside one another, rather than presenting Criel Mound only as an isolated site.

Hiking trails and recreation at Little Creek Park

Little Creek Park has numerous hiking trails. While hiking in the park, you can also see Devil’s Tea Table, a natural rock formation. The disc golf course offers a different kind of activity: it is mostly wooded, with elevation changes and several tight fairways. Its baskets start and finish at Shelter 12. These details give you several specific points to consider when planning, without assuming that hiking and disc golf call for the same kind of visit.

The park also has other recreational amenities. Ten picnic shelters are available for rent. The soapbox derby track is the only known illuminated track for night competitions. Little Creek Park thus brings together nature, disc golf, picnic facilities, and a distinctive race track as clearly different options. If you’re planning a race or a rental, check the relevant dates and availability.

Ice sports at the Memorial Ice Arena

The South Charleston Memorial Ice Arena offers six-week Learn-to-Skate courses. Course schedules may change, so check the current dates before making plans. There are also freestyle sessions for practicing advanced figure skating skills. Adults and youth can also take part in hockey leagues. League details and session availability may change, so it’s worth checking the current program before visiting.

The arena therefore caters to several types of ice sports: a six-week Learn-to-Skate course, freestyle practice for advanced skills, and leagues for adults and youth. Alongside the historic focus at Criel Mound and the range of activities at Little Creek Park, this gives you a choice of clearly distinct themes for your stay in South Charleston.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Dunbar, Charleston, Elkview, Cross Lanes, East Bank, St Albans.

Go to the main travel overview: Kanawha.