Beaver: Nature, Views, and Summer Theater

If you’re looking for a hotel in Beaver, specific interests can help structure your trip planning. At the lake in Little Beaver State Park, fishing and seasonal boat rentals take center stage; Grandview combines trails and scenic views with nature and cultural experiences. When choosing your dates, it makes a difference whether your main goal is fishing, seeing the spring blooms, or planning for a summer performance.

At Little Beaver State Park: Lake and Outdoor Recreation

The 18-acre lake at Little Beaver State Park offers year-round fishing. Seasonal rentals at the lake include stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, and pedal boats. Fishing is therefore a year-round activity, while boat rentals are seasonal. If you want to use a particular type of boat, check in advance whether it will be available for rent during your travel dates.

Little Beaver State Park covers 562 acres and offers opportunities for outdoor recreation. The size figures let you compare the lake with the park: 18 acres for the body of water and 562 acres for the park. This can help you decide whether to focus your plans on fishing by the water or on outdoor recreation more generally.

Grandview: Trails, Scenic Views, and Spring Blooms

Grandview has six miles of trails ranging in difficulty from easy to challenging. Along with trail length, the different ratings offer another guide for choosing a route. If you want to plan your activities around difficulty level, you can take this into account without basing your entire selection on length alone.

The Main Overlook at Grandview is 1,400 feet above the river. On a clear day, the view extends directly into the heart of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and takes in seven miles of the New River and its watershed. The trails and overlook offer different ways to enjoy the area: hike the trails or take in views of the river and watershed from a designated lookout.

Catawba rhododendrons bloom at Grandview every spring. The exact timing varies from year to year. If you want to include this seasonal natural display in your trip plans, don’t count on a fixed date.

Summer at Grandview: Theater and Ranger Programs

The Cliffside Amphitheatre at Grandview was built in 1961 and continues to serve as the summer venue for Theatre West Virginia. Every summer at Grandview, Theatre West Virginia presents historical dramas outdoors. The seasonal theater program offers a different focus from the area’s nature and hiking opportunities. If a performance is important to your travel dates, check the schedule before your trip.

The Grandview section of the park also offers ranger-led walks and talks. This gives you options beyond the trails, with guided walks and talks as distinct activities to consider. You may want to include these if you’re interested in ranger-led programs.

Getting to Grandview from Beckley

From Beckley, take I-64 East to Exit 129 B. The distance from Beckley to the exit is five miles. Then continue six miles on Route 9 North to Grandview. The two legs of the trip are clearly defined: first, the drive to the exit, followed by the drive on Route 9 North.

Explore more destinations: Crab Orchard, Beckley, Lester, Shady Spring, Daniels, Rhodell

Return to the regional travel overview: Raleigh.