On Feb. 22, Gov. Jim Justice joined West Virginia Department of Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby and officials with West Virginia State Parks for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge to celebrate its grand reopening after the completion of a multimillion-dollar renovation project.
The lodge and other facilities at Blackwater Falls State Park are reopening after the completion of $6.85 million in renovations and improvements – including $5.2 million for the lodge alone.
Canaan Valley Resort State Park is also nearing completion on $2.65 million in upgrades to its facilities.
The combined $9.5 million in projects bring much-needed improvements to Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley Resort state parks. Upgrades include a completely renovated lodge and cabin upgrades at Blackwater Falls and improvements to the tube park, ski area, cabins, and campground at Canaan Valley Resort State Park.
“What we’re accomplishing in these parks and all of our state parks across West Virginia is truly unbelievable,” Justice said. “The multiplier effects that these investments are going to bring back to us are off the charts. It’s going to bring in more people who want to visit West Virginia and some of those people will decide that they don’t just want to visit, they want to live here.”
The lodge at Blackwater Falls, which was built in the 1950s, has been updated without changing the personality and charm of the lodge’s original architecture. Guest rooms were refurbished, new suites were added, the lobby and public lounge were renovated, a new gift shop was added, and the Smokehouse Restaurant was remodeled. Other work at Blackwater Falls included renovations to the Blackwater Trading Company gift shop, a new camp store, the construction of a porte-cochère at the lodge, and ADA access improvements to the Sled Run building.
At Canaan Valley Resort, cabins were renovated, tube run lanes were expanded and a new magic carpet was added, the ski rental shop was renovated, and a new ticketing system for skiing was installed. Work is underway on campground and bathhouse expansions.
More than $151 million in improvements have been completed or started at every state park and forest over the past five years.
Located in the mountains of Tucker County, Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley Resort state parks are known for four seasons of scenic beauty and a wide range of winter sports, including skiing, tubing, and sledding. To learn more about each park, or to book a trip, visit WVstateparks.com.
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