Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022 - 40

ABOVE: West Virginia's New River Gorge offers activities ranging from
watching the river flow to floating the river.
RIGHT: Wayne Henderson and Friends entertain at the Carter Family Fold
along Virginia's Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail.
New River Gorge National Park (Glen
Jean). Travel a few miles south of route
60 for a visit at America's newest national
park surrounding one of the continent's
oldest rivers. While the 70,000 acres, raging
whitewater through deep canyons and
the longest steel span bridge in the western
hemisphere are well known, this park has
some lesser-known treasures to discover.
Take a self-guided auto tour (via app or CD)
of 17 sites to learn the stories and contributions
of African Americans in the region.
Drive into the rugged mountain terrain to
see what life was like on a subsistence farm
in Appalachia. (nps.gov/neri)
Charleston (Kanawha County). Find
a host of cosmopolitan experiences in
this capital city with a stunningly beautiful
capitol building. Enjoy a symphony
concert and catch a minor league baseball
game. Visit a museum and take a
walk through several art galleries. Attend
a world-class theatre production or one of
many live concerts. Watch a planetarium
show and take the kids to the science discovery
museum. (charlestonwv.com)
* Detailed information on attractions and
events in and around 40+ towns and cities can
be found at midlandtrail.com.
40 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
VIRGINIA
The Crooked Road - Virginia's Heritage
Music Trail
Immerse yourself in the rich and vast history
of America's music along 300 miles in
southwestern Virginia. In and around U.
S. 58, this trail passes through 19 counties,
over 50 towns and four cities on a heritage
music driving tour. Bluegrass, blues, a cappella
gospel, centuries-old ballads, country
and more are the sounds you'll hear along
the way at live events, instrument shops,
museums and historical sites.
Carter Family Fold (Hiltons). Listen
to authentic old-time country and folk
music at the hometown area of the legendary
Carter
family. Country music's
first family (A.P., Sara and Maybelle), " discovered "
in 1927, went on to record 300
songs and launch the trajectory of this
genre. The 800-seat facility has live music
(acoustic only!) every Saturday night and a
small dance floor to try out the two-step.
(carterfamilyfold.org)
Southwest Virginia Cultural Center &
Marketplace (Abingdon). For a comprehensive
look at the music, food, crafts and
traditions of this area of the state, spend
CROOKED ROAD | JONATHAN ROMEO
some time at this " welcome mat " to the
region. The visitor center (pet-friendly
with treats awaiting!) has all the maps, brochures
and info for exploring the trail. Pick
up traditional arts and crafts at the Marketplace
- 5,000 pieces for sale from 180
artisans. (swvaculturalcenter.com)
Grayson County. Listen to four audio
recordings in your vehicle about the
wayside exhibits while driving through
this county. At the westernmost stop of
Whitetop Mountain learn about the use
of native trees in the creation of musical
instruments. Eleanor Roosevelt attended
a folk festival here in the 1930s. Nearby
is the state park notable for wildflowers,
bird migrations, majestic views and wild
ponies. The third stop, Independence, was
home to the famous old-time clawhammer
banjoist, Wade Ward. The final stop
in Galax, once part of this county, is rich
with stories of vaudevillian musicians and
WEST VIRGINIA TOURISM
http://www.swvaculturalcenter.com http://www.nps.gov/neri http://www.carterfamilyfold.org http://www.charlestonwv.com http://www.midlandtrail.com http://www.BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country January/February 2022
