Blue Ridge Country July/August 2022 - 28

By SU CLAUSON-WICKER
Y
ou won't find beaches cluttered
with sprawling mega-resorts or
cheesy attractions on the islands
of the Blue Ridge region.
No, the isles in these lakes and
rivers remain largely undeveloped,
except for the native
flora and fauna. Odds are you won't be
struggling to find solitude; in fact a few
guarantee you'll have the island all to
yourself. The only interruption to your
waterside experience is likely to be birds,
and the acoustical background is rippling
water.
WEST VIRGINIA
Coney Island on the New River,
Hinton. Three rivers come together at
the former railroad town of Hinton-the
New, Bluestone and Greenbrier. There's
no better place to enjoy the music of
these merged waters than on Coney Island.
Coney Island, West Virginia, has
no arcade, no roller coaster, but it's a
great place for kayaking and other water
28 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
sports. It's a secluded getaway perched at
the southernmost tip of New River Gorge
National Park.
Overnighters who rent the three-bedroom
cottage get the entire island, including
seven acres of sandy beaches and forested
trails, for $350 a night. To cross the
shallow waters, you'll need to rent a ducky
or kayak (Cantrell Rafting, 304-228-4285)
but you reap the benefit in privacy and extra
water fun on this easy stretch of river.
Just across the water, the town of Hinton
offers a variety of dining experiences, a
theater and a waterpark. The Cabin on Coney
Island is managed by Hinton's Guest
House Inn (877-854-2828).
Sandstone Falls Island, Hinton.
When Paramount Pictures cast Lassie in a
heroic whitewater scene 25 years ago, they
scouted the nation and ended up filming
the canine classic at Sandstone Falls.
The roar, the mist and the water walloping
over boulders show a mighty river in
charge of its course. It's a scene you can
only truly experience by getting up close
with the New River's largest falls-from an
island. To do this, drive unpaved County
Road 26 from Hinton eight miles along the
west side of the river. Once you get there,
the National Park Service has made things
easy by building a quarter-mile boardwalk
to the island. On its observation deck,
you're practically within the spray zone of
the pounding, 25-foot cascade.
Fishing for smallmouth bass and catfish
is a popular pastime in the shallows
above the western half of the falls, but
visitors who enter the water should avoid
the deadly currents on the eastern side.
The island itself is home to unusual trees,
including the Kentucky coffeetree and
toothache tree. It's also a key stopover for
blue-winged and Swainson's warblers and
other migratory songbirds.
Blennerhassett Island Historical
State Park, Parkersburg. Blennerhassett
Island is separated from Parkersburg
by two miles of flowing Ohio River and
225 years of history. Part of the fun of a
visit is riding the Island Belle sternwheel
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Blue Ridge Country July/August 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country July/August 2022
