The December 1853 issue of Harper’s New Monthly Magazine included an article entitled “The Virginia Canaan,” in which a native Virginian wrote: “In Randolph Count, Virginia, is a tract of country containing from seven to nine hundred square miles, entirely uninhabited, and so savage and inaccessible that it has rarely been penetrated even by the most adventurous. The settlers on its borders speak of it with a sort of dread, and regard it as an ill-omened region, filled with bears, panthers, impassable laurel breaks and dangerous precipices. Stories are told of hunters having ventured too far, becoming entangled, and perishing in its intricate labyrinths.”

The remote nature of this once feared and foreboding place today makes it a source of escape and adventure for visitors who come seeking hospitality and comfort in a place of such solitude and grandeur.

This transformation began in 1957 when S. Maude Kaemmerling of the Thompson family willed 3,135 acres in the valley floor and Cabin Mountain’s eastern slopes to the state of West Virginia for recreational purposes. This generosity from a family that had been instrumental in the early timber business in the high Alleghenies started the development of what would become the Canaan Valley Resort State Park.

In the early 1960’s, the Economic Development Administration was created and began distributing monies that could be used for park development. The purpose of this program was to relieve unemployment, stimulate the economy and promote the states’  scenic   natural   resources   to build a travel and vacation industry. West Virginia had been a national leader in the development of state parks since the early 1950’s, and with the creation of this national program the state saw a great opportunity to make further developments. The planning section of the Division of Parks and Recreation submitted expansion proposals for several existing state parks and the creation of three entirely new parks, Canaan Valley, Twin Falls and Pipestem.

In the last week of June 1963, a few days after President Kennedy visited Charleston for the 100^th   anniversary of West Virginia’s statehood, a grant-loan agreement was made by the state and the Economic Development Administration. The state received $10 million in a direct grant and another $18 million in federal loans for land acquisition and development within the State Park system. The three new parks plus Hawk’s Nest were the main beneficiaries of this program.

When the application for funding of the project was made, the park was designed to highlight the extraordinary skiing opportunities available in Canaan Valley. It was recognized that additional land would be necessary to add to the Kaemmerling tract for an adequate ski area, road access and desirable building sites. This meant the acquisition of many acres of private land. The land owners fought hard against this acquisition, but eventually the state acquired 2,879 additional acres of forest, wetland and agricultural lands in the southwestern corner of Canaan Valley, mostly by court order. This brought the park to its present day size of 6,014 acres.

Because of land acquisition problems, the entire building program at Canaan Valley State Park was delayed. During the delay, inflation and overruns at other parks were eating away at the $9.4 million budgeted for the Canaan Valley project. The majority of the project was put up for bid at one time, with provisions in the bid documents to make deletions should bids exceed the funds available. The bids did exceed the funds available and it was evident that the contracts for the construction of both the ski area and the lodge complex couldn’t both be awarded. The decision was made to go with the ski area and put the lodge on hold, as it was thought that skiing would create a demand for a lodge. It did, and Governor Arch Moore then went to the Legislature with a request for additional funds to complete the lodge complex. The funds were approved and the present lodge was constructed and dedicated in August 1977 by Governor John D. Rockefeller.

Because of the lack of needed funds for operations, the entire facility was leased to a private operator, Canaan Valley Resorts Inc. in 1971.

The state park system continued to provide certain services. Canaan Valley Resort State Park has operated under this type of arrangement ever since. The plan for Canaan Valley State Park always included cabins, lodges, campgrounds, swimming pools, tennis courts and hiking trails like most of the state’s other parks. It further included construction of a golf course and an expanded ski area.

The park’s ski area opened in December of 1971 and stretches to the top of 4,280 foot Weiss Knob.  Today it boasts 37 trails, one quad and two triple chairlifts, a snow tubing park, two ski and snowboard terrain parks and the first airboard terrain park in the nation. 11 slopes and the tube  park are lit for night skiing. Canaan Valley also offers 34 kilometers of trails perfect for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing when the snow piles deep. An outdoor pavilion doubles as an ice skating rink in the winter months.

The park’s golf course is a Geoffrey Cornish-designed golf course, rated 4 stars by Golf Digest Magazine for its spectacular mountain views. The 250-room lodge complex is divided into 5 separate units and boasts 10,000 square feet of conference space, an indoor pool, fitness facility and whirlpool. It is also home to the glass-walled Hickory Dining Room, Pazzo’s Pizza and Diner and Laurel Lounge.

The park rents 23 cabins and cottages complete with fireplaces and full kitchens. The park also offers a 34 site campground with bath facilities, a playground, softball field volleyball court, and soccer field. Canaan Valley State Park also boats a paintball arena, climbing wall/eurobungy,  a skate park and the new turtle slide tube ride.

These amenities make Canaan Valley Resort State Park an excellent year-round destination for the whole family. A visit to the park in combination with other regional attractions makes Tucker County a memorable vacation destination.

For more information about Canaan Valley State Park call 1-800-622-4121 or visit canaanresort.com. For more information about Tucker County call 1-800-782-2775.