Camping and White-Water Rafting in Lower Gauley, West Virginia

The Gauley River pumps with 25 miles of heart-pounding rapids and is home to six weeks of river-rafting fun each autumn, known as the Gauley Fest. Rafters come from around the globe to experience the pounding hydraulics of the Upper Gauley River, with its dangerous, expert-only rapids. If your skill level or heart isn't quite ready for rapids rated Class 5 on the International Scale of River Difficulty, you can take it down a notch to the challenging Class 4 action found on the lower portion of the river.

Rafting Season

• The Lower Gauley encompasses the last 11 miles of the river before its confluence with the New River. While it can be runnable year-round, you can take a tour with commercial companies on the river from spring through autumn. Water levels fluctuate throughout the summer, depending on rainfall, and releases from the Summersville Dam. You can count on raftable levels Friday through Monday for at least five consecutive weekends, with additional weekend days wrapping up the season in late October. The flow is reduced during the week during October for fishing purposes, with fish stocked at the beginning of the month.

River Characteristics

• During Gauley season, flows are scheduled between 1800 to 2800 cfs. Flows may drop below 1800 cfs, changing the character of the river and revealing additional rocks and undercuts. Although the Lower Gauley is not quite as wild as the Upper, you won't feel slighted as you run numerous big rapids with colorful names such as Pure Screaming Hell, Chickenender, Hell Hole and Gateway to Heaven. The gradient on the river varies from 26 to 30 fpm, and in addition to the regular boat-sucking holes, undercut ledges and visible strainers, you'll need to watch out for barely-submerged hazards, such as logs and tree branches pointing upstream.

Camping

• You can camp in the Gauley River National Recreation area as long as you ensure you are on federal land, use Leave No Trace ethics, and make your camp at least 100 feet from any trail, structure, river access point or cliff. Camp along the Summersville Lake just above the release dam at Battle Run Campground (corpslakes.usace.army.mil) in one of 107 campsites that provide pull-through sites, electric hookups, a dump station, laundry facilities and drinking water. After a challenging day on the river, wash away the sand in a hot shower and enjoy the convenience of flush toilets. Wander nature trails, play volleyball or romp with the kids on the playground. Walk-in tent sites also are available at the campground. Private campgrounds are in the towns of Summersville and Mount Nebo.

Wildlife

• In addition to the inherent dangers that come from tackling the huge white water in the river, beware of dangers on land as well. Timber rattlesnakes and copperheads are protected in the Gauley River National Recreation Area, so retreat to a safe distance if you happen to see one. Watch where you put your hands and feet along the river and your campsite. If hiking, bring a stout stick to tap the ground ahead of you when climbing over rocks or around bushes where you don't have a line of sight to what's on the other side. Other poisonous creatures found in the area include the brown recluse and black widow spiders.

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Festival of Lights and Parade in Wheeling, West Virginia

Wheeling, a West Virginia city nestled along the banks of the Ohio River, is home to a number of historic attractions, including the circa-1849 Wheeling Suspension Bridge, West Virginia Independence Hall, Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum and a rich collection of old Victorian homes. Wheeling's holiday season is even more of a draw, as the city dazzles visitors and residents alike with a pair of events focused on holiday lights: Oglebay Resort's Winter Festival of Lights and the Fantasy of Lights Parade in downtown Wheeling.

Festival of Lights

• The Winter Festival of Lights, founded in 1985, is a two-month-long, award-winning lights display that takes up more than 300 acres at Wheeling's Oglebay Resort & Conference Center, which lies about six miles northeast of downtown. The event has no scheduled parade, but from early November to early January, you can view the estimated 1 million lights along a 6-mile drive that winds through the resort and its more than 80 displays, all of which consist of energy-efficient LEDs. No admission fee is charged, but a one-time, per-car donation is requested and allows attendees to come back throughout the holiday season. In addition, trolley tours are provided nightly beginning at the resort's Wilson Lodge.

Lights and Displays

• An annual highlight of the Festival of Lights is the Gardens of Light, a hilltop area that includes 150 hanging baskets of lights, plus a Christmas Tree Farm with more than 30 lighted trees and a life-size nativity display. Gardens of Light tours feature visits to the Oglebay Institute Glass Museum and historic Mansion Museum, as well as the resort's visitor center, greenhouse and specialty shops. In addition, the resort's Good Zoo is home to laser light shows and a choreographed light-and-music production. Other light displays include those themed around the 12 days of Christmas, a 60-foot-tall poinsettia wreath, a Ferris wheel, lighthouse, Cinderella and the "Polyhedron Star," which consists of more than 2,000 lights and rises from the resort's highest point. Several displays also include "Peanuts" comic strip characters such as Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

Activities and Accommodations

• If you're attending the Winter Festival of Lights, you may want to check out some of Oglebay Resort's other holiday attractions. The Good Zoo is home to more than 50 rare or endangered animal species on its 30 acres, plus a collection of model train displays and a 1.5-mile train ride. The Christmas Shop, open only during the Festival of Lights, has a selection of holiday ornaments and other collectibles, and the resort's Ihlenfeld Dining Room sets out a nightly holiday buffet. Oglebay's lodging options include the 271-room Wilson Lodge, which has free Wi-Fi, a luxury spa, two indoor pools, a hot tub, sauna and fitness center. The resort also has furnished cottages ranging from two to six bedrooms, as well as several larger estate homes available for rent.

Fantasy In Lights Parade

• The Festival of Lights isn't the only holiday happening in Wheeling that's centered around lights. The Perkins Restaurant and Bakery Fantasy in Lights Parade, an annual event that has been held for more than 25 years in downtown Wheeling, typically is held on a Friday night in mid-November. The parade, which winds along Market, Main and 16th streets, features approximately 90 entries that include lighted floats, classic cars, costumed performers and Santa's sleigh. A weekend Winterfest celebration held in conjunction with the parade includes a faux ice-skating rink, live entertainment, a crafts show and photos with Santa Claus. If you'd like to watch the parade and stay overnight, Wheeling has a variety of accommodation options, including hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns.

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Places of Interest in Marshall County, West Virginia

Marshall County of West Virginia -- bound by Ohio to the west, Pennsylvania to the east and the historic Mason-Dixon Line to the south -- is home to a number of world-class attractions. Places of interest in Marshall County elicit a spectrum of emotions -- from awe at the luxury of the Palace of Gold, to fright at the spooky West Virginia Penitentiary, to delight while zip-lining through Grand Vue Park.

Grand Vue Park

• At the northwest end of Marshall County, Grand Vue Park offers visitors much more than shade and grass-covered knolls. Home to 12 miles of hiking trails, Grand Vue also has an executive par 3 golf course and two disc golf courses. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, families flock to the park's Aquatic Center, which includes a swimming and wading pool. Zip-line tours and 13 geocaching -- outdoor treasure hunting -- trails offer an alternative and amusing method to explore Grand Vue Park.

Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex

• In aptly named Moundsville, a surviving mound constructed 2,000 years ago by the Adena people has been preserved by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. In 1978, Delf Norona Museum opened its doors next to the mound, which is believed to have required the transport of 60,000 tons of earth. Today, in addition to artifacts and exhibits dedicated to the Adena people, the museum houses a fine art gallery and live theater. The museum is open every day but Monday and some holidays.

Palace of Gold

• Palace of Gold, an opulent taste of India in the rolling hills of West Virginia, features 31 stained glass windows, 52 imported varieties of marble and onyx and a 150-year-old French chandelier which hangs in the Giant Hall. Outside, the Palace Rose Garden grows over 150 types of roses; the Garden of the East cultivates a selection of dahlias, marigolds and zinnias; and the lilies of Lotus Pond bloom in the summer months. Palace of Gold operates year-round with reduced admission rates September through March.

West Virginia Penitentiary

• Across from Grave Creek Mound, West Virginia Penitentiary has had an ominous presence since its construction in 1866. After the state of West Virginia ordered it closed due to inhumane conditions in 1995, a Moundsville non-profit took over operation of the defunct penitentiary, offering tours and hosting events at the prison. Tours include visits the north and south yards, the north hall lockup and the electric chair known as "Old Sparky." The prison is open for tours Tuesday through Sunday, April through November, and every day in June, July and August.

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