Things to do and see Guest Rooms Inn History and Tour Published Articles Eco-Friendly Practices Prices and Directions

~Thorn Run Inn~ Things to do and see ~~~ "Nestled at the foot of Knobley Mountain is a place for people who hunger for country quiet." The Charleston Gazette  ~~~  Home

Biking   Among the choices are a gentle ride along the American Discovery Trail that passes right in front of our house, or you can opt for a more rigorous  11 mile loop, again starting right at our front door.  This loop has been described as a "cross-over" ride with some hills, dirt roads, and a stream and it always provides a good workout. A  guest claimed that he, his wife and son had "more of a wilderness experience biking on these roads than in the [Dolly Sods] Wilderness Area."

"West Virginia offers some of the most exciting mountain biking in North America, and is arguably the best single-track destination east of the Rockies. The reasons for this are many, but include diverse and varied trail systems, spectacular scenery, friendly and knowledgeable locals, a variety of guided and non-guided touring options, world-class racing, and superb support facilities." (Rick Landdenberger) For a description of off-site mountain biking opportunities check the West Virginia Web mountain biking page. To talk to a person about options nearby you can call the Blackwater Outdoor Center at 304-259-5117.  Back to the list of activities.

Bird-watching  Bird-watching is excellent around Thorn Run Inn.  The mosaic of field and forest makes for prime habitat for a large number of species.  Much of our current bird list was recorded over one weekend--thanks to Tom and Jill!  There is a reservoir about 3 miles away filled with water birds.  There is also a monitoring program that seeks volunteers all summer long to staff the nets and notebooks on the northern edge of Dolly Sods wilderness area. Back to the list of activities.

Canoeing  Eagles Nest outfitters is just outside Petersburg and offers kayaks in addition to canoes.  You can talk with them at 304-257-2393 about a variety of river options including a stretch of the North Fork [of the Potomac] known as "The Trough" where canoes share the valley only with a scenic train and  Bald Eagles.  Back to the list of activities.

Caves As mentioned above, Smoke Hole Caverns is a short 18 miles away.  Its features include the genuine "Crystal Cave Coral Pool" found in only one other cavern in the world, and "The Sparkling Room of Million Stalactites," with the second highest ceiling of any cavern in the Eastern United States, towering 274 feet. Seneca Caverns is also full of beautiful formations and provides 35 minute guided tours. Back to the list of activities.

Farming  Taking full advantage of our location requires a look at farming and agriculture.  We are not farmers although we have worked with and for farmers for a number of years.  Our property provides a front row seat to a beef cattle operation on an adjacent property and we usually have a small group of farm animals--right now we have two sheep.  In addition, our barn is a spectacular example of cultural heritage with its handhewn logs, pegged joints, and more. And a word of warning--we ask our guests to respect the farming traditions of our neighbors.  This entails being alert on the road for tractors, and stray livestock.  It also means that pets need to be kept under control (beginning with opening the car door upon arrival) until certain of how they will react to livestock.

Fishing We are three miles from a branch of Patterson Creek which is stocked with trout and there are many other streams and rivers a short drive away.  The Eagles Nest Outfitters (304-257-2393) has information, licenses, and equipment for people in need.  Guests with children always have a good time at our fish pond. Stocked with abundant hungry bluegill and bass, catching fish is a sure bet. The bluegill are small but the bass have grown to a good 11 inches. And yes we have fishing poles. If you are looking for bigger fish there are outfitters on the North Fork [of the Potomac] ready to set you up. For information you can call them directly at 304-257-2393 (Eagles Nest). Back to the list of activities.

Golf Just under 13 miles from Thorn Run Inn is the Mill Creek Country Club (304-289-3160). Slightly further, in the other direction is the Valley View Golf Course (304-538-6564). Neither of these courses require reservations and the last time we checked, both were under twenty dollars for 18 holes. Back to the list of activities.

Hiking Located just 20 miles north of Dolly Sods Wilderness Area and the Monongahela National Forest we are adjacent to some of the best hiking in the entire mid-Atlantic region. Dolly Sods was  described in the Washington Post (Wonder in The Tundra W.Va.'s Dolly Sods is a wilderness worth a look, 9/16/98) as follows: From cliffs rimmed with granite outcroppings, I tracked eagles soaring on thermals. I hiked through hardwood forests and thickets of rhododendron and laurel that opened into sunny meadows filled with wildflower-- all at elevations of 2,600 to 4,000 feet or more. In a day, it seemed as if I walked through two or three distinct climate zones and environments-- the dominant one being bare and windy. Just four miles to the south of Thorn Run Inn is The Nature Conservancy's beautiful Greenland Gap Preserve--a 250 acre water-carved gap which is ringed by Oriskany Sandstone cliffs rising 800 feet above Patterson Creek. Two trails, one on each side, take you to the top with a leisurely 45 minute walk. Not only are the views great but we have never seen another person on the trails except those we sent there. Searching on The Nature Conservancy's Home Page under "West Virginia" reveals additional information on Greenland Gap. Other easy day trips include Black Water Canyon and Seneca Rocks Scenic Recreation Area.

Last but not least is the American Discovery Trail. This trail was conceived in 1989 and is now a reality. It snakes its way from Delaware to California providing a backbone to major north-south trails of the US. Perhaps most important for you, the trail passes directly in front of Thorn Run Inn and thus confirms the natural beauty and cultural importance of the area. Back to the list of activities.

History/Geneology Nancy Hanks, Abraham Lincoln's mother, was born only 5 miles to the north of Thorn Run. It is amazing to visit this rural site where 200 odd years ago this key person in American history was born. The small and undeveloped Scherr Historic District is about 6 miles from Thorn Run Inn. It contains a log school house build around 1865 (picture from the "History of Grant County Schools") and a large two-room schoolhouse built in 1913.  The larger of these school houses is currently under renovation.  Nearby is the site fired upon by Civil War soldiers from trenches still visible on the adjacent hillside. The battle that took place here is best described by actual participants in a set of fascinating letters. The Civil War Preservation Trust and other partners has put an easment in place to protect this battlefield site.  We are also members and supporters of the Grant County Historical Society  Members of the Historical Society are putting together a  reference on geneology and other on-going projects.  Read a deed from the 1800's, look at a map of early Grant County, or research your family.  Back to the list of activities.

Horseback Riding There are two horseback riding opportunities for you to choose from. There are outfitters that lead rides up Seneca Rocks, a stunning rock formation described in the "Rock Climbing" section (1-800-772-8342). There is also horseback riding at beautiful Blackwater Falls (call 1-800-CALL-WVA and ask for Blackwater Falls) and in the Canaan Valley (304-866-4652). Back to the list of activities.

On-Site Tours We enjoy leading people through our big old house both to orient them to the spaces open for their relaxation, and to point out the 130 year old design features with layer upon layer of renovation. For people that would rather poke around on their own we also have a written walking tour of the house. We also have a loop trail that takes advantage of the beauty of our 20 acres. Our trail is easy to follow as it winds up through fields and forest, and along our stream and fish pond. Deer are very common and other interesting wildlife sightings include grey fox, turkey, and a bald eagle. Our stream literally quivers with life during the summer with newts, salamanders, skinks, frogs, turtles and more. The stream can be an especially rewarding outing for children. Back to the list of activities.

Rock Climbing West Virginia is quickly becoming a rock climbing hot spot. West Virginia has an abundance of rock climbing opportunities. Most notable are Seneca Rocks about 30 miles away and Smoke Hole about 18 miles away. For those interested in less developed sites closer to Thorn Run, we have heard that the cliffs at Greenland Gap (described in the Hiking Section) were once popular among climbers but have fallen off the rock climbing "radar screens." Back to the list of activities.

Skiing Our winter guests often go to Canaan Valley, about 45 minutes away, to enjoy the winter sports. Activities include downhill and cross country skiing, snow boarding, and tubing. For an excellent ski report complete with photos that is updated daily check the Whitegrass web site. The folks at Canaan Valley Resort (304-866-4121, ext 2612) are very helpful and can tell you about slope conditions and current activities. A nice alternative for those that have their own equipment is to drive towards Dolly Sods and cross country ski through the surreal landscape of the Sods.  Back to the list of activities.

Special Events We try to make these a learning as well as recreational experience. They also offer us and our guests a chance to contribute to a local conservation or development effort.  Examples of past and planned activities include guided natural history hikes and a Bed and Brew weekend for micro-brew fans. For a current listing of these events see the What's New section of the home page. Back to the list of activities.

Astronomy/Star-Gazing From our valley overlook there is not a single distracting light visible on the landscape. This combined with the clear country air gives us a beautiful panorama of stars. We have a 4.5 inch reflecting telescope that provides wonderful views of planets, the  moon and some of the larger galaxies, nebulae...  Telescope or no, the wide open sky also makes our property a  good place to enjoy meteor showers. To see what is visible (weather permitting) on a given day from our location go the the Weather Underground Astronomy page and enter the date/time of your visit.  You can take a look at StarDate to preview this coming week's night sky. Back to the list of activities.
 

Swimming Our property includes a swimming pool for cooling off and relaxing. We are also a five minute drive from The Falls, a lovely water hole on a stretch of the North Fork of Patterson Creek. This swimming hole includes "the whirlpool" where you can submerge yourself in a pocket behind the lip of the falls, and jumping ledges-as the youth in the photo demonstrates! While our pool in closed during the cooler months, the swimming hole is open year around for polar bears. Back to the list of activities.

Touring These same roads also provide people interested in car and motorcycle touring with unequaled opportunities to drive through historic and beautiful countryside. Perhaps best known is the Highland Trace winding past Civil War sites and sandstone cliffs. A second, more distant alternative is the Highland Scenic Highway that winds through the southern portion of the Monongahela National Forest. National Geographic's Scenic Highways and Byways describes a third, the Canaan Valley Byway, as a route that "will lead you through some of the best sights that West Virginia has to offer." Of course, there are many more un-designated but stunningly beautiful routes that we will be happy to share with you. One example is the Old Fields road over Patterson Creek Mountain. This is a standard paved road with very few cars and an amazing view of Knobley Mountain set against the much larger New Creek Mountain. Guests also use our position in the Northern Potomac Highlands as a hub, spending a night or two with us before driving south for a second night or completing a beautiful circuit of the remaining highlands. Back to the list of activities.

The Thorn Run Inn Nature Center Our nature center is designed to engage children as well as adults. For kids we have a natural history museum well stocked with interesting and touchable artifacts gleaned from our fields and forest. There is also the Nature Journal--a record of observations made on Thorn Run Inn's 20 acres. Best of all the museum and the journal are made up of guest contributions. All kids and interested adults are invited to contribute to both the museum and journal. We have materials and instructions. For adults we have developed a simple display around the eco-friendly practices and philosophy we use at Thorn Run Inn. This is all housed in an old renovated chicken coop adjacent to the main house.
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