Bridgeport is abundant with recreational areas for children, teens and adults. Compton Park, Briarwood Park and Bridgeport City Park all have Little Tykes play areas, basketball courts, and picnic shelters with grills, perfect for a fun family gathering. Compton Park also includes a five-station fitness trail, a multipurpose court/ball wall, and handicap accessible restrooms. Bridgeport City Park has two miles of walking trails, Little League ball fields, softball and football fields and an archery range.
Watters Smith Memorial State Park is a 532-acre historical park right down the road in Lost Creek. It features a restoration and interpretive area and various recreational activities. After a day of hiking and horseback riding, you can cool down in one of Watters Smith’s swimming pools. (304) 745-3081 Located in Weston, West Virginia, Lambert’s Vintage Wines was constructed from hand-cut stones gathered from various parts of the state. A comfortable furnished tasting room welcomes visitors as they enter with a 3-inch thick bar top in the corner and a mantle and mirror topping the sink behind the bar. The winery includes a racking room, storage area, cooling room, and a tasting room with shelves containing West Virginia pottery for sale.
On Corbin Branch Road, you can horse around at the 4-T Arena, where a yearly rodeo occurs, or come to the horse shows that take place throughout the year. (304) 592-0703
For another historical adventure, take a walk across the Simpson Creek Covered Bridge, one of 17 covered bridges in the state of West Virginia. The bridge was built in 1881, but was washed out in 1889 and relocated to its current location. It is just past the Meadowbrook Mall entrance in Bridgeport, on County Road 24/2 at the Junction of County Road 24. Reflect upon the historical past of The Bowstring Bridge, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1924 to provide access between the Bridgeport Lamp Chimney Company’s glass plant and warehouse and later sold to Master Glass Company, which made glass marbles. The factory closed in 1973, and the bridge is the only remaining evidence of the two factories. It was renovated from 1996-1998, and currently acts as a walkway between two recreational areas.
On West Philadelphia Avenue you will find a faithful jewel, the historical Simpson Creek Baptist Church. Early records of the church state that it was founded and constituted by five members, and ministered by itinerant pastors between 1770 and 1780. It is recognized as the oldest existing Baptist church in West Virginia, and is generally accepted as the oldest existing Protestant church west of the Allegheny Mountains. (304) 842-3589
For a bit of natural beauty, take a stroll along one of Audra State Park’s many fine hiking trails. The park is known for its scenic beauty, and is located along small rapids and cascades of the Middle Fork River. It includes swimming areas, three miles of hiking trails, picnic areas and the glorious Alum Cave, an overhanging rock deep in the forest with magnificent icicles in the winter months. A campground located by the river is open mid-April through mid-October. www.audrastatepark.com.
Valley Falls State Park, located just miles from I-79, gets its name from the magnificentwaterfalls that run through it. This beautiful park includes over 1,000 acres of land with more than 10 miles of biking and hiking trails. The Valley Falls park area is located where a thriving railroad town once existed. It is open daily during daylight hours. www.valleyfallsstatepark.com
The famous Stonewall Jackson State Park includes a top-notchresort, with fine dining and spa services. Here you can take in the breathtaking mountain, lake and golf course views while enjoying the hiking, biking, golfing, hunting and boating available to park guests. The lake is also a popular destination for large-mouth bass fishing. www.stonewalljacksonsp.com
Heart’s Desire Alpaca Farm began with the purchase of the Blue Ribbon Herd of one of the largest and oldest alpaca ranches in the U.S., Northwest Alpacas. Approximately 350 of the finest alpacas in the country call Heart’s Desire their home. It is the largest farm in West Virginia, and one of the most experienced in the State, not to mention one of the largest farms east of the Mississippi. info@alpacafarmer.com
Hunting & Fishing
The city-owned Deegan & Hinkle Lakes Park has two lakes for the whole family to enjoy. The lakes are stocked four times a year to ensure that elusive catch of the day. The fishing pier/dock is handicap accessible and a boat launch is available. Not limited to fishing, there are trails, tennis courts, a play area and a picnic shelter with grills.
The Middle Fork, Monongahela and Buckhannon rivers are a great stop for fishermen in search of smallmouth bass. For more aquatic adventure, Tygart Lake has many recreational activities, though fishing is the most popular. Here you can rent pontoon and fishing boats to search for the perfect spot to fish for bass, yellow perch, bluegill, musky, catfish, walleye and more. Paw Paw Creek is named for the pawpaw trees that grow along its banks, but you can find more than pawpaws here. This serene tributary of the Monongahela River is located near Grant Town and runs for 11 miles through Marion County. The 22-acre Dog Run Lake, 12 miles west of Clarksburg, is an excellent place to fish for trout during the spring. Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, northern pike and channel catfish are found here when the waters are warm. Only motorboats are permitted and there is no night fishing.
Golf
Bridgeport has beautiful golf courses, including the Pete Dye Golf Club, rated as one of the best golf course in West Virginia. Located at 801 Aaron Smith Drive, this private club is nationally recognized and offers unsurpassed services and truly memorable experiences for members and guests. www.petedye.com
The private 18-hole Bridgeport Country Club features 6,208 yards of golf experience with the challenging slope rating of 124. The club also includes an extensive practicing range, chipping green and two putting greens. www.bccwv.com
Bel Meadow Country Club is a challenging public 18-hole coursedesigned by Robert Trent Jones. The lush landscape is dotted with plenty of sand traps and water obstacles. (304) 623-3701. www.belmeadow.com
The public par-72 18-hole Tygart Lake Golf Course has Bermuda grass fairways, bent grass greens, more than 20 sand bunkers and lots of water. It is relatively flat and fairly easy to walk. www.
Enjoy a picturesque golf outing at Stonewall Resort, which features an 18-hole Arnold Palmer-designed championship golf course. It has been named one of America’s “Best New Courses” by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. These accolades have helped solidify the course’s reputation as one of the “must play” courses in the country.
Trails
Hikers and bikers have numerous trails to choose from, including the 72-mile North Bend Rail-Trail, which stretches from Wolf Summit in Harrison County to I-77 in Parkersburg. It is part of the 5,500-mile coast-to-coast American Discovery Trail.
The City Park Walking Trail features a ¾ mile paved trail and links Bridgeport’s beautiful downtown to our scenic City Park. Drinking fountains and pet facilities are available as you follow serene Simpson Creek.
The City Park Exercise Trail is a paved trail that is great for jogging, walking, rollerblading and strollers. Restrooms and athletic facilities are close by. Easy access parking is available.
Kayaking & Canoeing
For river adventurers there are many chances to tame the rapids or take a leisurely paddle.
A 6-mile stretch of the Buckhannon and Tygart Valley Rivers is considered one of the easier trips. Canoe and kayak entry is at the Carrolton Covered Bridge and takeout is above the Philippi Covered Bridge.
For a more challenging experience, the Middle Fork River is a prime destination. It begins at Poe Road (Audra State Park) with an impressive view and gentle waters but soon turns into a Class II-III boulder slalom with an 8-foot drop that should definitely be scouted. Takeout is just before the bridge in the state park.
Whitewater Rafting
Some of the nation’s premier whitewater experiences are just a short drive from Bridgeport. Over a quarter of a million people travel to the area each year for the exhilarating rush and breathtaking scenery of West Virginia’s rapids.
The Tygart ranks among the mightiest rivers, and due to its remoteness, is relatively uncrowded. This 10-mile-long river boasts rapids ranging from Class I to Class V and is home to Wells Falls, considered to be the most powerful, runable drop in the Monongahela River basin.
The boulder-strewn canyon of the Cheat marks the unpredictable nature of this river, making every trip a unique thrill. The Cheat features more than thirty technical rapids in the Class III to Class IV range.
The Gauley – or Beast of the East – is ranked the seventh-best whitewater run in the world. The Gauley features more Class IV and Class V rapids than any other eastern river.
The New River is actually the second-oldest river in the world. The New drops 240 feet over a 14-mile stretch and the New River Gorge is often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the East. The New is the biggest whitewater river in the East and features Class I to Class V rapids.
Museums
Prickett’s Fort State Park Prickett’s Fort State Park is a rustic log fort re-creation of the original Prickett’s Fort of 1774, which served as a refuge from Native American war parties on the western frontier of Colonial Virginia. The fort now serves as a living history site where interpreters in period-authentic garb demonstrate the lifestyles of the late-18th century. Visitors will find blacksmiths, weavers, spinners, gun smiths, potters and other heritage artisans at work.
Anna Jarvis Home Mothers Day, the first internationally celebrated holiday,was founded by Anna Jarvis to honor her mother. The home she was born in now acts as a museum. Her mother, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, helped women and soldiers during the Civil War by teaching women the necessities of nursing and sanitation to save lives.
CCC Museum The West Virginia CCC Museum shows visitors the story of the civilian conservation corporation from its start in 1933 to the final phase in 1942. More than 250 items are on display to represent the accomplishments of the CCC in West Virginia and other states.
Adaland Mansion Nearby is the Adaland Mansion,which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Guided tours of the mansion tell guests about the history of the home and its former inhabitants. There is also a large, beautiful garden with flowers blooming all through the spring and summer.
Weston State Hospital The Weston State Hospital, is the largest hand-cut blue sandstone structure in North America. Beautiful as it is, it has a haunting past. Daytime heritage tours of the facility are offered from March to the end of October. For ghosthunters, nighttime ghost tours are available, and for the extra-brave, there is a new “Overnight at the Asylum” program. The Asylum appeared on the hit SciFi channel show, “Ghost Hunters.”
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