Snowshoe: Leaf Peeping in the Mountains of West Virginia
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
I love everything about the fall season – the cool temps, the start of the holiday season, hiking, pumpkin treats, and most of all, beautiful leaf peeping. The mountains of West Virginia see incredible foliage, much earlier than most of the East coast. Snowshoe is located in the Allegheny Mountains (part of the Appalachian range). It is a wonderful leaf peeping getaway located just a quick weekend drive from many major East coast cities including D.C., Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.
Snowshoe is home to the second highest peak in the state, 4848 foot Cheat Mountain. Spruce Mountain is the highest at 4863 feet. The great thing about high altitude areas is that they typically see fall color a bit earlier. The fall leaves start changing here around late September/early October. If you are a fall lover, this is great as you can take road trips from nearby cities to the mountains and enjoy a longer window of leaf peeping. We took a weekend roadtrip from Cleveland, roughly a 5 and a half hour drive to enjoy some early season leaf peeping. It was a great trip and we enjoyed the beautiful scenery and various means to take in the vivid colors of the season.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort
The tiny unincorporated town has a year round population of just 200 people, although the ski resort is quite popular. It is one of the largest ski resorts in the mid Atlantic and also one of the snowiest with 180 inches per year! Snowshoe Mountain opened on December 19, 1974. 2024 will mark the 50th anniversary of the resort. The nice thing about this area is you really get a break from technology. The resort is located within the National Radio Quiet Zone so there is little phone reception. This can be a good or bad thing depending on your view. As someone who works on the computer 12+ hours a day, I figured this would be a great trip to detox from technology for abit. With all the beautiful nature surrounding you in every direction, you won’t miss the phone a bit!
Fall activities
Although Snowshoe Mountain Resort shines during the winter season with the many skiing, snowboarding & tubing options, a fall getaway is just as special with the wonderful foliage the area sees. There are plenty of fun sightseeing activities including seasonal chairlift rides at the ski resort, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. The mountain is a premier biking destination. The downhill bike park features over 20 trails and a 1500 ft vertical. While we were staying at the resort, 2024 UCI MTB Marathon World Championships were taking place! This is the 4th time the resort has hosted this prestigious event.
On the lift ride, you will enjoy great views of Shavers Lake, plus fantastic views of the colorful fall leaves
Kayaking on Shavers Lake
Our room rate included daily lakeside activities at beautiful Shavers Lake, so we took advantage of the opportunity to explore via the water. Along with swimming and enjoying the beachfront, there are canoe, kayak, and stand up paddleboat rentals, plus horseshoes, shuffleboard, and a large playground. We chose to kayak as it is a great overall body workout and a wonderful way to explore the scenery. It was so peaceful and beautiful and we had the entire lake to ourselves! You can access the lake by taking a quick ride down the ski lift.
A few pics from our adventure! What a beautiful fall day!
Hiking
Being located on 11,000 acres, there are more than enough hikes to choose amongst whether you are a beginner or avid explorer. Everyone should start with the easy 1.6 mile Shavers Lake Trail. Not only is it a relaxing trek, but also a very scenic one with picturesque views of the woods and lake throughout. This one is also a winner for leaf peeping – so many colorful golden and red hues along the route. Wildlife frequents the area so keep your eyes peeled for bobcats and other small mammals. Overall, this trail is a wonderful way to take in the incredible scenery via moderate effort.
Check out the gorgeous leaf peeping this time of year!
The Village Dining & Shopping
Conveniently, there are several restaurants and shops on the mountain including a Starbucks. This is the only place to enjoy coffee, so I hope you like Starbucks. The restaurants include a local Mexican cafe, several bar/grills, a steakhouse, and a great little pizza place. Dining during the offseason is a bit of a hassle due to weird hours – unfortunately, we had to resort to Starbucks as all breakfast options were closed. I have to say the dining was quite overpriced and mediocre. One exception was a local pizza place called Cheat Mountain. Not only was the pizza good, but the hummus dip and salad here tasty as well. Great apps and lots of drink specials. Lots of patio dining to enjoy the fall temps.
The shops were a bit disappointing as most sold just clothing/ski equipment, really no knick knacks or anything unique. On a side note, if you are a Bigfoot fan, you will want to take your pic next to this statue pictured below. Many guests over the years have reported Sasquatch sightings!
The full guide to dining and shopping at the Village
Be sure to take a walk around the village at sunset – the views are fabulous!
Where to stay
Lodging choices include cabins, inns, and vacation rentals. I was not overly impressed with Allegheny Springs. This property is conveniently located on the mountain and includes plenty of amenities – a pool and spa, a firepit, and gym/sauna. You can walk to the ski resorts and restaurants. Unfortunately, we thought the property was a hotel vs a vacation rental/Airbnb which I prefer not to support. This was not listed on the website. We did appreciate the convenient location and also the very affordable all inclusive package which includes unlimited lakeside activities and chairlift rides, access to the pools, plus 2 rock climbs per day.
Definitely enjoy a drink by the firepit at night – it is an awesome place to stargaze on a clear night. Or cozy up in the hot tub after a long day exploring – also a nice way to take in the starry skies! Nearby Green Bank Observatory (home to the the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope) is one of the top stargazing destinations in the US.
We lucked out – our room was attractively decorated in a nice mountain theme. Floors were hardwood and the gas fireplace was a nice bonus. They even had a DVD player with a few great selections for guest use including Ferris Bueller and Back to School – 2 of my personal favorites. Be aware that each room is decorated differently – carpeting vs. hardwood, etc. As you can see in the pics, we lucked out with an attractively decorated mountain themed condo. If only the bed was comfortable!
As to the negatives: the bed was insanely rock hard uncomfortable, the TV was tiny, the dishes appeared not to be cleaned, and the lobby feels like a timeshare property. No free coffee/tea in the lobby, etc.
Overall, I would recommend a fall weekend getaway to Snowshoe for residents of nearby major cities like D.C. and Pittsburgh. It’s an easy drive, the rates are super affordable this time of the year, activities are wonderful, and the leaf peeping is spectacular, Despite the overpriced tourist trap restaurants, there are few downside of staying in this beautiful region.
Also a bit of a drive at 2 hours, but if you have time (or even along the way), do stop at one of America’s newest and most beautiful national parks. New River Gorge is a gorgeous destinations for hikers and nature lovers!
