Morgantown’s Outdoor Wonderland
One of our favorite places to get out and get moving is Cooper’s Rock. Located just a few miles out of town is a great place to do, well, just about anything! It is a beautiful park with miles of woods, trails, cliffs, rocks and scenic views. There are picnic areas to take the family or significant other, as well as places to do some of the activities we’ve talked about the last couple of months. You can walk, hike, ride bikes, fish, hunt, longboard or even repel! Bring your dogs, who can swim in the pond. For the younger ones there are playgrounds. There are various opportunities for photographic scenes and wonderful vistas. You can even camp, with reasonable rates. I love to load my dogs into the car and go out to Coopers Rock to do some fishing at the stocked trout lake. The Park Rangers are friendly and helpful, even once being as kind as to return one of my dogs that had gotten away from me and wondered off. All in all, I would recommend Cooper’s Rock State Park to anyone that wants a break from the hassles of Morgantown to a beautiful park with near limitless activities. Nothing refreshes after a long, hum-drum day of work like a stroll around this outdoor wonderland.
Longboarding
Looking for a new way to get outside more often? How about the new method of transportation? Give longboarding a shot! A mixture of skateboarding and land surfing, longboarders love long and winding hills, something that Morgantown has plenty of. Longboarding became popular alongside surfing in the 1950’s. Longboarders use specially designed skateboards that are significantly longer than traditional skateboards, with wider trucks and bigger wheels to better accomodate carving (turning sharply back and forth, much like surfing or snowboarding.) Of course, Nico would like to emphasize the use of all safety equipment including pads and helmets, but also sliding gloves. These gloves have plastic pucks on the palm and fingers so that the wearer can place them against the concrete when sliding without damage to their hands. I had an oppourtunity to try this emerging hobby when I met some longboarders last week. Jake and Steve were longboarding at Copper’s Rock when I met them. They introduced me to this fascinating sport, and even got me on a board!
Top 10 Fitness Spots Around Morgantown
It’s that time of year again to dust off the cob webs from the frosty winter months and begin to put the spring back in our step. The first day of Spring was March 20 and here in Morgantown the weather has been nice enough to get outside and start moving around.
A person can gain an estimate of 3-4 pounds per winter. Researchers blame the weight gain on several factors. These factors include the weather, less daylight which increases depression, and cravings for sweets and starches. The important thing now is to enjoy the nice weather, get outside, and begin moving. Exercising may include doing some Spring cleaning around your yard, going for a walk with your children, or enjoying some of the outdoor parks and activities in Morgantown. Below are the Top Ten 10 places in Morgantown to visit in order to get your body moving.
10. Marilla Park
Located in Sabraton, Marilla Park has a community pool, a skate boarding park, and picnic sites.
9. Coliseum Track
Come visit the home of the Mountaineer women’s volleyball team, rifle team, and women’s and men’s basketball teams. Located on Monongahela Blvd., the Coliseum opened in 1970; this facility is a multi-purpose arena which seats 14,000 spectators. A person may walk, rollerblade, or ride bicycles around the Coliseum. Three laps around the outside of the coliseum are equal to one mile.
8. Core Arboretum
The Arboretum is located near the WVU Coliseum. There are 3.5 miles of trails where a person can hike through to see all of wonderful flora and fauna native to West Virginia. The Arboretum is best known for its “Spring Ephermel” wildflowers.
7. Virgin Hemlock Trial
The Virgin Hemlock Trail is located at exit 15 off of I-68 east, turn south and follow signs. The forest is over 300 years old and has a hiking time of roughly 45 minutes. The hemlock trees located throughout this trail are the only trees left untouched on steep ground above Laurel Creek Hill, apparently too difficult for loggers to reach.
6. Dorsey Knob
The 70-acre Dorsey’s Knob Park, located adjacent to U.S. 119, is right outside of downtown Morgantown. This site is one of the highest points in Monongalia County. From “Sky Rock” peak you can see miles and miles of West Virginia landscape.
5. Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens began in 1983, located on the 82 acre of former Tibbs Run Reservoir off Tyrone Road. The 15 acre basin is home to many beautiful varieties of plant life. There are several trails that span around and through this area.
4. Chestnut Ridge Park
Chestnut Ridge Park has 16,000 acres of recreational area, 10 miles outside of Morgantown. With in the park one may hike, bike, swim, fish, rock climb, snow board, horseback, cross country ski or camp.
3. Cheat river/ Cheat Lake/ Cheat Lake Park
On Cheat Lake an individual may cool off by boating, swimming, kayaking, or jet skiing. Cheat Lake is located off of I-68 east at the Cheat Lake exit.
2. Rails to Trails
The Mon River / Caperton / Deckers Creek Rail-Trails are 48 miles long; open for walking, cycling, jogging, and cross-country skiing with a smooth surface for wheel-chair use and all types of bicycles. In Morgantown and Star City, eight miles of trail are paved, creating the perfect surface for in-line skating. The rail-trail connects three counties, Marion, Monongalia, and Preston Counties in North Central West Virginia.
The Caperton Trail has more of a city feel with neighboring city parks, restaurants, and shops. The Deckers Creek Trail is more of a challenge as it climbs at approximately a 2% grade 1,000 feet over 19 miles with rhododendron and hemlock groves, deciduous forests, into more open fields and farmlands in Preston County.
1. Coopers Rock
Coopers Rock State Forest gets its name from a legend about a fugitive who hid from the law near what is now the overlook. A cooper by trade, he resumed making barrels at his new mountain hideout, selling them to people in nearby communities. Coopers Rock State Forest is 13 miles east of Morgantown and 8 miles west of Bruceton Mills. Its 12,713 acres are bisected by Interstate 68. Bands of rock cliffs line the Cheat River Gorge and provide numerous overlooks. The centerpiece among these is the main overlook, which furnishes a panorama of the gorge and distant horizons. A maze of enormous boulders and cliffs fascinates hikers, and the trails are especially beautiful in June when the rhododendron and mountain laurel blooming. Several trails wind through forest valleys and over ridges, and there are many creeks available to hikers interested in getting a little wet. Glade Run is dammed to form a 6-acre pond that is regularly stocked with trout. The experienced hiker can hear and sometimes see various wildlife; such as hawks, owls, turkeys, fox and deer throughout the forest.
WV Fitness
More than one million people were expected to join a gym in the month of January alone, according to the International Health, Racquet and Sports Club Association in Boston. Millions of individuals begin their new year with change, possibly changes to better one’s self. The change may have to do with finances, relationships, or more commonly “to get in shape” or “be more healthy.” Does this sound familiar? Fortunately, for the thousands of mountaineers that reside here in Morgantown we have an untapped resource…WVU!
With today’s economy being in shambles for so many people tend to cut out non essentials. For many a gym membership or a personal trainer is viewed as a non essential. West Virginia University offers wonderful fitness and activity classes at very reasonable prices. These classes are offered through the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences in the lifetime activities program. Classes include scuba diving, pilates, zumba, and the list goes on. You may join classes for the individual or family. There are a variety of classes geared only toward children. These classes include babysplash, choosy kids club, young walkers, and many more. For more information look online at www.lifetimeactivities.org or call 304-293-0859.
Being a recent graduate of the College of Physical Activity and Sport Science I am confident in saying that the individuals who instruct class through the lifetime activities program are highly qualified. The classes offered are of great variety and great price. Price shouldn’t even be an issue when it comes to improving one’s health. Health is priceless and if you have good health…well then you’re a millionaire.
Good luck in your new year ventures and the best of luck in 2009!
-J. Kwiatkowski