The waters of Grant County are calling your name.
Enjoy an excerpt from our Grant County travel guide!
IF THE SOUND OF MOVING WATER makes you slow your step, you’re exactly where you ought to be. Grant County and the surrounding highlands have been shaped by water, and it shows.
One of the true standouts is Greenland Gap, an 820-foot-deep passage carved straight through New Creek Mountain. It feels tucked away, almost secret. Towering Oriskany sandstone cliffs frame the scene as the North Fork of Patterson Creek slips through the gap, then drops through a 20-foot chute into a deep, clear pool below.
If paddling is your calling, our water doesn’t disappoint. The North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River winds through Hopeville Canyon, one of the most striking canyon stretches anywhere in the region. With the cliffs FLOATING W GRANT COUNTY of North Fork Mountain rising behind you, rock formations jutting out of the current, and bald eagles often circling overhead, this is a float trip that sticks with you long after you’re back on shore.
Then there’s Smoke Hole Canyon—a classic paddle and fishing run through a long, winding canyon known for massive rock formations and riverside camping spots. The rapids roll steady at class I–II, with a couple of splashier class II+ sections to keep things lively. Downstream, the river drifts past Petersburg and Moorefield before slipping into one of the most unique stretches of water in the state.
Prefer flatwater and an easy pace? You’ve got plenty to choose from. Quiet mountain lakes like Spruce Knob Lake and South Mill Creek Lake are perfect for an unhurried paddle, while the wide-open waters of Jennings Randolph Lake and Mount Storm Lake—the county’s largest, at 1,200 acres—offer plenty of shoreline to explore at your own rhythm.
Check out the travel guide Narrative by New South Media created for Grant County!
To request a free copy, go to visitgrantcounty.com.
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S SUMMER 2026 ISSUE
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