Germany Valley Overlook Cabins is a scenic place to rest your head after a day of outdoor adventure.
If you want to experience Almost Heaven, spend the weekend at Germany Valley Overlook Cabins. It is hard to describe the panoramic view without enlisting clichés like “breathtaking,” “jaw-dropping,” and “heart-stopping,” but when I think about sitting on the porch of Cabin 2 and watching the sun set over the undulating hills of Germany Valley, I truly can’t find an adjective that describes the view without sounding melodramatic. I even thought about just saying, “Since photos are worth a thousand words, see photo above,” but the photograph doesn’t even do it justice. So I’m just going to say, “Go!” (But please save me one weekend a year.)
When you go, choose from one of the four cabins that sleep six to nine people and are surrounded by 170 acres of pastureland grazed by cattle. And this is worthy to note: The cows aren’t afraid to invite themselves to dinner. The newest lodging option, Lookout Cabin, was built to resemble a fire tower. The others are more traditional. All of the cabins have fully equipped kitchens, baths with showers, central air and heat, towels and linens, fire pits with wood, and picnic tables and Adirondack chairs—this is important because you won’t be able to tear yourself away from the view (OK, I’m being melodramatic again).
Germany Valley has been designated a National Natural Landmark because it is one of the largest and most extensive karst and cave systems in the country. The area is hemmed in by the Allegheny Mountains with Spruce Knob, Dolly Sods, and Seneca Rocks within close proximity. The cabins serve as a strategic base for outdoor recreation. There are tons of hiking, fishing, and hunting options. Seneca Caverns, located in the valley, is only 10 minutes away. Seneca Rocks Discovery Center is just 15 miles away, and the highest point in the state, Spruce Knob, is just a couple miles farther. Only 4 miles from the cabin is Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center, where you can climb the Via Ferrata or enjoy the Zipline Canopy Tour. If you like to whitewater raft, Eagle’s Nest Outfitters is located less than 40 miles from the cabins.
You can also use the cabins as a base for enjoying the state by train. The Potomac Eagle at Petersburg, the Cass Scenic Railroad, and the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad are all less than 40 miles away. You can use the cabins as a launchpad even in winter, although you’ll probably want to arrive in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It only takes 40 minutes to get to Canaan Valley, where Canaan Valley Resort, White Grass, and Timberline offer downhill skiing, cross country skiing, tubing, and ice skating. Even Snowshoe is only 60 miles away.
Although the cabins have full kitchens—don’t forget to bring your groceries and supplies—you’ll want to try the nearby restaurants, with Gateway Restaurant in Riverton being the closest. Here you’ll find burgers, sandwiches, home-cooked meals, and delicious pies.
Germany Valley Overlook Cabins are located on Route 33 at the scenic overlook on North Mountain in Pendleton County, approximately 10 miles west of Franklin and 4 miles east of Judy Gap. Prices range from $135 to $200 a night, with a two-night minimum and discounts for weeklong stays. germanyvalleycabins.com
written and photographed by NIKKI BOWMAN
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