Nestled in the forest of the New River Gorge, this hidden attraction is drawing visitors from all over.
written by MAKENNA SPANGLER
photos courtesy of DAVID SIBRAY
FOUND ALONG AN OLD TRAIL near the New River Gorge Canyon Rim Visitor Center is an expressionless stone face. Shrouded in mystery and moss, this life-sized carving is easily overlooked if one isn’t trying to find it.
Although its origins are not set in stone, the story of how the face came to be is a thing of local legend. A Mr. Johnson carved it into the rock some time around the 1950s, according to local belief. The foundations of the miner’s house are said to lie farther along the trail.
To get detailed directions to the stone face, visit Water Stone Outdoors—101 East Wiseman Street in Fayetteville—or try your luck on your own by searching for the trail located on National Park Service land off of Fayette Station Road near the Canyon Rim Visitor Center.
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S SUMMER 2023 ISSUE
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