Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Little Beaver State Park in Raleigh County, the designation of "Mountaineer Mile" sections of trails at each of West Virginia's 37 state parks. The announcement is part of a statewide fitness initiative championed by Morrisey to encourage West Virginians to walk at least a mile every day.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey opens the first “Mountaineer Mile†trail Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Little Beaver State Park, in Raleigh County. The trails will be at each of West Virginia’s 37 state parks as part of a statewide fitness initiative.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Little Beaver State Park in Raleigh County, the designation of "Mountaineer Mile" sections of trails at each of West Virginia's 37 state parks. The announcement is part of a statewide fitness initiative championed by Morrisey to encourage West Virginians to walk at least a mile every day.
Courtesy photo
As part of a new fitness initiative, Gov. Patrick Morrisey traveled to Little Beaver State Park, in Raleigh County, on Wednesday to announce the creation of a network of mile-long hiking trail segments that will soon open at each of West Virginia’s 37 state parks.
Little Beaver State Park’s 1.1-mile-long Lake Front Trail, which loops around the park’s centerpiece 18-acre lake, officially became the state’s first “Mountaineer Mile†trail during Wednesday’s ceremony.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey opens the first “Mountaineer Mile†trail Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at Little Beaver State Park, in Raleigh County. The trails will be at each of West Virginia’s 37 state parks as part of a statewide fitness initiative.
Courtesy photo
The governor said the designation of mile-long trail segments at state parks across West Virginia creates convenient and scenic outdoor venues “to meet my challenge of walking at least one mile a day†to improve health and well-being. “I plan to lead by example,†Morrisey said.
With West Virginia ranked at, or near the bottom, of national health rankings in categories such as obesity, diabetes and congestive heart failure, “this is a way to begin to reverse that trend,†the governor said. “We also want people to get out into the state, visit the state parks, walk around and talk to the park rangers and maybe learn something about the parks†and the areas where they are located.
More than 1,500 trails can be found within West Virginia’s state parks, with hiking and biking on them rated the top “gateway activity for park visitors,†said former state parks chief and current West Virginia State Parks Foundation Director Brad Reed, who was among other speakers at Wednesday’s event.
