Canaan Valley is a region in neighboring West Virginia. It’s about a 50-minute drive from Oakland, Maryland.
You’ll set off South on Route 219, through Oakland and Red House to West Virginia.
Pass the turnoff for the Fairfax Stone marker.
Stay straight and get on Route 32. Pass the quaint town of Thomas, WV.
Continue on and pass the adjacent Davis, WV.
Then, seemingly, the tree cover will open at once and you’ll see the beautiful Canaan Valley. I pronounce it KI – NAYNE. Or, feel free to use the Hebrew pronunciation of k’naan or ki-na’an. The origin is “land of promise”.
This hidden gem is home to a great day-trip full of outdoor activities. Canaan Valley Resort State Park offers skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing in the winter and hiking, biking, golfing, and camping in the summer. There’s an outdoor swimming pool and bicycling pump track, too.
Even if the adventure activities aren’t your cup of tea, it’s worth the drive to take in the sights, watch the hundreds of deer meander, and enjoy a literal cup of tea in the Lodge.
Also, about 70% of the Valley has become the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the nation’s 500th National Wildlife Refuge.
If you’re looking for something to do, I’ve had some good times gliding across the snow farm at Whitegrass and hanging out a Trail Labs.
