Watoga State Park


Watoga State Park is the largest of West Virginia's state parks, covering slightly over. It is located near Seebert in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.

History

The land that forms the nucleus of Watoga was originally acquired in January 1925, when the park was initially planned to be a state forest. In May 1934, a decision was made to instead develop the site as a state park. Much of the development on the site was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the park was first opened on July 1, 1937.

New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District

The New Deal Resources in Watoga State Park Historic District is a national historic district encompassing 59 contributing buildings, 35 contributing structures, 2 contributing sites, and 11 contributing objects. They include water fountains; trails; a swimming pool; a reservoir; rental cabins; and picnic shelters; as well as a former CCC camp. The park is the site of the Fred E. Brooks Memorial Arboretum, a 400-acre arboretum that encompasses the drainage of Two Mile Run. Named in honor of Fred E. Brooks, a noted West Virginia naturalist who died in 1933, the Arboretum's construction began about 1935 and a dedication was held in 1938.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

Features

Watoga State Park has many hiking trails to choose from that vary wildly in length and difficulty. There is a wide variety of trail choices, so any level hiker will enjoy their time on the Watoga State Park trails.
A small list of these trails includes
These trails are regularly maintained by the Watoga Foundation, and you can look at a map by clicking