April 10, 2026.
8.6 mi. | 980′ ele. gain | 4 hr.
On our cross-country drive, Aaron and I had a secondary mission: to each complete our list of 50 states. I had just recently finished mine in Indiana, but he had a couple more to go. One of those was West Virginia. I detoured our route to cross through the northern tip of the state and into Tomlinson Run State Park.
In addition to the playground, swimming pool, volleyball courts and mini golf course, the park had plenty of protected area set aside for exploring nature. The map showed a mess of trails for bikers and hikers but there was no clear, signature loop route. I had to devise one myself. We parked at a picnic area just past the golf course and I began hiking west on a gravel trail near the stream.
From there, I hopped onto the Fern Trail, where I was immediately met with spring wildflowers. I crept along, enjoying every little spring beauty, trillium and violet I saw. As I hiked through the woods that day, the areas near water seemed to have the most blooming, while the rest of the landscape was still pretty brown and dry.
I continued onto the Dynamite Shack Trail and walked past the old brick building, then on to the Beech Trail. Along the way I stopped for a few minutes to watch a pileated woodpecker noisily explore the trees in search of food. I walked through a grassy meadow at the Scout Camping Area, where the trail petered out and deposited me at the riverbank. Huh? I thought. I could see no bridge across, so I sat down to eat a bar and consider my options. If I crossed once, I’d have to cross again, right? Did I want to deal with that twice? Not really.
The water wasn’t deep, but it wasn’t shallow either. I didn’t feel like getting my feet wet but I also didn’t feel like turning back. What to do? The day was still young, I thought. If I had to ford the river twice, I could deal with it. I looked around for a sturdy stick that I could use for balance, since I didn’t have my poles. Then, I took my shoes and socks off and stepped into the brisk running water.
I was really glad I grabbed that stick because the rocks were smooth and covered with slippery algae. I leaned hard into my improvised pole to help prevent me from falling into the water. Once on the other side, I dried my feet and got my shoes back on. Soon I’d know for sure I made the right choice.
On the other side of the river was nothing but treasures. Wild ginger flowers. Hillsides of white trillium. Waterfalls! I instantly fell in love with this landscape. Honestly, it made the whole loop worthwhile.
I followed this trail to the junction with the Laurel trail and turned back toward the main park. This path followed the course of the water but up higher on the hillside, giving me a new perspective. I crossed the road, hiked up and over another hill on an unnamed trail, then reached another road. People were out here fishing and seemingly just driving up and down the road. I continued north until I reached yet another trail and a BRIDGE across the river. Yay! I didn’t have to cross barefoot again. The Bigfoot Trail, which looked disconnected on the hiking map, actually took me right back to where I wanted to go, and just in time. Not long after I got back, the sun dipped behind the clouds and it began to sprinkle, then rain.
What a lovely way to spend a day in West Virginia. I was glad we made the stop and I only hope that next time we visit this state, we have more time to see the rest of it.