CANAAN VALLEY / TUCKER COUNTY The highest valley east of the Mississippi and home to state parks, ski slopes and the nation's 500th wildlife refuge sits at the top of a mountain chain that feeds three major waterways that converge in Parsons, Tucker County. State Route 32 cuts through Canaan Valley, the historic towns of Davis and Thomas before intersecting US Route 219 at Thomas on its southern heading to Parsons. The Blackwater River meanders slowly through Canaan Valley, the year-round vacation resort area of the northern highlands. In winter Canaan Valley Resort and Timberline Four Season Resort open their slopes for skiing, snowboarding and tubing. In spring, summer and fall, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, animal trekking, and exploring the Monongahela National Forest lands and Dolly Sods Scenic Area take precedence. Families gravitate to Canaan Valley Resort State Park and its full schedule of warm-weather activities. Swimming, tennis, interpretive nature walks, evening events fill leisure-time hours. Golfers head for the 18-hole championship golf course. After plummeting over Blackwater Falls into the Blackwater Canyon, the Blackwater River makes its way to the Dry Fork. Dry Fork and Shavers Fork both empty into the Cheat River at Parsons, the county seat. All these waters team with catches of trout anglers dream about. Spring rains churn the Cheat into Class II-IV rapids, exhilarating to rafters and kayakers. State Route 93 from Davis leads northeast to Mt. Storm Lake, the man-made lake sitting atop the Allegheny Plateau that attracts scuba divers and those who enjoy swimming in the waters kept constantly warm by Virginia Electric Power. POINTS OF INTEREST Blackwater Falls State Park Canaan Mountain Backcountry Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge Canaan Valley State Park Dolly Sods Wilderness Area Fairfax Stone State Park Fernow Experimental Forest Otter Creek Wilderness Area Timberline Four Seasons Resort