Any time of the year is a great time to visit West Virginia, where scenic beauty abounds. But in the autumn, that beauty really comes alive! While the higher mountain regions are prettiest in late September through early October, some of the more southern areas don’t peak until mid-to-late October. But you’re going to want to experience it all. So we’ve created this fun, 2-hour fall foliage drive in West Virginia that takes you through some beautiful, historic countryside along Highway 3 that is especially spectacular at this time of the year.

The first place on this adventure to enjoy fall in West Virginia is located not far outside of Beckley.
The Resort at Glade Springs/Facebook
It is here that we want you to stop for a stroll around the grounds of The Resort at Glade Springs, which lights up with flames of color on every tree each fall.
Next, we're going to head on toward the town of Hinton.
Kirk's Restaurant/Facebook
We suggest that you stop at Kirk's Restaurant for a hotdog and a view once you reach the New River.
Cross the New River and follow the Greenbrier River upstream to the John Henry Historical Park, which is also the site of the Big Bend Tunnel.
John Henry Park/Facebook
It is named after legendary African American folker hero John Henry. There's also a John Henry Museum and Gift Shop just a short drive beyond the park at the Talcott Public Access Site to the Greenbrier River.

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The Graham House Museum is another fun stop along West Virginia Highway 3.
Mharv2000/Wikipedia
Built in 1770, it was the first established house, and now a historic home, in what is now Summers County.
Highway 3 will then take you across the Greenbrier River on the Alderson Memorial Bridge in Alderson, a beautiful, historic mountain town worth exploring if you have the time.
CZMarlin/Wikipedia
It is located in the town of Alderson, which is a beautiful, historic mountain community worth exploring if you have the time.
From Alderson, it's on to Union. Note that Highway 3 will merge briefly with U.S. Route 219/Seneca Trail South as it passes through Union.
Cristy/OIYS
If it's beautiful scenery you're after, try the view from the Confederate Soldiers Memorial just before you reach Union. Highway 3 will split off of Route 219 again in Union and take you west through Gap Mills.
End your drive at the historic Sweet Springs Resort & Spa, located close to the West Virginia/Virginia border.
Brian M. Powell/Wikipedia
At that time that this article was updated, the Sweet Swings Resort was undergoing renovations, with the hope of making it comparable to the one Thomas Jefferson envisioned and guests like George Washington, James Madison, Franklin Pierce, Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Marquis de Lafayette, and Robert E. Lee all enjoyed.

To get you on your way, we’ve created a Google map of this route. Happy leaf peeping!

Have you driven West Virginia Highway 3 from Beckley to Sweet Springs before? Isn’t it a beautiful trip? Where do you like to go to experience the fall colors in West Virginia? We’d love to read about your experiences in the comments section below!

If you’re still hungry after your stop at Kirk’s Restaurant, be sure to stop for dessert at the Kitchen Creek Bakery in Gap Mills! If you like to pack your own food on road trips, check out these sturdy food containers. You can also use them with our ultimate list of 50 on-the-go food ideas.

If you’re still in the mood for more West Virginia adventures, take a look at this video:

 

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More to Explore

More to Love about West Virginia

Lysa Allman-Baldwin | August 03, 2023

What are some other day trip itineraries  in West Virginia?

  • Summersville Lake in Nicholas County is often referred to as the Little Bahamas of West Virginia.
  • The Lost World Caverns near Lewisburg features natural underground caverns plunging some 120 feet below the earth’s surface.
  • The Hawk's Nest in Ansted offers a sky lift to one of the state’s most beautiful overlooks.

Read on to learn about some other exciting day trip itineraries in West Virginia.

Where can we find abandoned places in West Virginia?

  • John's Episcopal Church in Harpers Ferry was once a thriving community church before it was damaged during the Civil War.
  • The old Coalwood High School in Coalwood represents one of numerous structures in this once vibrant coal town founded in the early 1900s.
  • A TNT facility in Point Pleasant employed some 3,500 workers and manufactured 500,000 pounds of TNT daily during WWII.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other fascinating abandoned places in West Virginia.

Where can we find wineries in West Virginia?

  • Forks of Cheat Winery in Morgantown is a favorite and has also has won over 200 awards in a variety of competitions locally, nationally and internationally.
  • Winetree Vineyards in Vienna grows and bottles its wines on the farm property here and also has a tasting room and gift shop.
  • Lambert's Vintage Wine in Weston operates out of a unique building built out of hand-cut stones.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other tasty wineries in West Virginia.

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Explore West Virginia

Featured Addresses
255 Resort Dr, Daniels, WV 25832, USA
Hinton Byp HC76, Hinton, WV 25951, USA
Hinton, WV 25951, USA
Alderson, WV 24910, USA
Union, WV 24983, USA
Sweet Springs Resort Park, 19540 Sweet Springs Valley Rd, Gap Mills, WV 24941, USA