Cabwaylingo State Forest — Attraction in West Virginia

We really want to leave more than three stars, but if you read all of our review you may understand. My wife and I stayed at one of Cabwaylingo's cabins for 7 days this year. Having spent at least a week at other WV State Parks over the past few years (twice at Babcock, Once at North Bend, once at Bluestone.) We found the cabins in various states of maintenance, with Cabwaylingo being the latest to receive some needed improvements--paint on the walls inside and out, very clean, floors polished and free from dirt. The staff was exceptional in their willingness to help us feel at home. Highlights? The people, no doubt about it! Rose, who manages the camp office was very friendly and responsive to any reasonable request. Eugene, another staffer, was extremely knowledgeable; more than willing to provide whatever information or assistance we requested; we felt he was very invested in the continued improvement and success of Cabwaylingo. I had an opportunity to view some of the other cabins at the Park; clearly there's an ongoing effort to upgrade and remodel the cabins as funds and workers become available. We viewed the interior of one of the cabins that had been attractively modernized and renovated with new electrical system, new kitchen cabinets,appliances, new bath, and more, yet it retained most of the original look and rustic charm of the CCC-built structure. Our only significant complaint is the access road to our cabin, which was the only road to the group of cabins where ours was located. We rode our motorcycle with cargo trailer to the park and were a little dismayed at the road, which (in addition to being in some places completely covered with moss and evergreen debris) was a single lane with very few wider spots for a vehicle to pull to the side and let another vehicle pass. Add to that the steepness of the first section of the road and its slippery condition even when dry, you have a very scary situation for a rider and passenger. On our last evening as we entered the park, we fortunately happened to look across the creek to see a minivan traversing the only road to the group of cabins of which ours belonged--so we waited for it to complete its passage to the two-lane blacktop. I shudder to imagine how we could have avoided a collision or a fall over the sheer dropoff, had we met the minivan coming toward us while we were climbing the slippery hill.

In our experiences at Babcock State Park, Bluestone State Park, and North Bend State Park, we also had issues with the access roads. It is not uncommon to see a large motorhome or truck pulling a 5th-wheel travel trailer, yet meeting ANY vehicle other than a motorcycle coming from the opposite direction could potentially be a serious problem along the narrow asphalt access roads to cabins or campgrounds. Since we are West Virginia natives who happily ride nearly 600 miles from where we now reside to visit the state's beautiful hills and meandering highways, we hate to discourage anyone from an opportunity to appreciate the scenery and friendly culture John Denver memorialized so well in "Almost Heaven, West Virginia." Despite our concerns we remain hopeful that somehow funds can be found to upgrade and preserve the gorgeous settings and natural beauty of West Virginia's state parks, including...

It is described as a park and for driving directions it is advertised as such. Cabwaylingo is a state forest. Difference being is the state sells off its natural resources, gas, oil, coal and timber. Cabwaylingo doesn't see a dime of any of the monies of the sell of its resources. The park is kept up through private donations and what Lil money the rustic cabins, pool, group camps & camp sites. There is several walking trails, Olympic size pool, several picnic sites, bass & trout fishing ( stocked with several pound of trout from february /may). There is a country store close. A diary bar next to the store. A mile south of this store on hwy 152 is a take out pizza, burgers etc. Also, if you prefer, you can buy your alcoholic beverages here. The park is peaceful and the locals are accommodating. If you get the opportunity to visit a beautiful, rustic setting, you will enjoy your getaway here in Cabwaylingo. One more thing that is available is cell phone service by AT & T. Enjoy the great outdoors whenever...

If you want to get off the radar for awhile...this is the place to do it. There is zero cell phone service/wifi/roaming PERIOD within a 50 mile radius (which was a plus for me, since I wanted a weekend with no interruptions.) This place is made for true campers though, i.e. bring your own food and water. I thought there would be a small town nearby with some restaurants and stores...nope. The nearest restaurant is ~45 miles away. Breathtaking scenery, nice trails great for hiking. The best part was, hardly anyone else was there when I went. I thought it would be crowded, but there were like 4 or 5 other people in the entire park. I highly recommend going here. And no, cabwaylingo isn't some ancient indian word, it's a combination of the names of four WV counties that the park is in. Every bridge in the entire state is dedicated to someone, but they apparently couldn't find a notable West Virginian after whom to...