Elkins

Elkins is a city of 7,000 people (as of 2020) in Randolph County, West Virginia. It is home to Davis & Elkins College, a small private college. Because of its size and convenient location, you'll likely want to use Elkins as a base to get to a variety of nearby sights and attractions.

Elkins is convenient to the Monongahela National Forest. It is less than an hour from the tiny high elevation twin towns of Thomas and Davis, noted for Blackwater Falls State Park, the Canaan Valley, Timberline Ski Resort and the region's caverns. One hour South will bring you to Snowshoe Mountain.

Understand

It was incorporated in 1890, and named for Stephen Benton Elkins, a US senator from 1891 to 1893 who came from West Virginia. Elkins is the county seat of Randolph County, and as the largest city for a significant distance in any direction; nearby Buckhannon is slightly smaller and the nearest city larger than Elkins is Clarksburg.

Get in

By car

Elkins lies at the intersection of four major roads: US-33, which goes through Buckhannon and Harrisonburg, Virginia; US-48, which parallels US-33 from Weston through Buckhannon to Elkins and then deviates towards Davis, Wardensville, and Strasburg, Va where it connects with I-81 near it's junction with I-66.US-250, which goes through Grafton and Staunton, Virginia; and US-219, which goes through Somerset, Pennsylvania and Marlinton.

By plane

Get around

Elkins has no public transportation. You can get around town easily by foot or bike, but any real adventure would require a car.

See
  • 🌍 Davis & Elkins College. 
  • 🌍 Monongahela National Forest, 200 Sycamore Street, ☏ +1 304-636-1800. Over 19,000 acres of forest spread across 10 counties in West Virginia. 23 campgrounds, 17 picnic areas and over 500 miles of hiking trails. Mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, boating, wildlife viewing, birdwatching, hunting, and fishing. 
  • Seneca Rocks, US-33 and WV-28, +1 304-567-2827. 900-foot-tall formations made of Tuscarora quartzite with over 375 mapped climbing routes and a self-guided interpretive trail with a viewing platform.
  • Spruce Knob, Forest Road, +1 304-567-2827. The highest point in West Virginia, at 4,861 feet. A stone and steel observation tower provides 360-degree views, and there's a half-mile trail circling the Knob. Fishing, hiking and an on-site campground with 43 sites.

Do
  • Allegheny Highlands Trail. A regional mountain-biking trail system in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia. The backbone of the Trail goes from Elkins to Thomas. 
  • Visit beautiful Stuart Parklocated outside of town on US Rt 33. During the summer months bring gear to go for a swim in the river, or just go wading. Pack a blanket and a picnic lunch, spread out and enjoy the outdoors. Available for rent are many different styles of campsites, for overnight guests. Pavilions are also available for rent, perfect for an outdoor get together.
  • Seneca Rocks Climbing School, 27 Allegheny Drive, Suite B (behind/between Harper's and Yokum's general stores), ☏ +1 304-567-2600, . For those interested in reaching the South Peak of Seneca Rocks, Seneca Rocks Climbing School (SRCS) offers guided rock climbing and instruction for everyone from complete beginner to expert. SRCS has been guiding climbers young and old since 1971. (updated Oct 2017)

Caverns
  • Seneca Caverns, toll-free: +1-800-239-7647. WV-9 off US-33 east of Riverton. West Virginia's largest caverns, also called "West Virginia's Underground Wonderland", were discovered in 1760, and commercial tours have been running since 1930. Gemstone mining also available. On-site gift shop and restaurant. Admission $12. 
  • Smoke Hole Caverns, toll-free: +1-800-828-8478. Route 55 (8 mi south of Petersburg). Open year-round. Caverns are always 56 degrees, so dress warmly. Tours given every half-hour. Riverside log cabins on-site. Admission $9. 

Skiing
  • Snowshoe Mountain, 10 Snowshoe Drive, ☏ +1 304-572-1000. Mountain biking, and a golf course named "#1 Public Access Golf Course in West Virginia" for four straight years by GolfWeek Magazine. On-site lodging, 14 restaurants, 17 shops, groceries and markets, tame to wild nightlife, pool, hot tub, sauna and spa. Skiing and snowboarding lessons and kids' programs. 114 trails, including vertical drops of up to 1500 feet, and 27 lifts. Season passes are $215 - $629; winter lift tickets are $30 - $67. 

Events
  • Antique Car Show, Held every 4th of July weekend, the car show fills the Elkins City Park with vehicles of all makes and models, past and present. Fun for car lovers of all ages, activities include live music, games, and vendor demonstrations.
  • Augusta Festival. August festival is a 5-week-long folk arts festival held annually in July and August. The Augusta Heritage Center offers over 300 classes in folk art and music, as well as concerts and dances. Mini workshops are held throughout the year. 
  • International Ramp Festival and Cook-off, Elkins City Park, Held at the end of April. One of the first vegetables to appear in spring are wild leeks, known as ramps, which are widely celebrated in the Appalachian region. Live music, entertainment, and ramps cooked every way possible. Admission free.
  • Mountain State Forest Festival. Held at the end of September. With hot-air balloon rides, a carnival, a gun show, bass fishing tournament, tennis tournament, horseshoe tournament, Irish road bowling, talent shows, cabaret, photography contest, lumberjack contest and log stacking, quilt show, exhibits, live entertainment, food vendors, buckwheat cake and sausage feed, and parades. 
  • Pickin' in the Park, Held every Wednesday afternoon in the Elkins City Park. Local musicians gather to play folk/country music and trade stories. All year long. In winter, held indoors nearby.
  • 🌍 Augusta Heritage Festival. (updated Jun 2020)

Learn

Buy
  • Artists at Work, 329 Davis Ave, ☏ +1 304-637-6309. Artists at Work is a co-op ran by local artists. Serving as both a gallery and a gift shop, Artists at Work is a wonderful place to pick up a sentimental gift for that special someone. 

Eat
  • Beander's at Due North, 314 Davis Ave, ☏ +1 304-636-6000. Restaurant and bar. Adequate menu with many offerings, mainly pub style food. Venture here in the evenings for a bar with a younger crowd. 
  • CJ Maggies, Davis Avenue, ☏ +1 304-636-1730. Open daily for lunch, dinner, and drink. Diverse menu including sandwiches and pasta plates. Also serves Appalachian Ale and other brews from the Appalachian Brewing Company. 
  • El Gran Sabor, Davis Avenue, ☏ +1 304-636-8200. Open Monday through Saturday for lunch or dinner. Authentic Venezuelan food and spirits, including tostones, cornados, yuca, arepas, cachapas and tres leches. $7 - $16. The bar in the back often plays host to live local music on the weekends. 

Drink

Sleep

Budget
  • Days Inn Elkins, Randolph Center, 1200 Harrison Ave, ☏ +1 304-637-4667. 
  • Elkins Econo Lodge, 266 US-33 E, ☏ +1 304-636-5311. Clean rooms for an affordable price. Amenities include free wireless internet, swimming pool/hot tub, HBO. 

A Little More
  • Cheat River Lodge, Route 33 east of Elkins, ☏ +1 304-636-2301. 6 rooms, and 7 cabins. Observation deck over the river, refrigerator, microwave. Cabins have fully-equipped kitchens and private 7-foot outdoor hot tubs. $68-83 for lodge, $171-196 for cabins. 
  • Elkins Motor Lodge, Harrison Ave, toll-free: +1-877-747-8713. 
  • Hampton Inn Elkins, 480 Plantation Dr, ☏ +1 304-630-7500. 
  • Holiday Inn Express Elkins, 50 Martin St, ☏ +1 304-630-2266. 

Splurge

Go next
  • Buckhannon, about 30 minutes west on US-33, is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College.
  • Helvetia, about 1 hour south on US-219 and CR-46, is a laid-back village with a strong Swiss cultural heritage.
  • Marlinton, about 1 hour and 15 minutes south on US-219 and US-250, is a good base to reach the Cass Scenic Railroad.
  • Morgantown, about 1 hour and 30 minutes north on US-33 and I-79, is home to West Virginia University.
  • Weston, about 45 minutes west on US-33.
Routes through Elkins
Weston ← Buckhannon ←  W  E  → Franklin → Harrisonburg
Fairmont ← Grafton ←  N  S  → Staunton → Charlottesville


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