Grayson Highlands State Park, Mouth of Wilson

If I can give this place 100 stars I would. My favorite place to seek nature and solitude used to be Spruce Knob area in West Va. My favorite place to see hiking trails with beautiful vistas used to be The Great Smokey Mountains. I say used to be, because after visiting Grayson Highlands for the first time, I can truly say I have found what both places have to offer in one spot, AND closer to home! Where do I start? First, this park is not that crowded, in fact when I went it was almost empty. I find that places like this will get more and more popular as people provide good reviews like mine, and while I'd love to keep it a secret, I feel that people should know how magical this place really is. Imagine hiking up to a mountain top, with open fields, wild horses, cows and bulls, blackberries and blueberries growing in the wild to pick and eat freely. Of course there's more to it than that. I am not going to be able to really explain why this place is a bucket list type of visit, other than to say, just GO! Pack your bags, a tent and some gear and go. You won't be sorry. The area around it is really nice as well, and I think I found where I'd like to retire someday!

Absolutely wonderful state park for all travelers! Very friendly options for families with kids (even with camping options!), great longer hikes for more experienced hikers, and links right to the AT for backpacking options. Wonderful views - the trees were just starting to turn and I imagine it's gorgeous in the full of fall! We hiked a while to see some of the wild ponies, it's luck of the draw on where to see them but it's pretty fun. We also saw more than a dozen turkeys, too! The visitors center is well done, too. Smiles all around!