Babcock State Park

This article is about the park in West Virginia. For the Minnesota wayside, see Babcock Memorial Park.

Babcock State Park
IUCN category III (natural monument or feature)
Glade Creek Grist Mill
Location of Babcock State Park in West Virginia
Location	Fayette, West Virginia, United States
Coordinates	37°59′18″N 80°56′38″W
Area	4,127 acres (16.70 km^2)
Elevation	2,510 ft (770 m)
Established	October 11, 1934[1]
Website	wvstateparks.com/park/babcock-state-park/

Babcock State Park is a state park located along the New River Gorge on 4,127 acres (16.7 km^2) wooded[2] in Fayette County, West Virginia. It is located approximately 20 miles away from the New River Gorge Bridge.

Located near the park headquarters, the Glade Creek Grist Mill is commonly photographed.[3][4][5] It was named in honor of Edward V. Babcock. Completed in 1976 by combining parts of three other West Virginia grist mills, it is a replica of the original Cooper's Mill that was located nearby. The park's web site describes the Glade Creek Grist Mill as a living, working monument to the more than 500 mills that used to be located throughout the state.[6]

Features

• 28 cabins
• 52 campsites
• gift shop
• More than 20 miles of hiking trails
• outdoor sports facilities (basketball court, tennis court, volleyball court, horseshoe pit)
• 19-acre (77,000 m^2) Boley Lake
• rental watercraft (paddleboats, rowboats, canoes)
• swimming pool
• fishing (lake and stream)
• horseback and pony rides (closed)
• naturalist-led hikes and presentations
• picnic shelters
• corn meal and buckwheat flour made at the Glade Creek Grist Mill are available for sale
• scenic overlooks

Accessibility

Accessibility for the disabled was assessed by West Virginia University. The assessment found the campground, picnic shelters, restrooms, and ramps and doorways to public buildings to be accessible.[7] The park also has accessible fishing access and two accessible cabins. During the 2005 assessment some issues were identified concerning parking lot signage and slippery stairways.

See also

• List of West Virginia state parks

References

1. Where People and Nature Meet: A History of the West Virginia State Parks. Charleston, West Virginia: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. April 1988. ISBN 0-933126-91-3.
2. "Babcock State Park website, accessed March 19, 2008". Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2006.
3. Nature Photographers web site
4. Park Photos web site
5. "MountainMade web site". Archived from the original on May 18, 2006. Retrieved July 1, 2006.
6. Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (January 31, 2018). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: New Deal Resouces in Babcock State Park Historic District" (PDF). West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. National Park Service. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
7. Guide to Accessible Recreation and Travel in WV, WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities web site, accessed July 31, 2006 Archived July 20, 2006, at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Official website