Babcock State Park Explained

Babcock State Park
Iucn Category:	III
Map:	USA West Virginia
Relief:	1
Location:	Fayette, West Virginia, United States
Coordinates:	37.9883°N -80.9439°W
Area Acre:	4127
Elevation:	2510feet
Established:	October 11, 1934^[1]

Babcock State Park is a state park located along the New River Gorge on 4127acres 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.

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)
• 19acres 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.^[6] 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

Notes and References

1. Book: Where People and Nature Meet: A History of the West Virginia State Parks. Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. Charleston, West Virginia. April 1988. 0-933126-91-3.
2. Web site: Babcock State Park website, accessed March 19, 2008 . July 1, 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080316034417/http://www.babcocksp.com/ . March 16, 2008 . dead .
3. http://www.naturephotographers.net/gp0402-1.html Nature Photographers web site
4. http://www.myparkphotos.com/Members/?object=member&function=photo_homepage&photo_id=13820 Park Photos web site
5. Web site: MountainMade web site . 2006-07-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060518101336/http://www.mountainmade.com/productimages.asp?P=1182-1w . 2006-05-18 . dead .
6. http://www.cedwvu.org/programs/realchoice/recreation/ Guide to Accessible Recreation and Travel in WV, WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities web site, accessed July 31, 2006