There may be only one or two weekends left to enjoy the colors of fall so why not venture across the Ohio and get started on the scenic historic touring adventure called the Old Midland Trail.

Mile marker one starts in Ceredo WVA and finishes at mileage number 180 at the border between the Old Dominion of Va. and W.Va.

The Midland Trail National Scenic Byway is the road of choice for those who want to leave the interstate behind and see the best of West Virginia as 180 miles of U.S. Route 60 rambles through the midsection of West Virginia.

This road offers a drive filled with fabulous vistas, world-class rafting, outdoor fun, art and artisan treasures along with plenty of American history.

The Midland Trail much of it designated on US Highway 60 snakes and weaves through a portion of West Virginia between Ceredo-Kenova, Charleston and Sam Black Church.

In years past, pre interstate highway days it was part of the longer transcontinental Midland Trail.

Historically in the east the Midland Trail follows the route of the historic James River and Kanawha Turnpike, an early road linking canals in the James River in Virginia with the navigable portion of the Kanawha River in West Virginia.

It then turns west and travelers the river valleys until it intersects the Ohio River.

The Midland Trail then crosses some of the most rugged terrain of the Mountain State. The trail extends for approximately 100 miles (160 km) from White Sulphur Springs in the east to Charleston in the west. The trail is believed to have been originally carved into the mountains by buffalo and native peoples.

In 1790, George Washington ordered the trail cleared. The trail came to be traveled by stage coaches and soldiers in the Civil War.

Today it is part highway and part winding country road. The modern trail is frequently broken down into 3 distinct regions: Advantage Valley, the Recreation Center and the Refined Pastoral East.

Advantage Valley, the western bookend of the Midland Trail is the Ohio River which creates the western border of WV near Kenova and Huntington. Continuing eastward through our fastest growing areas and Charleston, our capital city, this 80+ mile section of the Trail is becoming known as Advantage Valley. Along the way, Route 60 passes through the Great Kanawha River Valley, where the nation’s industrial past and present are celebrated in coal tipples, old salt works, chemical plants, locks and dams, mines and company towns, electrical power plants, roads, bridges and the passage to the Ohio River.

Traveling south and east beyond Charleston you’ll experience the Recreation Center where the Midland Trail passes over West Virginia’s most beautiful and rugged mountain terrain. Fayette County, the Trail’s recreational center, provides physical activities from the mild to the wild—fishing, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, and rock-climbing—draws visitors from around the world. This region’s pristine vistas and breathtaking natural beauty are worth a Trail-hop alone. At Hico, US19 intersects the Trail, providing access to even more adventure.

Continue your journey to the east into the region termed the Refined Pastoral East. Here you will discover that the mountains melt into the Greenbrier Valley’s broad, verdant fields and karst (limestone) topography. The Trail’s rural east, Greenbrier County, presents the pastoral picture of piedmont farmland, unhurried life, Civil War sites, and quaint towns, such as Lewisburg, where historical preservation amid genteel country living is a way of life. The Virginia state border provides the eastern bookend of the Trail.

Driving the mountain roads is a different experience than the interstate but you’ll enjoy the scenery. Take your time and turn this trail into a long weekend getaway and enjoy the hospitality of the Mountain State. I sure did.

For more Midland Trail information check them out online at www.midlandtrail.com. And check out Steve Call, Travel Professor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theTravelProfessor.