Beartown State Park is a
state park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...
located on the eastern summit of Droop Mountain, southwest of Hillsboro,
West Virginia, in northern
Greenbrier County, West Virginia (with a small portion of the park also located in
Pocahontas County). The land was purchased in 1970 with funds from the Nature Conservancy and a donation from Mrs. Edwin G. Polan, in memory of her son, Ronald Keith Neal, a local
soldier who was killed in the
Vietnam War.
Development of the park has been minimal in order to preserve the natural attractions of the area. Recreation in the park consists of hiking along improved trails and boardwalks. Markers explain the natural processes at work in the area.
The name "Beartown State Park" was chosen because local residents claimed that many cave-like openings in the rocks made ideal winter dens for the native
black bears, the state animal of
West Virginia. Also because the many deep, narrow crevasses were formed in a regular criss-cross pattern which appear from above like the streets of a small town.
Beartown is noted for its unusual rock formations, which consist of Droop, or Pottsville,
Sandstone formed during the
Pennsylvanian age. Massive boulders, overhanging cliffs and deep crevasses make up the beauty of the park. On the face of the cliffs are hundreds of eroded pits. These pits range from the size of a marble to others large enough to hold two grown men. It is not unusual to see ice and snow remaining in the deeper crevasses until midsummer.
The park is accessible via
U.S. Highway 219
U.S. Route 219 (US 219) is a spur of US 19. It runs for from West Seneca, New York, at an interchange with Interstate 90 (I-90) to Rich Creek, Virginia, intersecting at US 460. US 219 is found (from north to south) in New York, Pennsylvania, Ma ...
, southwest of
Hillsboro, West Virginia and is close to
Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park and
Watoga State Park.
The park is open daily from April to October. Access during the off-season is available by appointment.
[Beartown State Park web site, accessed July 20, 2006]
No fee is charged for admission to the park.
Accessibility
Accessibility
Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i. ...
for the
disable
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, ...
d was assessed by
West Virginia University.
''Guide to Accessible Recreation and Travel in WV'', WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities web site, accessed July 31, 2006
The 2005 assessment found issues with the slipperiness of the boardwalk ramps and signage in the parking lot.
See also
* List of West Virginia state parks
References
External links
*
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Protected areas of Greenbrier County, West Virginia
Protected areas of Pocahontas County, West Virginia
State parks of West Virginia
State parks of the Appalachians
Protected areas established in 1970
IUCN Category III