Hawks Nest State Park
Encyclopedia
Hawks Nest State Park is located on 370 acres (149.7 ha) in Fayette County
near Ansted, West Virginia
. The park's clifftop overlook along U.S. Route 60
provides a scenic vista of the New River, some 750 feet (230 m) below. The hydro-electric project tunnel that passes underneath nearby Gauley Mountain was the scene of the tragic Depression
-era Hawk's Nest incident
. The park's lodge and aerial gondola
to the river are located about a mile further east from the overlook along U.S. 60, closer to the center of Ansted.
for the disabled was assessed by West Virginia University
. The assessment found the park lodge and facilities to be generally accessible. However, during the 2005 assessment, some issues were identified with a stairway and with some exit lighting.
Fayette County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,579 people, 18,945 households, and 13,128 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile . There were 21,616 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
near Ansted, West Virginia
Ansted, West Virginia
Ansted is a town in Fayette County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is situated on high bluffs along U.S. Highway 60 on a portion of the Midland Trail a National Scenic Byway near Hawk's Nest overlooking the New River far below....
. The park's clifftop overlook along U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
provides a scenic vista of the New River, some 750 feet (230 m) below. The hydro-electric project tunnel that passes underneath nearby Gauley Mountain was the scene of the tragic Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
-era Hawk's Nest incident
Hawk's Nest incident
The Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster involved injuries and deaths as the result of the construction of the Hawks Nest Tunnel near Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, as part of a hydroelectric project...
. The park's lodge and aerial gondola
Gondola lift
A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
to the river are located about a mile further east from the overlook along U.S. 60, closer to the center of Ansted.
Features
- 31 room lodge
- Restaurant
- Aerial tram between the lodge and the New River shore
- 9 hole golf course
- Swimming pool
- Hiking trails
- Picnic area
- Gift shop
- River Nature Center
- Hawks Nest Rail Trail (1.8 mile)
Accessibility
AccessibilityAccessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
for the disabled was assessed by West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
. The assessment found the park lodge and facilities to be generally accessible. However, during the 2005 assessment, some issues were identified with a stairway and with some exit lighting.