7/7/2011
ROANOKE, W.Va. – A newly-constructed hiking trail will open soon at Stonewall Resort State Park in Lewis County. The “Cairns Trail” (pronounced karens) is a three-mile hiking and biking trail that meanders through a remote area of Stonewall Resort and connects two existing trails: the Heveners Trail and the Autumn Laurel Brooke Trail. Park Supt. Sam England has been involved the creation of the trail to make it easier for guests to explore the cairns in the northern section of the park.
“The area is one of the better locations for seeing the diversity of the stoneworks that some believe to be American Indian artifacts,” England said. “The trail passes through several cairn fields and along a rock formation referred to as a standing stone. We often call it the enigmatic rock. The large flat-faced stone is a true puzzle. How it can have the distinctive shape, location, and markings creates interesting discussions.”
The Cairn Trail development, construction and associated work were funded by a recreational trails program grant with more than $66,000 provided by the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways and the Federal Highways Administration through the Recreational Trails Program. More than $16,000 in matching funds were provided by the Stonewall State Park Foundation through private individual giving.
“Without the support from our Foundation, we wouldn’t be able to consider these types of projects,” England said. “ It’s a great tribute to not only Stonewall Resort, but also the park system to have so many good people preserving unique findings and development of outdoor experiences such as hiking and biking trail development.”
A new park trails map is being designed; however, the resort staff can provide hikers and bikers with information about the new trail until the map is ready.
Stonewall Resort is located in Lewis County, near Weston, minutes from Exit 91 at Roanoke. The park features West Virginia’s second largest lake, a 198-room full-service lodge, restaurants, vacation cottages, campground with year-round reservation status, and a Palmer Signature golf course with Pro Shop. Stonewall’s slogan is “Close to Nature. Far from Ordinary.”
“Visitors will find the trails, landscape and natural beauty of the area exceed the slogan expectations,” England promised.
To contact Stonewall Resort, call 304-269-7400 or visit online at
www.stonewallresort.com. To reach Supt. Sam England about the Cairns Trail development, email
Samuel.A.England@wv.gov. "Silent Stones" was a feature story in Wonderful West Virginia Magazine in March 2010 and featured the cairns located at the Stonewall Resort. That story can be seen at:
www.wonderfulwv.com/archives/sub.cfm?month=mar10&fea=2
Contact Information
Sam England, Supt. Stonewall Resort State Park
304-269-0524
Samuel.A.England@wv.gov