Conference Side Quests
At this year’s conference, attendees have even more opportunities for fun in Summersville through Side Quests. See the options below, and sign up if you are ready for an adventure. Sign-up for one or more Side Quests today!
Monday, September 9
TreeTops Zipline Canopy Tour
Meet at New River Gorge at 3:00 PM
Explore the TreeTops with Adventures on the Gorge’s unique canopy tour experience. This 10 zipline course meanders through an old growth hemlock grove and over Mill Creek. You’ll learn about the flora of the region, all while having an adventure to remember. This activity requires $98/person external payment and registration through Adventures on the Gorge. To register and pay, visit this website and email Karen Weber to confirm your participation and registration.
TimberTrek Adventure Park
Meet at New River Gorge at 4:00 PM
Choose your own adventure (and difficulty level) on the region’s largest aerial obstacle course. Kids as young as 4 can take on the challenge on a course suited just for them, while fearless older kids and adults can opt for more difficult courses in the trees. This activity requires $95/person external payment and registration through Adventures on the Gorge. To register and pay, visit this website and email Karen Weber to confirm your participation and registration.
Gravity Ziplines
Meet at New River Gorge at 4:30 PM
Welcome to Adventures on the Gorge’s most thrilling zipline experience. Six ziplines gradually build in distance until you’re ready for the main attraction, a 3,150 ft zipline that zooms from hilltop to hilltop with stunning panoramic views of the valley below. This activity requires $113/person external payment and registration through Adventures on the Gorge. To register and pay, visit this website and email Karen Weber to confirm your participation and registration.
Tuesday, September 10
Lower New Half-Day Rafting
Meet at New River Gorge at 8:05 AM
On the half-day Lower New, you’ll experience all the fun of the Lower New River, but without stopping for lunch and with less swim time. This trip is a great way to experience all the thrills of the Lower New when you’re short on time. This activity requires $108/person external payment and registration through Adventures on the Gorge. To register and pay, visit this website and email Karen Weber to confirm your participation and registration.
Jet Boat Tour
Meet at New River Gorge at 8:15 AM
This classic New River Gorge adventure is now part of the Adventures on the Gorge family! The New River Jet Boat tour allows visitors to explore The Gorge from the comfort of a 16-passenger Waterman jet boat. This activity requires $34/person external payment and registration through Adventures on the Gorge. To register and pay, visit this website and email Karen Weber to confirm your participation and registration.
Hike to Longpoint in Fayetteville
Meet at the Summersville Arena at 9:00 AM or the Trailhead at 9:45 AM
Join Anna Leisher in a fun-filled morning in the New River Gorge! Meet at the Summersville Arena at 9:00 AM to carpool or join us directly at the trailhead at 9:45 AM. We’ll start with an easy 3-mile hike to one of the most iconic views of the New River Gorge Bridge. Afterward, we’ll enjoy lunch at a favorite local restaurant and return to the conference venue in time for the afternoon mobile workshops. Email Anna Leisher for questions.
Owling at Carnifex
Meet at the Summersville Arena at 7:30 PM
Join owl expert, Ross Brittain, for an evening of trying to locate owls at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park. We will meet at 7:30 PM in front of the Summersville Arena for the 20-minute drive to Carnifex. At the park, we will play calls of different owl species and hope that they are cooperative enough to respond with a response or visit. Carnifex is known to have Barred Owls and Great-Horned Owls in the area. We will also attempt to capture and band an Eastern Screech Owl for closer look at these amazing nocturnal creatures. Additionally, we will discuss the natural history of owls and tour the battlefield on the 163rd Anniversary of the battle, which took place on September 10, 1861. The space is limited to 30 people for this expedition, so please reserve a spot early if you would like to join us! Email Ross Brittain for questions.
Wednesday, September 11
Rise and Shine, Early Birders!
Meet at the Summersville Arena at 6:00 AM
Ross Brittain of WV DEP and Tony Geiger of US EPA will lead an early morning bird watching adventure at Summersville Lake and surrounding areas on Wednesday morning. The Summersville Lake area provides the perfect habitat for forest-dwelling species, such as warblers and thrushes, and the lake provides a respite for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds that may be moving through the area in mid-September. The birds are always most active early in the morning, so the best time for bird watching is right after sunrise. So we plan to join them and invite other early birds to join us! Adventurers are invited to come along, but space is limited to 30 to prevent scaring away the birds. Meet Ross and Tony in front of the Convention Center at 6 AM for the short drive to Summersville Lake as the sun is rising. Email Ross Brittain and Tony Geiger for questions.
Mountain Biking
Meet at the Arrowhead Trailhead at 5:30 PM
Your mind is stimulated, now it’s time for the body! Join fellow mountain bike enthusiasts, including Marc Glass, for a moderate-level trail ride on the Dalton Trail. This forest trail offers views of the river and gorge, which includes several steep sections. Participants should plan to bring or rent their own bike and leave the Summersville Arena around 4:30 PM for a meet-up time of 5:30 PM at the Arrowhead Trailhead on the west end of Craig Branch Trail. Email Marc Glass for questions.
An Evening for the Birds
Meet at the Summersville Arena at 6:00 PM
Master Bird Bander, Ross Brittain, invites interested naturalists to join him for a bird banding demonstration at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park on the evening of September 11. Early fall migration will hopefully be underway, and Ross plans to give participants a close-up look at these amazing creatures. It is an opportunity to learn more about ornithology and the natural history of birds in the area. After enjoying the first hour of the Networking Reception at 5 PM, participants will meet outside the Summersville Arena for the short drive to Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park at 6 PM. Ross will be waiting at the park (hopefully with birds in hand), and then we will finish around sunset at 8:00 PM. The space is limited to 40 people for this adventure, so please reserve a spot early if you would like to join us. By the way, Carnifex is the site of a Civil War battlefield that took place on Sept. 10, 1861 in the early days of the Civil War and helped to establish the eventual separation of West Virginia from Virginia during the war. So if the birds are uncooperative, we will at least get to see and discuss a piece of history. Email Ross Brittain for questions.