I remember visiting Carnifex with my family as a child, so this park holds a special place in my heart. Now that I'm married with a child of my own, we enjoy taking day trips to the park to picnic, hike, play, and visit the historical Civil War site. There is a museum, cannon, graves, etc at the park, which is a great & fun way to teach children about Civil War history. You can hike to the river, where you may see some kayakers playing in the rapids. There is also a really nice overlook to view the river and mountains.
Had a couple trails that had great views of the river. It's one of those places that I hope to visit in the fall with the changing of the leaves.
A follower of US history and the Civil War especially, we came here originally for the battlefield and the Patterson House Museum. Unfortunately, the battlefield sights are very limited and the museum is only open on Sat, Sun and holidays, days we could not time our visit for. However, this park does offer many recreational opportunities including a couple hiking trails that include excellent views of the Gauley River, a playground, ball fields, horseshoe pits and extensive picnic facilities including tables, pavilions, restrooms and grills. However, the day we visited was very hot and humid and the swarming gnats were unbearable so all we could stand to do was to take a short walk to a nearby platform providing an excellent view of the Gauley, take a quick look at the Patterson House grounds then seek the shelter of the car and leave.
Beautiful area, nice picnic and restrooms. Very nice (new) overlook as well, with ample seating. Historical value,
Aside from the educational aspects, I really looked forward to what I had been told was a nice view of the Gauley River. If only someone had found the time to plow the extra hundred yards or so to the picnic area. C'mon guys! You work in snow country, not Florida!
We had so much fun at the driftwood cottage. The place was stocked with firewood, even starter wood, it was clean and well-stocked with everything. The view was beautiful and we really enjoyed the hot tub. Good prices, very clean and the owners are wonderful folks!Margaret Darling
This is a really nice park with a lovely hiking trail and two overlooks with a gorgeous view of the Gauley river. There are a few historic markers relating to the civil war battle that took place at this site. It's a nice place for a picnic. There is a playground and a softball field as well.
When one reads "Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park," he or she may think it's akin to Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. While there is historical significance it's really not like that. I went there just to check the place out. There are trails you can hike, well marked and maintained, that take you to overlooks of the Gauley River canyon. They also have facilities for softball, picnics, and other activities. The only refreshments available in the park come from a single vending machine near the rest rooms. The park's location less than two miles from the beach and campground at Summersville Lake makes it feasible to do both this and that in one day trip. If you budget your time wisely, you could even get down to the New River Gorge Bridge the same day.
We thought there'd be more to see actually AT the Battlefield. The hikes were nice and offered many choices of length and moderation. Views from overlooks were breathtaking
This park was beautiful. There are pavilions to rent for events. We rented one for the family reunion. The pavilions have ceiling lights and outlets if you need electricity for anything. The public restrooms are very clean and there is a soda machine which worked out for us when we started running low on drinks. There is a playground and trails and a beautiful overlook where you can see the river and the mountains. Absolutely beautiful. A must see park.