All Trips > West Virginia > West Virginia Winter Weekend West Virginia Winter Weekend Choose Your Dates AT A GLANCE West Virginia 14 Explorer Chicks Hotel Cross Country Skiing, Hiking, Multisport, Snow Shoeing, Snowy Adventures, US-Based, Weekend 4 Days 2 - Moderately Active Physical demand level for this trip The Sisterhood of the Traveling Parka Photos Itinerary Logistics Activity Level What's Included Choose Your Dates Share The Sisterhood of the Traveling Parka Shout YASSS at frozen waterfalls on our small group women’s winter weekend trip! Can we get an OUT OF OFFICE for this?! Canaan Valley in West Virginia is the perfect spectacular, snowy paradise for winter activities. Cross-country ski, snowshoe, and explore the live music and local microbreweries of the surrounding towns with other bold, adventurous women. Become part of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Parka as you enjoy the best winter sports in the East. We’ll explore West Virginia’s mountainous Canaan Valley via snowshoe. Cross-country ski through the snowy paradise. Hike past frozen waterfalls, ice curtains, and rivers in Blackwater Falls State Park. Then, slow it down with relaxing evenings in the colorful towns of Thomas and Davis, WV as we enjoy local eateries, live music, and microbreweries. #adventurethencocktails Each night is spent in a cozy State Park lodge with views of Blackwater Gorge. Every day of our long weekend together will be filled with outdoor activities! Embrace the winter weather and have the best snow days ever on this Winter Weekend Adventure in Canaan Valley, West Virginia! Photos Itinerary Expand All Days Day 1 - Blackwater Falls Welcome It’s the best day ever because YOU’RE HERE! Away from your needy boss and elderly dog with two teeth! Arrive at your cozy wintery lodge for check-in by 4pm. Blackwater Falls State Park lodge nestles on the edge of Blackwater Canyon’s South Rim with views of a GORG gorge right outside the front door. Heck yeah! Once you’ve kicked off your airplane shoes and slid into your Crocs, you’ll meet your Explorer Chick Guide in the lobby for introductions and a tasty Welcome Dinner in the lodge. After we chow down, we’ll prune up in the hot tub before we switch off for bed. Meals: D Day 2 - Cross Country Skiing 101 Keep those Nature’s Valley crumbs SEALED. You’ll enjoy a hearty, sit-down breakfast at our lodge before we load up our daypacks. Today we take on West Virginia’s disco-bright snow trails! Even if you’ve spent your entire life in Phoenix, you’ll be cross-country skiing like a champ after our demo. Just show up with a can-do attitude and some padded buns in case of falls. We’ll start on a beginner bunny trail for a vibe check before breaking for lunch at the on-site cafe, featuring local and organic goodness. After we get our carb fix, we’ll tackle a more challenging trail. Depending on how the group’s feeling (no woman left behind!) we have our choice of over 48 trails on one of the best cross-country ski networks in the Eastern US. Along the way, we’ll take in views of the surrounding West Virginia high country while stopping at cozy ski shelters to warm those fingies and toes by the fire. After a full day of skiing, we’ll head back to our cozy lodge to get cleaned up for dinner and an evening of live music in town. Davis is a postcard mountain town that will give you instant Virgin River vibes. Situated at 3,250,’ Davis is the highest incorporated town in West Virginia. Explore tasty restaurants, darling artisan shops, and thriving microbreweries in a town of only 580ish people. Cross Country Skiing: 3-5 miles. Minimal elevation change Meals: B-L-D Day 3 - Snowshoeing at Canaan Valley Get another hot breakfast in your belly before stepping into your snowshoes. If you can walk, you can snowshoe! After everyone gets fitted, we’ll hit an easy trail until lunch. (Notice how everything revolves around food. You’re welcome.) We’ll hit a more moderate trail after we eat in the snow-covered Allegheny Mountains with nothing but trees and quietude all around. We’ll return to our lodge to change for another dinner together in town. You and your Explorer Chicks are probably already the talk of Davis! Snowshoeing: 3-5 miles. Minimal elevation changes Meals: B-L-D Day 4 - Sledding and Hike to Blackwater Falls Why do the eggs gotta taste so much better at the last breakfast? *Tear. We’ll enjoy our last morning meal together before we flip out your inner child. IT’S SLEDDING DAY! Lucky for us, the longest sled run on the East Coast is directly outside our lodge. Prepare for cackles galore as you relive some of your best sledding memories with your new Winter Girl Gang. After sledding, we’ll take a short, scenic hike to the waterfall that gives our lodge its name: Blackwater Falls. Depending on the weather or if Elsa stopped by to hang, we may see it frozen in time. Either way, it’s a beautiful 57’ cascade that is one of West Virginia’s most photographed spots. After snapping a million pictures, we’ll enjoy our last lunch in a local cozy hangout to reminisce about our snowglobe weekend. We’ll head home by 2pm today and will dream of all the braless snow angels we made. Hiking: .5 miles. 121’ elevation gain Meals: B-L *Explorer Chick reserves the option to modify trip itineraries at the discretion of your tour director as necessary due to weather, conditions, illness, injury, group dynamics, availability, or other unforeseen incidents. Explorer Chick cannot guarantee snow for your trip. Alternative no snow itineraries are in place. Logistics Arrival Airport City: Washington Dulles (IAD) or Pittsburgh (PIT). Approximately 3.5 hour drive. Meeting Location: Black Water Falls Lodge Meeting Time: 5pm on Day 1. Departure Airport City: Washington Dulles (IAD) or Pittsburgh (PIT). Approximately 3.5 hour drive. Depart Location: Black Water Falls Lodge Return Time: Plan to depart by 1pm on Day 4. Optional Add-Ons: Limited Single Room Upgrades are available at booking. You will receive a Travel Guide with all the campground, packing, and additional information you’ll need to prepare for your epic trip. We require a minimum of 6 Explorer Chicks for this trip. Please confirm your trip is guaranteed before booking airfare. Activity Level Rated 2 – MODERATE ACTIVE This winter adventure is rated moderate and focused on a variety of outdoor, winter activities. We’ll be outside every day in a variety of winter elements snowshoeing and cross-country skiing while exploring Canaan Valley. You should train your body to be outside for hours at a time bundled up and staying active. Daily Activities: Day 2: Cross Country Skiing. 3-5 miles. Minimal elevation change Day 3: Snowshoeing. 3-5 miles. Minimal elevation changes Day 4: Hiking. .5 miles. 121’ elevation gain Please consider your ability to meet the physical demands very seriously. It is for the safety of both you and our group. All Explorer Chicks will be required to sign an Acknowledgement of Physical Demands as part of their waiver upon booking. Read more about our Activity Levels. What's Included Lodging 3 nights in a State Park Lodge with views of Blackwater Gorge, Wi-Fi, indoor pool, fitness center, cozy social areas, and restaurant on site. Rooms will be shared, double occupancy Activities Entrance and commercial permit fees to all parks and public lands All activities as outlined in the itinerary Gratuities for all excursions Meals All meals as indicated in itinerary: B-3, L-3, D-3 Gratuities for included meals Practical Professional leadership team with an Explorer Chick Guide. Gratuities for local guides A detailed Travel Guide with everything you need to know for your trip The freedom to enjoy your vacation and mindlessly wander! Not Included Airfare Airport Transportation Alcoholic beverages Travel Insurance Meals exclusive of itineraries Costs for additional activities Gratuity for your Explorer Chick Guide Explorer Chick reserves the option to modify trip itineraries at the discretion of your tour director as necessary due to weather, conditions, illness, injury, group dynamics, or other unforeseen incidents. More from West Virginia 💗Spend Galentine’s Day with us! 🗓Join the fun in Canaan Valley West Virginia on February 15 - 18 Swap out your rom-com weekend for an adventure-filled escapade with amazing, like-minded women. ⛷️Hiking, cross-country skiing, sledding, and nights alive with live bluegrass and handcrafted microbrews await!❄️This trip is perfect for beginners, and Canaan Valley boasts the BEST slopes in the southeast (seriously, they’ve been voted “best snow” for 3 years)!Conveniently under a 6-hour drive from major East Coast cities:🚗Baltimore and DC: Just a 3-hour jaunt🚗Philly & Pittsburgh: A chill 4-hour drive🚗Cleveland: A scenic 5-hour road trip🔗Hurry! Tap the link in out bio to snag one of the few spots left for this ultimate Galentine’s adventure! 👯♀️#Explorerchickwvwinter #Explorerchick #Easydoesntchangeyou #wildandwonderfulwv #nordicskiing #snowshoe Open 🤔 Do you know what the BEST winter cardio exercise is?⛷️ Say hello to cross-country skiing!It`s super beginner-friendly and quick to learn, especially with expert-led lessons.Not only is it a total blast, but it`s also way kinder on those joints compared to running. 🙌Don`t let the winter blues get you down— join our West Virginia Winter Weekend and dive into the world of XC Skiing, snowshoeing, winter hiking and more!🏆PLUS, we`re heading to the `Best in Snow in the Southesast,` Canaan Valley, where February brings the most epic snowpack.💬Comment `Winter` in the comments, and we`ll shoot over all the deets!📆Feb 15 - 18📆Feb 22 - 25#explorerchick #womentraveling #explorerchickwvwinter #xcskiing #WestVirginia #womentraveling Open 😲Guess what?! We`ve cracked the code to time travel (well, almost)!❄️ Our West Virginia winter weekend is your ticket to carefree childhood days—sipping hot cocoa and playing in the snow, worry-free.🪄Ok, while we can`t *actually turn back time, we DID transport Explorer Chick Judy back nearly 50 years ago to her youth:"I can’t believe that after an almost 50 year break, I put on ice skates and was able to remain upright. All I got was encouragement from those around me!Everything was wonderful from start to finish, friendships, food, and adventures!Guide Janie was fantastic! She was always enthusiastic, attentive, and fun. She took care of all the details and planning considering the group input, and we ENJOYED! Everyone was so positive! We all love snow tubing more than anyone could imagine. I’m glad I had this wonderful getaway!"What`s your favorite nostalgic winter activity?☃️🔗 Link in bio to get in on the winter fun in WV 📆 Feb (8-11) (15 - 18) (22 - 25)#Explorerchickwvwinter #Explorerchick #Easydoesntchangeyou #wildandwonderfulwv #nordicskiing #snowshoe #Womenwhohike #solofemaletraveler Open 3⃣ REASONS you HAVE to try xc-skiing at THIS east coast destination:📍Canaan Valley, WV ❄ This mountainous area totes the BEST slopes in the southeast (Seriously! They`ve been voted "best snow" for 3 years)! Even better? They`ve got a TON of beginner-friendly terrain. 👌🗺 Access! It`s under a 7-hour drive for most big cities in the east making WV a simple getaway:🚗 Baltimore and DC , a mere 3 hours jaunt🚗 Philly & Pittsburgh, a leisurely 4 hours drive🚗 Cleveland , a scenic 5 hours roadtrip🪕 And finally, culture! Nestled deep within Appalachia, our nights come alive with the twang of live bluegrass while sipping handcrafted microbrews.We`ve got THREE weekends for you to get away in WV!🗓 Feb (8-11), (15-18) & (22-25)#ExplorerChick #WomenWhoTravel #AmongTheWild #IdHikeThat #WanderWomen #OutdoorWomen #EasyDoesntChangeYou #WomenWhoHike #WomenTravelingTogether #WildernessExplorer #WeAreExplorerChick #HikingCulture #HikeLikeAWomen #SheIsNotLost #WomenWhoExplore #WeAreNature #WomenSupportingWomen #HikingTips #PositiveMindset #OutdoorTherapy #NatureTherapy #BucketListTrip #BucketListTravel #explorerchickwvwinter #wv_natureshots #westvirginiamountains #nordicskiing #snowshoe #bluegrass #appalachia Open Load More Let's Do This Starting from $1499 Book Now Save $200 with our Early Bird Discounts! Just book at least 6 Months in Advance! Discount is automatically applied. Non-Refundable Deposit: $200 due at booking to secure your spot Book with Confidence Your wanderlust doesn’t have to wait. Our payment plans make booking your dream trip easier than ever. The best part? Zero additional fees. Payment Plans We want nothing more than for you join us. However, we understand emergencies do occur that may cause you to cancel your reservation. Cancellation Policy To protect your travel investment and your hide, we recommend purchasing travel insurance. Receive a no-hassle, online quote in less than 2 minutes. Trip Insurance Questions About WV Winter? Name(Required) First Name Last Name Email(Required) Enter Email Confirm Email Send us your WV Winter questions!(Required)EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. In Her Words Robin R. ★★★★★ There are no words to really explain the outstanding trip to Uganda!There was everything from seamless planning of accommodations to transport both in air and ground. More than this, was the camaraderie that this group displayed! We supported each other , and had a complete blast!! Nicki our guide is passionate about what she does and it shows, she was fun, and is a total package leader! The hikes and trekking for the animals especially the chimpanzees and gorillas was so DAMN amazing! Had to pinch myself so many times! I was in Africa! Not just in Africa, but having my dreams come to life about seeing the beauty and all the creatures! If you are hesitating about this trip STOP. Book it. Hike in the jungle, get wet, be a dirty girl!! Live life!!Accommodations and food were unreal!Lisa B. ★★★★★ If you prefer to work really hard and spend lots of time and energy planning a trip and dealing with the headache of navigating, finding good places to eat and fun things to do all on your own then this is not for you. Now if you prefer to show up and have amazing people guide you and cover every detail so you don't have to and love every minute of it, then this is definitely for you! As a solo traveler I was warmly welcomed (with a margarita!), met some amazing women and had the adventure of a lifetime. It would not have been possible without our brilliant guides Lauren & Amanda on the Smoky Mountain Boots & Roots Hiking Trip. This being my first time I would not hesitate to book another trip. Amazing experience!!Dawn Julian M. ★★★★★ I just got back from the Moab/Arches trip, and wow, what a fantastic adventure! Kayla and Jess were incredible, making every moment super enjoyable. It was such a treat to just relax and soak in the experience without worrying about the details. I’m definitely booking with Explorer Chick again!Kitty F. ★★★★★ 2 day 1 night - Red River Gorge, with the best group ever! Thank you so much Jody, wonderful, knowledgeable, guide. As well as a big thank you to the amazing group of "chicks". Thank you!carrie P. ★★★★★ Amazing trip!!! Lauren and Amanda were fantastic, so patient. Accomodations and food perfect....Already looking for another trip!lisa B. ★★★★★ Our Las Vegas weekend was amazing! Our guide Kara led us through our adventures like a pro! Rock climbing, amazing dinners, kayaking and overnight camping . She listened to our requests and worked with our needs. We had so much fun and made new friends - A+Deanna F. ★★★★★ What a fantastic trip! Kirstie and Hannah made everything perfect, from changing our itinerary due to weather, to making delicious lunches, snacks when needed, and taking us to experience some amazing places! I would highly recommend joining these ladies, but only if you want to have an adventure to remember! I already have another trip booked! 🙌🥾Lisa H. ★★★★★ Had the best time ever!! Got to do things I never would have dreamed of and accomplished things that I'm very proud of. Our guide Kirstie was fantastic, as was our Islandic guide/driver. Everything was planned out and taken care of so that all we (the 12 Explorer Chicks on this trip) had to think about was the next fun activity or the next great meal. I would SOOOO do another adventure with Explorer Chicks and recommend to anyone that has the desire to do something possibly out of their comfort zone. This gave me the confidence to tackle more things in the future like this.Lauren R. ★★★★★ I'm not sure there are any words to truly describe what an incredible experience I've just returned from in Iceland I had previously done a few local events with Explorer Chick, but this was my first big trip with them. I would give this 10 stars if I could! I can't believe all of the things that we fit into 1 week. Memories to last a lifetime.. ice climbing on a glacier, incredible waterfalls, driving ATVS on a black sand beach, hot springs, a beautiful and challenging hike. So many things! It was SO incredible to just show up and have everything else planned and taken care of for me. Our guide, Kirstie Mullikin, was top-notch! She went far out of her way to ensure that every single one of us had a wonderful experience. She made sure that I, with the culinary sophistication of a 5-year old, did not go hungry! This trip far exceeded any expectations I had. Looking forward to my next trip with Explorer Chick!Dr Deb S. ★★★★★ What a great experience! The trip location (Iceland) was phenomenal and the guide (Kirstie!) was the best guide one could imagine! I will travel again with Explorer Chicks, in a heartbeat an hopefully get Kirstie as guide again!! The group of ladies on this trip were diverse in their backgrounds, experience, and age but they were all out there enjoying the experience! Highly, HIGHLY recommend!!Amanda C. ★★★★★ Great experience!Casey W. ★★★★★ Savannah was a fantastic guide, and the rest of the women on our trip were great too! I was most concerned about the group dynamic as a more introverted hiker, but the atmosphere was perfect! Hoping for trips to Washington national parks in the future.Monika M. ★★★★★ I explored Arches and Canyonlands National parks solo with 6 other women and two fabulous guides, Katie and Kayla with EC. I felt immediately comfortable with our group and found it very rewarding and retreat like. We hiked, we kareoked, we laughed, and did the challenging things, it was so worth it. This company makes great lady adventures and you don’t have to lift a finger just your feet. You will not regret this trip. Loved it.PJ A. ★★★★★ Challenging adventures full of laughter. Great leadership, thank you Lauren, and opportunities for new friendships. Meals and accommodations were perfect.Lisa J. ★★★★★ Went on the Alaskan adventure with Nicole B and Kayla L as our spectacular guides!! Everything was jam packed-n-top notch adventure fun. Starting off with an exhilarating hike to a few glacial lakes, to ice climbing and sea kayaking. All the event guides we encountered were superb as well. We hiked some more, saw the copper mines and many different cities, a little history, a little dart throwing and dinner. Went to the fish hatchery, saw some sea lions and learned how the salmon is bred to be the best in Alaska. The guide prepared food was excellent every detail was well thought and appreciated and I felt safe the entire trip. Would definitely go on another EC adventure again! 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