West Virginia Winter Weekend
AT A GLANCE
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Parka
Stay tuned for our 2026 WV Winter trip dates!
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 DaysDay 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
What to Pack
- Check out our recommended hiking gear for all trips.
- You’ll receive a complete packing list in your Travel Guide upon booking; note that winter trips may require additional specialized items, although we provide all technical gear for activities like snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
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 5 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 and technical gear like snowshoe and cross-country skiing rentals
- 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 (read our tipping guidelines here)
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.
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