Kendra Becker
Mrs. Mayfield
English 101
25 September 2014 The Beauty of Nature at Holly River State Park
I have grown up going on small trips to a unique campground known as Holly
River State Park located in Webster County, West Virginia. This is the second largest park in West Virginia and is nestled in a narrow valley. Surrounding the park are heavily forested mountains. My family travels here several times a year to enjoy the beautiful scenery that covers the campground. We stay in a cabin every night and wake up early in the morning. As we exit the cabin each morning, I inhale a deep breath of the crisp mountain air. It feels cool and fresh in my lungs. The park is very peaceful and relaxing. The tranquility of the park is quite soothing to the visitors.
As the seasons change the scenery shifts from one beauty to another. In the summer the area is engulfed in large rhododendron trees that hangover the roads and trails. When people go under the trees it is almost as if they have entered a tunnel. There are streams flowing with crystal clear water all throughout the park. Stepping into this water is like stepping out into the snow on a cold December day. It takes a little adjusting to get used to the water. The only potential danger a person should worry about when soaking in the ice cold stream is the little crawl dads that like to sneak around looking for their next victim to latch onto with their tiny pinchers. As fall begins to roll around the leaves begin to change.
The entire campground is surrounded by trees making it look almost like a dense forest.
This makes the leaves changing a stunning sight to see. Before the leaves begin to fall the view is gorgeous. Every tree limb is covered in bright splashes of autumn colors. As the leaves begin to change there is a shower of orange, brown, yellow, and red leaves that create a large pile that covers the entire ground. In the winter months Holly River is open to visitors. However, the cabins and campground are seasonal and not available for rental.
The park has a lot of activities to offer. In the midst of this woodland area, park guests will find countless recreational opportunities. My family enjoys participating in the many great opportunities and activities the attraction offers. Playing tennis, baseball, and basketball, surrounding yourself with nature on one of the hiking trails, or just soaking up the sun by the swimming pool are some of the great recreations the park has to offer for the guests. Hiking on trails is a great way to see all of the striking scenery and become acquainted with the fauna and flora of the region. Several walking trails are available throughout the park. The trails difficulty levels range from easy to hard to fit everyone’s likings.
There are cabins and campsites available to the guests. My family used to go in a camper, but now we rent a cabin. The cabins definitely are not luxurious, but they are serviceable. They are not dirty, but they are pretty small and sometimes there are tiny little mice running around. This is a great place to go and spend time with family and relax. Every night my family sits around a campfire telling hilarious stories. It is a time to get closer to one another. My family likes to kick back and relax, but they don’t lay around for long because there is always wood to be gathered, fires to be built, and dinner to be made before it gets too dark out. Deciding what to eat is a huge struggle for my family because there are too many delicious foods to choose from. We all pitch in to help prepare the meals.
Every time I go to Holy River we visit the Chutes and Falls to see beautiful waterfalls along an enormous hillside. Leading down the hill are steps that allow