Mash Fork Waterfalls, Camp Creek State Park WV

These are the falls of Mash Fork in Camp Creek State Park, West Virginia. They are a short walk from the park campground. The park is beautiful at any time of year, and it contains a myriad of other trails, as well as ball fields, picnic areas, etc. The park is located on a side road off US 19 (and I-77) between Princeton and Beckley.

CCC Stonework, Roaring Run, Jefferson NF VA

The Roaring Run natural area is in the Jefferson National Forest northwest of Roanoke in Botetourt County, Virginia. Look at the stonework on the wall (left) and the gate (right). This appears to be the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps from the 1930s. Many examples of their fine work can still be seen all over the country. The area also has the ruins of an iron furnace. A scenic loop trail leads up Roaring Run to a waterfall, about two miles round trip. The site is on a secondary Virginia highway and can be hard to locate without adequate directions or a good map.

Draper Mountain Wayside, US 11 S of Pulaski VA

Here are two views of another of Virginia's "Waysides," which once served travelers the way "rest areas" do now on the interstates. However, every one of the Waysides was different. This one has recently been partially restored. It is on US Route 11 south of Pulaski, where the road goes over Draper Mountain.

Look at that stonework in the right photo. It looks like it could be some of the Civilian Conservation Corps work. The wayside is on both sides of the road; the left photo is looking toward the portion across the highway. Some of the facilities are still grown over with weeds, but Virginia has done a nice job of restoring this place.

Cutout Highway Signs, Christiansburg VA

If you're a "roadgeek," then you already know what cutouts are. In fact, you may know where these are. A close look at these old signs will show that they are different from those erected today. They're smaller for one thing. And the metal is actually cut out (hence the name) to the shape of the US, state or Interstate highway shield. Also note the black borders around the edges. Highway departments found that it was cheaper to make the signs the way you see them today. The new ones almost look like decals affixed to the metal. These signs are in Christiansburg, Virginia. I suspect that when they need to be replaced, it will be with the newer style signs.