A Mile a Day Keeps West Virginia in Shape

Governor Morrisey’s new Mountaineer Mile challenge is encouraging West Virginians to be more active while enjoying the state’s natural beauty. 

This story was originally published in the August 2025 issue of Wonderful West Virginia. To subscribe, visit wonderfulwv.com.

Written by Devin Lacy
Photos courtesy of the West Virginia Office of the Governor

In March of this year, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced a series of statewide health initiatives to take steps towards a better and healthier West Virginia. The Mountaineer Mile was a key factor in that plan, a new initiative aimed at promoting physical activity in the state to help citizens become “healthier today than we were yesterday.” 

Nearly one-third of West Virginia adults do not participate in physical activity or exercise outside of their regular working hours, according to the state Department of Health’s 2022 West Virginia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Report. That’s more than 430,000 people in the state, and significantly higher than the national percentage of 23.9%. 

The goal of this particular initiative is to get West Virginians out and moving, challenging them specifically to walk one mile a day, something Governor Morrisey himself has been participating in since the announcement. “He is on his own personal journey for walking and promoting better health options for everyone in West Virginia,” says Dillard Price, acting chief for the Parks and Recreation Section. While a daily one-mile walk may not sound like much at first, it’s slated to make an impact on the overall health of the state residents. Routine walks have proven to have numerous health benefits, including increased energy and stamina, improved circulation, strengthened bones and muscles, and weight loss. 

But that’s not all for the little initiative aiming to create big change. 

The Mountaineer Mile

Just weeks after the original announcement, the Mountaineer Mile challenge was introduced again to a gathered crowd at Little Beaver State Park, but this time with a new and exciting component. Governor Morrisey announced a partnership with West Virginia State Parks to designate Mountaineer Mile trails in each state park that has hiking trails—32 to be exact—as well as some in state forests and preserves and along some rail-trails. 

“It kind of organically happened,” says Price. “He said, ‘I’m doing this challenge, and what better place than at state parks?’ We took that and said, ‘Lets see what trails we have that match what he is wanting to do.’”

Little Beaver State Park—a camping park in Beaver—was the site of the first Mountaineer Mile trail in the State Parks system. Lake Front Trail, a 1.1-mile loop trail near the dam, circles 18-acre Little Beaver Lake while providing unfettered views of its beauty. On the day of the announcement, Price was able to take on this Mountaineer Mile with the governor. “That was our kickoff to start the program,” he says. “It’s a nice hike!”

Deputy Chief of Parks Paul Redford sees hiking as a gateway activity to the parks, one that can lead to new discoveries and interest in all that’s happening throughout the West Virginia State Parks system—and, ultimately, more time spent being active. “What we hope for is a greater appreciation for the state and its beauty and our really great State Parks system, to not only attract current visitors but encourage people who may not visit to come out and take a peek at what we have to offer,” he says. “And not necessarily just with the trails, because we have so much more to offer—great lodges, fantastic restaurants, activities, and naturalist programs. If it takes this small gateway to do that, then it’s worth it.” 

Be sure to check out the State Parks website for activities and an ever-growing calendar of upcoming events. Coordinating your daily Mountaineer Mile with events and other reasons to get to a state park makes the most of your time—and might easily lead to more than a mile trekked for the day. “It’s nothing but positive vibes all the way through,” says Price. “Anytime we can get folks out to a park is a great thing.”

Walk a Mile in Your Own Shoes

32 state parks, eight state forests, and a handful of other locations have prime spots to get in your daily mile while enjoying all the beauty West Virginia wilderness has to offer. “There truly is no better place to get out and active than at a West Virginia state park,” says Redford. “We have 48 areas, and of those, we have 44 of them that have great hiking trails.”

According to Redford, park superintendents at eligible parks around the state were given the task of going out and looking for a trail that met a few simple pieces of criteria: It would need to provide the opportunity for guests to walk at least one mile in the park so they can enjoy its fresh air and scenic beauty while getting in some exercise, too. The chosen trail also needed to be accessible for all ages and demographics, flat and easy for hiking. “Nothing too steep or technical,” he says. “They’re what I would consider a leisurely hike. The hope is to work people up to the more technical trails.” Participants are welcome to bring water or a snack with them—be sure to leave no trace! 

All Mountaineer Mile trails are near parking areas or start at the relevant trailhead for extra convenience. Find a trail at a park closest to you or challenge yourself to stroll along them all. Specific trail markers are being added to the Mountaineer Mile trails to help you identify them easily. 

State Parks and Forests

Governor Morrisey has challenged himself to walk the Mountaineer Mile at all of the state park locations and is encouraging everyone who lives in or visits West Virginia to get out and do so, too. “Because West Virginia has the most beautiful state parks in the country, there’s no better place to partake in the Mountaineer Mile challenge,” said Governor Morrisey. “If the Mountaineer Mile can take off across the state, it will lead to incredible health outcomes for our residents.” For more information and trail descriptions, visit WVstateparks.com/take-on-a-mountaineer-mile-trail-in-west-virginia-state-parks.