You’ll feel merry and bright when you do your holiday shopping at a West Virginia State Parks gift shop.
This story was originally published in the December 2025 issue of Wonderful West Virginia. To subscribe, visit wonderfulwv.com.
Written by Devin Lacy
Photos Courtesy of West Virginia Department of Commerce
Between making travel plans, perfecting recipes, and managing invites to endless celebrations, finding the time to complete your gift shopping can be a struggle. While the urge to skip the lines and shop online from the comfort of your couch is a totally valid one, there’s at least one place—well, really a few dozen—you’re definitely going to want to make the trip out to before the jolliest time of the year reaches its peak.
Putting the “Gift” in “Gift Shops”
You already know this: State parks, forests, and preserves can be found all across the Mountain State. And out of the 36 state parks, nine state forests, and three rail-trails, Jessica Dolin is the retail merchandising manager responsible for gift shop inventory at 32 of them. Some parks are so close in proximity that they are able to share a shop, while locations like Cass Scenic Railroad and Lost River state parks have camp shops with gear and supplies. Nevertheless, Dolin says State Parks is continually growing and finding new places to bring great mementos and souvenirs to park visitors.
In her position for the past six years, Dolin has played a significant role in the centralizing and management of a carefully curated selection of vendors, businesses, and products. And during that period, park gift shops around the state have undergone extensive renovations—Cacapon Resort and Pipestem Resort state parks were two of many. With each updated storefront came new merchandise and new makers, quality products that Dolin and the state parks’ teams take pride in providing to guests.
Walk into any State Parks gift shop—or browse the shiny new website—and you’ll find a wide variety of items from merchants and makers all across the state as well as items designed with state parks in mind.
A Collector’s Paradise
Not unlike baseball cards or stamps, visits to the state parks are a kind of “collectible” for many West Virginians. And State Parks programs like the Very Important Parks Person Program incentivize visitors to collect all 45 parks and forests, with gift cards and commemorative patches as a reward to seeing them all.
Similarly, gift shops are offering medallions, pins, and patches, the cherry on top of any collector’s adventure through the parks, available for VIPPs and casual visitors alike. These items also make meaningful—and affordable—stocking stuffers.
“Each location has a set of hiking medallions, lapel pins, and patches,” says Dolin. She says they are tailored specifically to the location that the items appear in, making them unique gifts for yourself or others. What is more unique, however, is that brainstorming the designs wasn’t a one-person job—it was a collaboration with park naturalists to explore their individual programs and the characteristics that make each park special. For example: “Twin Falls is into reptiles, and Tammy Cooper has multiple turtles and snakes in the nature center there, so theirs reflects that,” Dolin says. “We wanted the park naturalists to have an active role in it, and building that relationship is really important to us.”
The medallions, patches, and pins have become popular, hot-ticket items for those who travel the parks routinely. “We have people call that are missing one and want to call ahead and make sure the park has it to complete their set!”
Local Love
Mixed in with the field guides, the t-shirts bearing the West Virginia State Parks logo, and the Almost Heaven-branded puzzles and stickers, you can find a carefully curated selection of the best locally made products on the market.
According to Dolin, this year boasts new stickers designed by local students as well as Bear Wood Company’s stunning wood items, like magnets and ornaments. “Bubble & Fizz is making candles, lotions, lip balms, soaps, et cetera, and they utilize the parks’ names in the names of the scents.” Look for items with a Cass train smoky scent or the clean-water fragrance inspired by Blackwater Falls. “Loving WV in Fairmont does a lot of our prints, and Mud Ceramics in Thomas is making a lot of our mugs with an imprint for each park.”
And you can’t talk about the best locally made products without talking about food. “Our West Virginia–made food is always a great gift,” she says. “A lot of lodge parks have a large assortment of various types of products, like jams, jellies, and popcorn, from people all across the state.”
Holiday Memories at Your West Virginia State Parks
The 2025 holiday season is bringing with it some new additions to the gift shops’ line-up of goods. Lodge parks will be receiving their annual holiday transformations, with the gift-buying areas “amped up” in preparation for shoppers. Dolin says visitors can also expect to see more toys and other items that encourage active play for the young ones, as well as new apparel—like the fan-favorite sweatshirts and hoodies.
There is one particular item she’s the most excited about: “We have pajamas coming out this year! They are brand new and specially made for adults and kids,” she enthuses. What could possibly be cuter than a photo in front of your state park cabin’s fireplace with the whole family in matching pj’s after a day of winter adventures? Absolutely nothing.
Whether it’s pajamas or lapel pins, stickers or local artwork, the West Virginia State Parks gift shops have everything you need to make this holiday season truly memorable. One of the best tips for giving comes from Dolin herself: “We have a large collection of tote bags—vinyl, recycled plastic, or canvas—that are great for putting presents down into.” Perfect for toting the spoils of a state park celebration home for the new year.
Holiday greetings are never complete without something special for a special someone, and the West Virginia State Parks gift shops aim to please. And if you can’t make it out to a park this December, or if online shopping is the only option that fits into your busy schedule, visit shopwvstateparks.com to find the items you love in one convenient location.
Gifts of the Season
Endless options await you at a state park gift shop. Which of these are you placing under the tree this holiday season? You can’t pick wrong!
Drinkware Pint glasses, water bottles, coffee mugs, and tumblers—let them sip their favorite beverage out of their new favorite piece of glassware. From the woods to the hearth to the morning commute, there’s a perfect cup for wherever the adventure may take them!
Park Stickers Help the friends and family members on your shopping list rep their favorite state park wherever they travel! Perfect for adding a splash of local color to their water bottle, laptop, or cooler. Unique pieces by Loving WV and other creators add some personal flair.
Outdoor Gear Find hammocks, disc golf discs, hiking apparel, walking sticks, field guides, and packs and bags, all suited for their next state park adventure—or for prepping your loved ones for the trip we know you’re already mentally planning.
Medallions, Patches, and Pins Collectible items found at each state park gift shop, specific to the park, for a unique memento from their travels. A selection is available on the shops’ website.
Magnets and Ornaments Handmade by West Virginia’s own Bear Wood Company and made from locally reclaimed or harvested wood, these creations are sure to showcase their love of West Virginia and its state parks.
Local Items From artwork to home goods to photography prints, local artists and makers are a cornerstone of the State Parks gift shop experience. Offerings vary from park to park, leaving you with something new to discover at each destination.
Food and Drinks Who doesn’t love local honey? Fresh jams and jellies from the Mountain State’s abundant farms? What about locally tapped maple syrup or libations from your favorite cidery? The state parks have it all and so much more.
Apparel When West Virginia State Parks partnered with the West Virginia Department of Tourism, visitors hit the jackpot with Almost Heaven-licensed merchandise like hoodies, sweatshirts, T-shirts, and more available at their favorite parks.
Special from the WVDNR
When making your shopping list, you might also want to consider these offerings from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR). While there is no storefront, and not all of its items are physical, the WVDNR offers something even better—experiences. Its variety of products and services provides something the most hard-to-buy for outdoorsman, -woman, or -child will be delighted to receive.
A Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License
The gift of a lifetime of making memories out in the woods or on the lake is invaluable. This is a thoughtful token of love and encouragement for loved ones of any age.
West Virginia Wildlife Calendar
In production for 40 years, this calendar is unlike any other to grace their home or office. Bring a touch of the West Virginia outdoors indoors, brightening their world with the breathtaking artwork of West Virginia artists and the beauty of the Mountain State scenes that inspire them.
West Virginia State Parks Gift Card
Not sure what park is still on their list or which item from the gift shop they may prefer? Get them a gift card! Not only is it the perfect stocking stuffer, but it adds an extra touch of excitement to their next West Virginia journey.
Wonderful West Virginia Magazine Subscription
With beautiful photography and stories crafted in and about the Mountain State, Wonderful West Virginia is a gift that keeps on giving with each new issue.
WVDNR Gift Certificates
From licenses to trout stamps to tags and more, a WVDNR Gift Certificate opens up possibilities for the hunter or angler in your life. Show them you care—and support their hobby—with the chance to head on out this season with one less thing to worry about.