Overview
Elkins is a city of 7,000 people (as of 2020) in Randolph County, West Virginia. It is home to Davis & Elkins College, a small private college. Because of its size and convenient location, you'll likely want to use Elkins as a base to get to a variety of nearby sights and attractions.
Elkins is convenient to the Monongahela National Forest. It is less than an hour from the tiny high elevation twin towns of Thomas and Davis, noted for Blackwater Falls State Park, the Canaan Valley, Timberline Ski Resort and the region's caverns. One hour South will bring you to Snowshoe Mountain.
6 sights · 7 things to do · 3 places to eat · 7 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Elkins
Davis & Elkins College
Monongahela National Forest
Over 19,000 acres of forest spread across 10 counties in West Virginia. 23 campgrounds, 17 picnic areas and over 500 miles of hiking trails. Mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, boating, wildlife view…
West Virginia Railroad Museum
Randolph County Museum
Lemuel Chenoweth Museum
Augusta Heritage Festival
August festival is a 5-week-long folk arts festival held annually in July and August. The Augusta Heritage Center offers over 300 classes in folk art and music, as well as concerts and dances. Mini workshops are held thr…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 70°F; winter lows dip to about 14°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Dec and Jan. (climate data from nearby Snowshoe)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- CKB North Central West Virginia Airport, Bridgeport — 33 mi away. Directions
- MGW Morgantown Municipal Airport Walter L. (Bill) Hart Field, Morgantown — 50 mi away. Directions
- PIT Pittsburgh International Airport, Pittsburgh — 110 mi away (major hub). Directions
Elkins lies at the intersection of four major roads: US-33, which goes through Buckhannon and Harrisonburg, Virginia; US-48, which parallels US-33 from Weston through Buckhannon to Elkins and then deviates towards Davis, Wardensville, and Strasburg, Va where it connects with I-81 near its junction with I-66.US-250, which goes through Grafton and Staunton, Virginia; and US-219, which goes through Somerset, Pennsylvania and Marlinton.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Davis & Elkins College, Monongahela National Forest, Allegheny Highlands Trail
- Lunch Beander's at Due North
- Afternoon Smoke Hole Caverns, Augusta Heritage Festival
- Dinner CJ Maggies
Day 2
- Morning Randolph County Museum, Beverly Heritage Center, Lemuel Chenoweth Museum
- Lunch El Gran Sabor
- Afternoon Seneca Caverns, Mountain State Forest Festival
Day 3
- Morning West Virginia Railroad Museum, Seneca Rocks Climbing School
- Afternoon Snowshoe Mountain
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
It was incorporated in 1890, and named for Stephen Benton Elkins, a US senator from 1891 to 1893 who came from West Virginia. Elkins is the county seat of Randolph County, and as the largest city for a significant distance in any direction; nearby Buckhannon is slightly smaller and the nearest city larger than Elkins is Clarksburg.
Get in
By car
Elkins lies at the intersection of four major roads: US-33, which goes through Buckhannon and Harrisonburg, Virginia; US-48, which parallels US-33 from Weston through Buckhannon to Elkins and then deviates towards Davis, Wardensville, and Strasburg, Va where it connects with I-81 near its junction with I-66.US-250, which goes through Grafton and Staunton, Virginia; and US-219, which goes through Somerset, Pennsylvania and Marlinton.
By plane
Get around
Elkins has no public transportation. You can get around town easily by foot or bike, but any real adventure would require a car.
See
See Monongahela National Forest
Over 19,000 acres of forest spread across 10 counties in West Virginia. 23 campgrounds, 17 picnic areas and over 500 miles of hiking trails. Mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, boating, wildlife viewing, birdwatching, hunting, and fishing.
* Seneca Rocks, US-33 and WV-28, +1 304-567-2827. 900-foot-tall formations made of Tuscarora quartzite with over 375 mapped climbing routes and a self-guided interpretive trail with a viewing platform.
* Spruce Knob, Forest Road, +1 304-567-2827. The highest point in West Virginia, at 4,861 feet. A stone and steel observation tower provides 360-degree views, and there's a half-mile trail circling the Knob. Fishing, hiking and an on-site campground with 43 sites.
Do
- Visit beautiful Stuart Parklocated outside of town on US Rt 33. During the summer months bring gear to go for a swim in the river, or just go wading. Pack a blanket and a picnic lunch, spread out and enjoy the outdoors. Available for rent are many different styles of campsites, for overnight guests. Pavilions are also available for rent, perfect for an outdoor get together.
Caverns
Do Seneca Caverns
WV-9 off US-33 east of Riverton. West Virginia's largest caverns, also called "West Virginia's Underground Wonderland", were discovered in 1760, and commercial tours have been running since 1930. Gemstone mining also available. On-site gift shop and restaurant. Admission $12.
Skiing
Do Snowshoe Mountain
Mountain biking, and a golf course named "#1 Public Access Golf Course in West Virginia" for four straight years by GolfWeek Magazine. On-site lodging, 14 restaurants, 17 shops, groceries and markets, tame to wild nightlife, pool, hot tub, sauna and spa. Skiing and snowboarding lessons and kids' programs. 114 trails, including vertical drops of up to 1500 feet, and 27 lifts. Season passes are $215 - $629; winter lift tickets are $30 - $67.
Events
- Antique Car Show, Held every 4th of July weekend, the car show fills the Elkins City Park with vehicles of all makes and models, past and present. Fun for car lovers of all ages, activities include live music, games, and vendor demonstrations.
- International Ramp Festival and Cook-off, Elkins City Park, Held at the end of April. One of the first vegetables to appear in spring are wild leeks, known as ramps, which are widely celebrated in the Appalachian region. Live music, entertainment, and ramps cooked every way possible. Admission free.
Do Mountain State Forest Festival
Held at the end of September. With hot-air balloon rides, a carnival, a gun show, bass fishing tournament, tennis tournament, horseshoe tournament, Irish road bowling, talent shows, cabaret, photography contest, lumberjack contest and log stacking, quilt show, exhibits, live entertainment, food vendors, buckwheat cake and sausage feed, and parades.
- Pickin' in the Park, Held every Wednesday afternoon in the Elkins City Park. Local musicians gather to play folk/country music and trade stories. All year long. In winter, held indoors nearby.
Learn
- The local area newspaper is The Inter-Mountain, Their offices are located at 520 Railroad Avenue, +1 304-636-2121.
Buy
Eat
Eat Beander's at Due North
Restaurant and bar. Adequate menu with many offerings, mainly pub style food. Venture here in the evenings for a bar with a younger crowd.
Eat CJ Maggies
Open daily for lunch, dinner, and drink. Diverse menu including sandwiches and pasta plates. Also serves Appalachian Ale and other brews from the Appalachian Brewing Company.
Eat El Gran Sabor
Open Monday through Saturday for lunch or dinner. Authentic Venezuelan food and spirits, including tostones, cornados, yuca, arepas, cachapas and tres leches. $7 - $16. The bar in the back often plays host to live local music on the weekends.
Sleep
Budget
Stay Elkins Inn & Suites
A Little More
Splurge
Go next
- Buckhannon, about 30 minutes west on US-33, is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College.
- Helvetia, about 1 hour south on US-219 and CR-46, is a laid-back village with a strong Swiss cultural heritage.
- Marlinton, about 1 hour and 15 minutes south on US-219 and US-250, is a good base to reach the Cass Scenic Railroad.
- Morgantown, about 1 hour and 30 minutes north on US-33 and I-79, is home to West Virginia University.
- Weston, about 45 minutes west on US-33.
Nearby
Monongahela National Forest
Park · 6 listings · 1 mi away
Buckhannon
City / town · 12 listings · 21 mi away
Helvetia
City / town · 11 listings · 24 mi away
Davis
City / town · 32 listings · 25 mi away
Grafton
City / town · 9 listings · 30 mi away
Bridgeport
City / town · 1 listings · 34 mi away
Franklin
City / town · 1 listings · 34 mi away
Weston
City / town · 15 listings · 34 mi away
My experience
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