Explore the great outdoors in Martinsburg
Whether you’re visiting for a long weekend or an extensive stay, there are plenty of ways to get adventurous during your trip to Berkley County. Martinsburg, West Virginia is known for its lush forests, bountiful biking and hiking trails, bird watching spots, and world-class geocaching. Read on to discover some of the best places to immerse yourself in nature.
Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area features 23,000 acres of public access land, located in Berkeley and Morgan counties in West Virginia. The site offers seasonal bird watching, rugged bike trails, hiking trails, canoeing, kayaking, and plentiful hunting and fishing opportunities. Sleepy Creek WMA has four campgrounds with a total of 75 primitive campsites for tents and trailers. The WMA is 10 miles from the town of Hedgesville and 15 miles from Berkeley Springs. The site is open year-round and is a popular destination for hunting big game such as deer, turkey, and bear, and trapping opportunities for coyote, bobcat, fisher, raccoon, and beaver. Sleepy Creek Lake has largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and northern pike to catch and boasts three access sites with parking and restrooms.
Located in Berkeley County, WV, just northwest of Shepherdstown, Yankauer Nature Preserve is historic farmland that is now forested. The backside of this 104-acre preserve overlooks the Potomac River. The site is one of the best locations for a spring native wildflower walk. The park hosts a variety of events throughout the year for both children and adults, ranging from bird walks and tree planting to turtle time and summer day camps. The Potomac Valley Audubon Society assists the Nature Conservancy in the land management of the preserve. Yankauer has 2.4 miles of hiking trails, outdoor classrooms and bird watching stations, and several pollinator gardens. More than 188 flora and 109 bird species have been identified on the preserve.
Poor House Farm Park is a 207-acre county-owned park, providing numerous recreational and leisure activities. Amenities include a playground structure, sand volleyball courts, a 27-hole disc golf course, catch and release fishing (license required), public restrooms, and plenty of open green space. With seven miles of jogging and hiking trails and 3.5 miles of walking/bike trails, there is plenty of space to explore. The site houses the Poor House Farm Barn, a popular venue for weddings and special events.
The WV Route 9 Bike Path follows the busy thoroughfare from Martinsburg to the Charles Town/Ranson area. It is a popular path for power walking or bike riding, with stops along the way highlighting points of interest. The southern portion of the trail is fairly flat, but the northern portion is somewhat hilly. Parking is available by the Eastern Regional Jail on Grapevine Road near the trail's northern tip in Martinsburg and at the Currie Road exit in Ranson at the trail's southern end.
Berkeley County is home to more than 57 active caches and multiple geo trails for explorers of all experience levels. Geocaching is a treasure hunt that combines technology and the outdoors to send people looking for clues using GPS tracking. Caches are hidden or are in plain sight and can look like anything – from a birdhouse to a fake rock. The Berkeley Gadgets GeoTour, launched in 2019 by Martinsburg-Berkeley County Convention and Visitors Bureau and WVTim, features 18 new caches that will take you on an adventure through Berkeley County. Passports for this trail are available at the CVB, 126 E. Race Street, Martinsburg, WV 25401, as well as the I-81 Northbound and Southbound Welcome Centers. Ready to start your first hunt? Create an account at geocaching.com.
Whether you’re traveling alone, with family, or with friends, you’re sure to find fun and relaxation in beautiful Berkeley County!