Audra State Park
Encyclopedia
Audra State Park is a West Virginia
state park
located on 355 acres (1.4 km²) in southwestern Barbour County
. It was established around the remnants of an early nineteenth century gristmill
and the tiny community of Audra
. A gristmill spillway is still visible in the river.
The park is a hilly, secondary forest area bisected by the Middle Fork River
. The deep pools, large, flat rocks, and riverside beach have provided generations of campers, local teens and college students a place to swim or work on their tans. Audra State Park is the site of Alum Cave, which is accessible by a boardwalk
built along this overhanging sandstone ledge.
The park serves as the put-in point for a 6.6 mile kayak
run along about 2.8 miles the Middle Fork River and about 3.8 miles of the Tygart Valley River
to the confluence of the latter with the Buckhannon River
.
for the disabled was assessed by West Virginia University
. The assessment found the campground, picnic area, and park offices to be accessible. The main swimming hole (just below the site of the former gristmill), with wet, slippery rocks and unpaved approaches is not considered accessible.
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
located on 355 acres (1.4 km²) in southwestern Barbour County
Barbour County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there are 15,557 people, 6,123 households, and 4,365 families residing in the county. The population density is 46 people per square mile . There are 7,348 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
. It was established around the remnants of an early nineteenth century gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
and the tiny community of Audra
Audra, West Virginia
Audra is an unincorporated community in Barbour County, West Virginia, USA.Audra State Park is located at Audra on the Middle Fork River....
. A gristmill spillway is still visible in the river.
The park is a hilly, secondary forest area bisected by the Middle Fork River
Middle Fork River
The Middle Fork River is a tributary of the Tygart Valley River in north-central West Virginia, USA. Via the Tygart Valley, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of on the easternmost part of the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny...
. The deep pools, large, flat rocks, and riverside beach have provided generations of campers, local teens and college students a place to swim or work on their tans. Audra State Park is the site of Alum Cave, which is accessible by a boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
built along this overhanging sandstone ledge.
The park serves as the put-in point for a 6.6 mile kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
run along about 2.8 miles the Middle Fork River and about 3.8 miles of the Tygart Valley River
Tygart Valley River
The Tygart Valley River — also known as the Tygart River — is a principal tributary of the Monongahela River, approximately long, in east-central West Virginia, USA...
to the confluence of the latter with the Buckhannon River
Buckhannon River
The Buckhannon River is a tributary of the Tygart Valley River in north-central West Virginia, USA. Via the Tygart Valley, Monongahela and Ohio rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau...
.
Features
- 67 camp sites
- Swimming in the Middle Fork River
- Hiking trails
- Kayaking in the Middle Fork River
- Picnic area
Accessibility
AccessibilityAccessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
for the disabled was assessed by West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
. The assessment found the campground, picnic area, and park offices to be accessible. The main swimming hole (just below the site of the former gristmill), with wet, slippery rocks and unpaved approaches is not considered accessible.