Clarksburg to Dayton
Through the Back-Country of West Virginia
Three days from the finish line. West Virginia's back-country roads were a scenic detour on the way to Ohio.
Day 60. Clarksburg, West Virginia to Dayton, Ohio — a drive through some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain in the eastern United States.
West Virginia's back-country is a world apart from the interstate highway system. The roads wind through forested hollows, past coal towns and river valleys, through a landscape that feels older and quieter than most of America. Ray took the scenic route.
Charleston, the West Virginia state capital, was a stop along the way — a city built at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers, surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains.
Then east along the Ohio River — one of the great rivers of the American interior — and across the state line into Ohio. Dayton was the end of the day.
Photos from the Day
The Day's Route
West Virginia Back-Country
The scenic route through West Virginia's forested hills and river valleys — a landscape of coal country, small towns, and winding two-lane roads that reward patience.
Charleston, WV — State Capitol
Charleston, the West Virginia state capital, sits at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers. The state capitol building, with its gold dome, is one of the most beautiful in the country.
The Ohio River
The Ohio River forms the border between West Virginia and Ohio — one of the great rivers of the American interior, stretching 981 miles from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois.
Dayton, OH
Dayton, Ohio — the birthplace of aviation (Orville and Wilbur Wright were from Dayton) and home of the National Museum of the United States Air Force.