Bath County

Hiking & Mountain Biking

At Douthat State Park (Exit 27, 7 mi north of I-64 near Clifton Forge. 540/862-8100) there are more than 40 mi of well-signed, smoothly groomed, and sometimes steep trails for hiking and biking. The trails pass by waterfalls and majestic overlooks. The Warm Springs Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests (540/839-2521) has information on hundreds of miles of local trails.

The small town of Clifton Forge was once the heartbeat of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and generations of travelers sped through the countryside on its trains. In its boom days, the Smith Creek Station saw as many as 100 trains a day passing through on their way west over the Alleghany mountain, east over the Blue Ridge, or down the James River.

Clifton Forge is now home to the C&O Heritage Center, a railroad museum full of model trains and memorabilia, including an excellent gift shop featuring many items dedicated to the C&O Railway's cuddly kitten mascot, Chessie. Kids love the replica signal tower and the 7½-inch gauge ride-on train that circles the museum. www.cohs.org.

More Sports and Outdoors

• Golf

• Hiking & Mountain Biking