Fishing West Virginias Highland Scenic Highway

Travel through a wild and undeveloped portion of the Monongahela National Forest. Hardwood forests cover rolling, mountainous terrain capped by dark spruce at high elevations. Traverse a narrow and steep-walled valley with views of clear mountain streams. Sights include Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, Summit Lake, and Falls of Hills Creek.

If you're itching to get outdoors and escape the daily grind, then prep your fishing pole, bring out the bait, and head out on the Highland Scenic Highway to find some of West Virginia's finest fishing. The byway will take you through the Monongahela National Forest to an abundance of quiet fishing places along lakes and rivers set in the forest's deciduous glory. Containing the headwaters of four major river systems and more than 600 miles of streams filled with native and stocked varieties of brook, brown, golden rainbow, and rainbow trout, the Monongahela National Forest offers a fishing experience that will please the avid angler and the urban escapist.

Begin at the byway's western end, and stop at the first and only town on this rural byway, Richwood,WV. Considered a gateway to the Monongahela National Forest and the abundant outdoor recreation opportunities offered within, Richwood is a great place to fill your tackle box and hire a knowledgeable fishing guide. Also, be sure to pick up a Fishing Regulations Summary, and see what you need to safely and legally fish in this area.

Tucked away in the heart of the expansive forest, Summit Lake lies just over five miles east of Richwood along the byway. Stop and tackle trout, bass, and panfish from the lake's clean mountain waters. Extend your stop into an overnight adventure, and pitch a tent at the campground. With a boat ramp and accessible fishing pier, Summit Lake makes a great place to take the family for a weekend of fishing.

If you haven't quite had your fill of fishing, pack up your gear and follow the byway 30 miles northeast from Summit Lake to the Williams River, where you'll cast out into trout-stocked waters. Like many places along the byway, the Williams River lets you relax in solitary outdoor bliss and simultaneously compete for the best catch. Practice catch-and-release fishing as you take in stunning, tree-lined river scenery from peaceful river shores. Reel in a whopper of a trout, and cite it with the West Virginia Trophy Fish Citation Program to be recognized for your fishing excellence.

Spanning 900,000 acres of western West Virginia, the Monongahela National Forest shelters some of the region's most fish-filled rivers, lakes, and streams. Whether you fish for the thrill of the sport or as an excuse for a peaceful getaway, you'll find a place for both as you drive through the pristine forest along the Highland Scenic Highway.