If there’s one thing the great state of West Virginia lacks, it’s oceanfront. We’re not complaining, since we’ll take mountains over beach any day. But that doesn’t make the statement any less true.
However, despite being a stranger to blue water, there’s one thing that West Virginia surprisingly does not lack: a lighthouse.
Summersville Lake Lighthouse/Facebook
Yes, that’s right, there’s a lighthouse in the land-locked state of West Virginia.
Summersville Lake Lighthouse/Facebook And if you squint and use your imagination, that thin layer of snow might even look a bit like white beach sand.
And doesn’t this view of Summersville Lake from the top of the lighthouse remind you just a little bit of a tropical paradise?
RoamingMountaineer/Tripadvisor Of course it does, because it is a paradise. A mountain paradise!
But why in the world would there be a lighthouse in West Virginia, you might wonder, and how did it get there?
Summersville Lake Lighthouse/Facebook
The Summersville Lake Lighthouse started as a joke between friends, two of which owned Summersville Lake Retreat and one of which worked at a nearby wind farm.
Summersville Lake Lighthouse/Facebook “A spare wind turbine tower would make a mighty fine lighthouse!” they joked together, and what do you know. There ended up being a spare piece of wind turbine tower, which arrived at Summersville Lake Retreat on a truck soon after. The rest is history.
Now, the 104-foot-tall lighthouse presides regally over the Summersville Lake Resort facilities…
WV1stLighthouse/Tripadvisor
… and provides visitors who climb its 122 spiral steps with incredible bird’s-eye views of the surrounding Appalachian Mountains and the famed Summersville Lake.
Donna M/Tripadvisor Have you ever visited this unexpected West Virginia attraction?
To learn more or book a stay at the retreat that hosts this lighthouse, visit Summersville Lake Retreat’s website here. And while you’re in Mt. Nebo enjoying the Summersville Lake area and all it has to offer, stop by this cute little general store for a waterfront lunch.
Summersville Lake Lighthouse/Facebook
And if you squint and use your imagination, that thin layer of snow might even look a bit like white beach sand.
RoamingMountaineer/Tripadvisor
Of course it does, because it is a paradise. A mountain paradise!
“A spare wind turbine tower would make a mighty fine lighthouse!” they joked together, and what do you know. There ended up being a spare piece of wind turbine tower, which arrived at Summersville Lake Retreat on a truck soon after. The rest is history.
WV1stLighthouse/Tripadvisor
Donna M/Tripadvisor
Have you ever visited this unexpected West Virginia attraction?
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Address: 278 Summersville Lake Road (Hwy 129W), GPS Coordinates: N 38.19950 W -80.8660, Mt Nebo, WV 26679, USA
