Appalachian Forest Discovery Summit

AFNHA will be hosting two days of fun in the mountains of Pocahontas County. Thursday September 18 we will be at Alleghany Springs at the top of Snowshoe Mountain joining together with everyone who has an interest in, and is doing the work of, preserving, interpreting, and showcasing all the significant features of the AFNHA region. Lunch will be provided on Thursday, and feel free to join us Thursday evening at the Junction for dinner and drinks on your own.

Our schedule is still tentative for Thursday, but we expect to have representatives from:

• The Nature Conservancy - Spruce restoration in WV
• Snowshoe Mountain - Outdoor recreation, conservation, and accessibility at the Island in the Sky
• Fort Warwick Restoration - Archaeology and history of colonial era fort
• Pocahontas County Historical Sites - Survey of sites across the County
• Mon Forest Towns - Gateway Community Building across the Mon Forest
• Snowshoe Highlands Ride Center - Mountain biking and its economic impact in WV

More to come...

On Friday we will host behind the scene tours of three important sites in Pocahontas County. Meeting times and places will be determined.

• Greenbank Observatory
• Fort Warwick Historical Site
• Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

Tentative schedule will be:

Day 1 September 18, 2025 - $25 per person

Tygart Room, Allegany Springs, Snowshoe, WV

• 8:30 AM Registration opens
• 9 AM Opening remarks & Membership Meeting
• 9:30-10:30 AM Session I (Combined meeting) Introduction and updates from AFNHA
• 10:45 - 12:00 Sessions III & IV (Separate Rooms)
• 12:15 Networking Lunch (Combined)
• 1:30 - 2:45 Sessions V & VI (Separate Rooms)
• 2:45 - 4:00 Sessions VII & VIII (Separate Rooms)
• 4:15 Closing remarks (Combined)
• 4:30 Close of Summit Conference
• 7:30 Join AFNHA Board and Staff for dinner and drinks on your own at The Junction Restaurant right next door to Alleghany Springs

Day 2, September 19, 2025-FREE

Pocahontas County Partners Tour

Please register with the Tour Add-on to help us plan for snacks and refreshments.

• 9am-11am Greenbank National Radio Astronomical Observatory
• 11:30 - 1pm Fort Warwick Historical Society
• 1:30 Cass Scenic Railroad State Park lunch on your own at Shays Restaurant
• 2:30 Behind the Scenes Tour of Cass State Park

Lodging reservations can be made with Snowshoe Mountain for overnight guests online at www.snowshoemtn.com, or by calling 877.441.4386. No group plan has been set up, but rates are very reasonable on the weekdays this time of year. The Inn at Snowshoe starts at $85 a night midweek.

Reach out to us if you have any questions or need more information.

We are still accepting presentation proposals. If you would like to share your passion and organization's activities with our guests, please reach out to us. You may fill out a form at this link: PRESENT