Ringing in the New Year at Cacapon Resort State Park

It was JD's and my tradition for several years to get away with his dogs and rent a cabin somewhere over New Year's. And part of that tradition was a First Day hike. I felt the need to reclaim this tradition as my own, now that we are on separate (but still intertwining) life paths. I wanted something within a 3-hour drive of home, with mountains, and a fireplace where I could lounge after hiking. It did my heart good to hear that he also did not abandon the tradition; he took the dogs to Fairy Stone State Park.

As for me, I landed on Cacapon Resort State Park, a place I've been on multiple occasions, near Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. I was too late to get a cabin there, so I got a room in the lodge instead. I left home mid-afternoon on New Year's Eve, and arrived at the resort around dinner time. 

After checking in, I got back in the van and drove into Berkeley Springs to pick up a pizza, which I brought back to my room and ate in its entirety. It was greasy but delicious, and I have no regrets. There's supposed to be a little indulgence on NYE. I rang in the New Year alone but content in the new flannel pajamas from my mom, sipping on hard cider.

On New Year's Day I had breakfast in the lodge restaurant. At 10 am there was an "official" First Day hike, and as I headed back to my room there was a fairly big crowd milling around getting ready to go. But I was there for solitude and reflection, not social hiking, so I didn't go out on my own hike until after 1 pm. Even then it was still blustery and grey and cold, and it took some motivation to get my arse out the door. I only hiked about three miles -- no big impressive feat, but mission accomplished.

The video below captures the wind I was dealing with when I first set out.

Below are some scenes from the Ridge Trail, which I really enjoyed.

I spent the late afternoon/early evening in the bar-lounge by the fireplace with my laptop, sipping drinks while writing up my reflections on the past year and my aspirations for 2025. This is the third year I've been intentional about this process. I find it enlightening and invigorating. The catch is that I need to check in with myself more often during the year, rather than doing it once annually. 

I didn't feel like going back to the lodge restaurant again for dinner, and I didn't want to drive into town, if anything was even open. Luckily I had brought along a Backpacker's Pantry meal packet, in anticipation of this exact situation. Just add hot water, stir, wait, dinner! And a surprisingly tasty dinner, at that.

I figured I ought to use the perks of the resort, so I worked out on the stationary bike in the little fitness room, went for a swim in the perfectly heated indoor pool, and sat in the hot whirlpool for a bit. Back in my room, I did some more writing, watched some TV, sipped tea, relaxed. It was a very good First Day.

The next morning, I chilled in my room as long as I could before checkout, drinking coffee by the window and watching sparse snowflakes fall.

I had a hearty lunch served by an exceptionally friendly waitress at Charlotte's Cafe in Berkeley Springs. Then, on the way to my next hike, I passed the Berkeley Castle. The road there is narrow with nowhere to pull off and take a picture, so check it out here. It is so cool!

Soon after that I did pull over to capture this view:

Directly across the road from this overlook there is a restaurant called Panorama Public House, but it's never been open when I've driven by.

My Second Day hike was at Eidolon Nature Preserve, just 20 minutes from Berkeley Springs. I was literally the only person there. I was glad the trails were well-blazed, because it was often hard to see the actual trail under all the leaves. I saw some coyote scat (I think) along the trail, and the occasional bird -- pileated and downy woodpeckers, and a big flock of titmice.

There was a very, very light snow falling as I hiked. How I crave some real snow - piles of it deep enough to justify snowshoes. So far, this is all I've gotten this winter:

There's a cool old stone house along the trail here. 

In the house, on the mantel, there was a little notepad where previous hikers had left their mark, so I scrawled a little something. 

I don't know what it is about lofts, but I love them. If there had been a ladder, I definitely would have climbed up to this one.

I spontaneously recorded "Auld Land Syne" while I was there.

This was the view from the porch of the stone house:

Another hike down, and then it was time to head back to Richmond.