Mis-(and Myth-) Adventures of a Park Ranger

Dunloup Falls, found approximately half way between Glen Jean and Thurmond, West Virginia. When it runs strong, you can hear it as you drive along. It’s a tributary to the New River, the central feature of New River Gorge National River. It’s a lovely little spot, even though it is often contaminated by leaking septic systems and has the nickname of Styrofoam Falls from the detritus that gets caught at it’s base.

I drove past this spot hundreds of times when I served here as a park ranger. My quarters were in the ghost town of Thurmond and this road was the only reliable way out. I learned to drive that narrow road quite well, hugging the curves. Speed could be of importance with frozen groceries as it could take a while to reach the little town on sweltering days. The place was a second home for me.