By Steve Keenan, The Fayette Tribune
ANSTED, W.Va. — A constant query at Hawks Nest State Park in the last couple of years has centered on the potential return of the park’s aerial tramway, which was shelved in 2021.
State and local officials gathered at the park Friday to detail current plans for the tramway to return to the state park grounds, projected to occur in the late spring or early summer of 2025 via an $8 million contract.
“Today is an exciting day,” said West Virginia Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby, who said Gov. Jim Justice told officials that the tramways at both Hawks Nest State Park and Pipestem Resort State Park should be replaced, instead of choosing only one due to budget constraints. “It (the Hawks Nest replacement process) has taken a little longer than probably you had anticipated, but we’ve got it right and we’re not just building it back, we’re truly building it back better with all of these amenities.”
According to Ruby, the two tram projects are but one component of $250 million in improvements in West Virginia State Parks in seven years. “This is a state-funded project,” she said. “The West Virginia Legislature appropriated funds to make upgrades at state parks, and part of those funds were designated for this tram and the tram at Pipestem.”
“I’m thrilled,” said Ruby. “We have seen the impact of these investments. We’re already seeing them. Today, we announced that, for the first time in the state’s history, the revenue in our state parks hit $50 million last year. And the reason that’s happening is that we’re making upgrades to make our state park system the best in the country, and people are taking note. More and more, people are coming here. And, in the end, what it really means is that we’re going to keep reinvesting these funds.
