Leisure time at Berkeley Springs sometimes included playing poker.
Berkeley Castle, built in 1885, still overlooks the town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.
Photo by: Julian Preisler/Flickr |CC BY-NC 2.0
Berkeley Castle sits on a ridge overlooking the town of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. Known as a spa town, Berkeley Springs has been a popular resort destination mainly among the elite of Washington, D.C., for many years. [1] Considering the short distance from the District, it provides an easy way for Washingtonians to escape the city’s summer heat.
The town is home to a mineral spa that has been used since Colonial times. The spring water flows at a constant temperature of 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit! [2]
This elaborate two-story, Victorian-style castle was built in 1885 from local stone, and has hardwood floors, high ceilings and stone fireplaces in multiple rooms. In addition, the castle also has a three-story round tower, exquisite window detail, masonry crosses and crenelated parapets. [3]
You can visit the landmark Berkeley Castle, but make sure you are up for the adventure! The castle is about an hour’s bike ride off the trail, but only 10 minutes by car. The castle was bought in 2020 by a nonprofit, and although it is no longer open to the public, the view is worth the trip. While taking a peek at this luxurious castle, be sure you are not trespassing!
Leisure time at Berkeley Springs sometimes included playing poker.
Built in 1915 by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, this station was where passengers disembarked on their way to the town’s hot springs. It replaced a...
Five years after being destroyed by Stonewall Jackson and the Confederate army in 1861, the Baltimore & Ohio roundhouse and surrounding shops in...
As you pass through Williamsport Park along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath, you’ll travel under U.S. Route 11, a federal highway that zips...
The Great American Rail-Trail promises an all-new American experience. Through 12 states and the District of Columbia, the trail will directly serve nearly 50 million people within 50 miles of the route. Across the nation—and the world—only the limits of imagination will limit its use.
Learn More
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails conservancy
(a non-profit) and we need your support!
