DAVIS, W.Va. — State Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette says he wasn’t too old to enjoy a new attraction at one of the state’s most popular state parks Wednesday. Burdette was one of the first to go down the sled run at Blackwater Falls State Park in Tucker County.
“It was a very cool experience. I got to go up and ride down a couple of times and didn’t break any bones,” the 59-year-old Burdette joked. “I just had a great time. It’s a real great addition to West Virginia state parks.”
The run has been tabbed the longest sled run on the East Coast. It’s more than a quarter-mile long. The Wonder Carpet conveyor system that takes sledders back up the mountain is also believed to be the longest in the region.
Burdette said these types of projects will help draw more visitors to state parks giving them the economic boost they need.
“We have such terrific assets, such spectacular places. We need to give them another reason to come back and play in West Virginia. This is a perfect venue,” he said.
Last year at this time Burdette was asking state lawmakers for emergency funding to help the parks system finance day-to-day operations. He said things are better this year but there’s still a long way to go.
The sled run is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m