Located in Richwood, West Virginia, The Cranberry Glades Botanical Area allows visitors to experience an environment most commonly found in northern areas of the United States and Canada.
The Forest Service tells us that the Cranberry Glades protects the largest area of bogs in West Virginia. A bog is an acidic wetland with spongy grounds that consist largely of partially decayed plant material known as peat.
These unique conditions allow unusual plants to grow, including carnivorous or insect-eating plants, across 750 acres of land.
The plant and animal life found in these bogs migrated with glaciers, and The Glades are now the southernmost point in North America where some of these life forms can be found.
WV Tourism explains that a half-mile boardwalk was constructed through two of the four bogs so visitors can take in the beauty of their surroundings without disturbing the fragile ecosystem.
The Cranberry Glades Boardwalk is open year-round, and guided tours are available in the summer months.
