"This festival - which I discovered in 2013 and have attended for four years - is a (the?) major highlight of my year. I don't think I can live without it now that I've found it. Seriously - SO much fun." - Repeat Visitor
Your trip planner for your five-star birding and nature vacation begins here!
Create and log in to your User Account.
Check out the Speaker & Trip Schedule and refer to Trip Descriptions to choose your daily destinations.
See Lodging options with our partners.
Go to Registration to reserve your personalized package.
View your submitted registration and outstanding balance in See My Registration.
Build anticipation -
- Meet the professional Trip Leaders, browse authentic checklists in Trip Descriptions, and check out what other birders are saying about us.
Then, get ready -
- Review Trip Planning and What To Pack. All kinds are welcome here!
Use Your Birding & Nature Vacation to Revitalize Your Mind and Body.
Lodging Packages
Check-in with your selected lodging provider the afternoon before your first trip, and check-out the morning after your last trip. Additional details are provided in April.
Festival Check-In by Your First Field Trip
If your first field trip is:
Monday (All-week and first-Half week)- meet Sunday at Burnwood for a casual cookout welcome, between 6 PM and 8 PM.
Thursday (newcomer, second-Half week)- meet Thursday for Birding by Butt at Opossum Creek Retreat; coffee is on at 6, breakfast at 8, outings begin at 9 AM.
Thursday (returner, second-Half week)- choose any field trip; by your selection we'll either see you at Birding by Butt, or at Burnwood for any other trip.
Items provided upon check-in include a printed checklist, personal itinerary, name tag, and t-shirt.
A Typical Day
• Babcock Monday through Friday
• NEW Cunard Monday through Friday
• Sugar Creek Monday through Friday *Jeep Tour Thursday only, +$
• Fayette Station Monday through Friday
• NEW Historical Excursions Monday through Thursday *select only 1 on your registration
• Birding by Butt Thursday. *Welcome/Orientation for second-Half week newcomers; open to everyone
• Cranberry Thursday, Friday, Saturday *returns ~5 PM
• Carnifex to Summersville Saturday (emphasis botany)
• ACE Amphibians & Reptiles Saturday (emphasis herpetology)
• The Summit Saturday
• Wolf Creek & Rail Trail Saturday
Cranberry trips have breakfast waiting on the bus at 6 AM and depart Burnwood as quickly as possible; returns by 5 PM.
Birding by Butt (Thursday) begins in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat with coffee at 6, breakfast at 8, outings at 9 AM; wraps up with lunch at noon.
The Nitty-Gritty for Your Trip Planning
Transportation
♦ Arrange your own transportation to/from: your lodging; the breakfast location Burnwood; and Opossum Creek Retreat headquarters and Birding by Butt.
♦ Field trips depart from and return to the breakfast location at Burnwood.
♦ Field trip transportation is provided, usually by bus.
♦ Go to Where We Are
Lodging
2026, Apr 27 - May 2 Registration Opens in SOON
1) Log in or create a user account on birding-wv.com.
2) Subscribe for notification when registration opens.
3) Read the details below to find "Click Here to Register."
Spend six or three days on daily nature excursions, enjoy meals with longtime and new friends, and presentations packed with knowledge, interest and fun.
Seats are limited; field trips are limited to ~twelve seats, plus guides. All packages include daily field trips, field trip transportation from Burnwood, meals, presentations, happy hour appetizers and drinks, and a t-shirt.
A Few Tips to Get You Started...
Bird and nature watching is an outdoor sport - bring your gear and be prepared to have fun! The mornings start outdoors at 6am and the days are spent in the mountains at various elevations and physical environments. Mornings can be quite cool, afternoons quite warm, and a spring shower may pop up. You never know what you're going to get into.
Gear Ideas
- binoculars
- camera
- spotting scope
- field guide(s)
- sunglasses
- hat with a visor**
Travel Notes
♦ Plan your routes ahead of time; paper maps we provide in April are important because all gps systems are not equal and some will lead you astray.
♦ AT&T seems to have the best coverage in the area, however it is spotty and difficult to find a signal when exploring mountains and valleys.
♦ Charleston Regional Airport (CRW) in Charleston, WV is approximately 63 miles (~1.25 hours) from Festival headquarters at Opossum Creek Retreat; 61 mi (<1.25 hrs) from Canyon Rim Visitors Center at the New River Gorge National Park.
♦ Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) in Beckley, WV is approximately 38 miles (44 minutes) from Festival headquarters at Opossum Creek Retreat headquarters; 30 mi (39 min) from Canyon Rim Visitors Center at the New River Gorge National Park.
♦ Car rentals are available at both airports, as well as in Beckley and Summersville; make arrangements in advance as they are not open 24/7.
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