Ansted Edition: Hawks Nest

By Candace Nelson - 11:00 AM

Hawk's Nest
West Virginia is home to many beautiful views – Hawks Nest is one of them. Hawks Nest State Park is located on 370 acres in Fayette County near Ansted, WV. It’s one of those must-visit places in the state, so my friend Kaitlynn, her boyfriend Josh, and I took a day trip and stopped at a few other places along the way.

Hawk's NestHawk's Nest

Hawk's NestFirst stop: Kanawha Falls. I wasn’t even expecting this – I just saw a sign then all of a sudden this expansive body of water, so I turned around and went back. Folks were fishing there, and it was a nice little spot.

Second stop: Cathedral Falls. I probably would’ve passed this little guy up had a friend not warned me about it. It’s in the bend of a road, and it kind of just looks like a stopping point, but if you walk just slightly back, you see some tall falls. Gorgeous. Serene.

Hawk's NestThird stop: The Mystery Hole. This is a well-known tourist trap for folks on the way to Hawks Nest. It’s like $6 or $7 to go. I don’t really want to ruin the fun, but it’s an odd “gravity-defying” room. It was fun and kitschy, but honestly, having had previous issues with vertigo, it left me feeling very wobbly and uncomfortable. Not ideal.

Fourth stop: Hawks Nest. We had a nice little view and checked out the gift shop. I got some post cards, a strawberry cowtail, and a WV magnet.

For dinner, we ate at Hawks Nest because we were starving. Hawk’s Nest Restaurant is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the off season and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in season. They weren’t too busy, but their staff seemed beyond flustered.

Hawk's NestHawk's NestHawk's Nest

Hawk's NestI tried looking over the menu quickly and just opted for a bacon cheeseburger at the hefty price of $9. It’s a very small menu, with just a few burgers, sandwiches and entrees. Not a ton of variety. I also asked for sweet potato fries.

A little while later, our plates came out. Mine, with regular fries. I asked about it, and she said the kitchen must have made a mistake. I said okay, can I just have ketchup in the meantime? And she said they were out of ketchup.

Out of ketchup.
Hawk's Nest
OUT. OF. KETCHUP.

How is that a thing that happens? Ketchup is essential for my burger AND my fries. Okay, fine. Can I have ranch? That worked.

Until the table next to me asked their waitress for ketchup, and she gave them some. What the.

Our waitress came back with my sweet potato fries in a to-go container, which was fine. They’re just not nearly as good cold. I didn’t even bother with the ketchup ordeal.
Hawk's Nest
So the burger was pretty juicy, and the toppings were crisp and fresh. It was very tasty, actually. The fries were thick, but they were okay. The sweet potato fries were clearly frozen and fried, but by the time I got to them, they were very soggy.

Really not too bad of a burger – I’d pass on the fries, though. And it was a little pricey, but worth it to me.

Grade: B 
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