Canaan Valley is an oval, bowl-like upland valley in northeastern Tucker County, West Virginia, USA. Within it are extensive wetlands and the headwaters of the Blackwater River which spills out of the valley at Blackwater Falls. It is a well-known and partially undeveloped scenic attraction and tourist draw, associated with the Canaan Valley Resort State Park and the Blackwater Falls State Park.Canaan Valley was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974. The National Park Service citation indicates that the Valley is "a splendid 'museum' of Pleistocene habitats... contain... an aggregation of these habitats seldom found in the eastern United States. It is unique as a northern boreal relict community at this latitude by virtue of its size, elevation and diversity." Since 1994, almost 70% of the Valley has become the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the nation's 500th National Wildlife Refuge.The local pronunciation of "Canaan" is, rather than the conventional for the Biblical region from which the area takes its name.GeographyThe Valley, nestled among the higher ranges of the Allegheny Mountains, is about 13mi long and 3mi to 5mi wide. It is defined by Canaan Mountain to the west and Cabin Mountain to the east. The Valley encompasses approximately 25,000 acres (although the greater Valley ecosystem is sometimes considered to consist of about 36,000 acres). The average valley floor elevation is 3200ft above sea level, making it the highest sizable valley east of the Mississippi River. The surrounding mountains extend upward an additional 1250ft to 4,450 ft. (1,356 m) at the summit of Weiss Knob on the southeastern rim of the valley.
