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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Franklin, West Virginia
Half a day for the fossil sites and a walk through town; no need to stay overnight unless you're using it as a base for the Germany Valley or Snowshoe.
Franklin is a small town in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, known for its Devonian and Silurian fossil sites along US 33 and US 220. Most visitors come for a few hours of fossil collecting or as a pit stop between Elkins and Harrisonburg. The town itself has a handful of shops and diners, but the main draw is the surrounding geology.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, some roads icy), Jul–Aug (humid, bugs)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Pendleton County Sheriff (non-emergency) 304-358-2214
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a diner | $2–3 |
| Lunch sandwich | $8–12 |
| Dinner entrée | $12–20 |
| Motel room per night | $80–180 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3.50–4.50 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SHD · Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport
- About 1 h 15 min drive; limited flights via United/Delta
- CRW · Yeager Airport (Charleston)
- About 2 h 15 min drive; more connections
Typical fares
- SHD airport → Franklin (taxi/rideshare)
- about $80–120, 1 h 15 min (check)
- Franklin → Germany Valley Overlook
- 20 min drive, free
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. The fossil sites are along US 33 and US 220, 8–12 miles from town. Parking is on the shoulder. No public transport.
See and do
Known for
- Fossil collecting (Devonian trilobites and nautiloids)
- Germany Valley Overlook
- Gateway to the Potomac Highlands
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Germany Valley Overlook | US 33 west about 12 miles | 20 min drive |
| Snowshoe Mountain Resort | US 33 west then south on WV 66, about 45 min | 1 h |
| Elkins | US 33 west, about 40 min | 45 min |
| Moorefield | US 220 north, about 25 min | 30 min |
Sleep
- Franklin town centre
- A few motels and B&Bs; walk to the main street.
- US 33 corridor west of town
- Closer to the Germany Valley Overlook and fossil sites; more quiet.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| Where can I find fossils? | Where can I find fossils?where can I find fossils |
| Is this road open in winter? | Is this road open in winter?is this road open in winter |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Fossil collecting is legal on road cuts but check land ownership; stay on public right-of-way.
- Road cuts can be dangerous: wear a hard hat and watch for traffic.
- No fuel stations after 21:00 in town; fill up in Elkins or Harrisonburg.
Franklin is a low-crime rural town. The main risks are road cuts (falling rock, traffic) and icy roads in winter. Cell service is spotty on US 33 west of town.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Franklin, West Virginia yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fossil collecting (Devonian trilobites and nautiloids)
- Germany Valley Overlook
- Gateway to the Potomac Highlands
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Franklin (West Virginia), revision 3502011 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3502011
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Franklin, West Virginia
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Pendleton County Sheriff (non-emergency)304-358-2214
No consulate in Franklin; nearest US State Dept. services in Washington, DC. Embassies in Washington, DC.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/franklin-west-virginia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.