(Graphic Illustration - Photos courtesy of the WVDNR)

There was a rumor on social media last week that a mountain lion had been spotted in southeastern West Virginia. It’s the kind of thing that pops up every once in a while, with alleged sightings inspiring hope that a long-gone species is returning.

But, I have a friend who is in a position to know whether such a sighting had been reported to the state officials who would need to know about such a thing, and he had heard nothing about it.

Darn.

How wonderful would it be to think a species we humans drove from this region more than a century ago had made its way back? Sadly, you have to head out to the western edge of the central time zone to have a chance of seeing one in the wild.

You can see mountain lions in West Virginia, though. Well, one, anyway — although if memory serves, the sign on its enclosure might say “cougar.”

It is one of the native and introduced animals featured at the West Virginia Wildlife Center near French Creek.

Given how late in the season the leaves have decided to change this year, this weekend would be a perfect time to drive over and go for a stroll.

“The Wildlife Center is dedicated to presenting visitors a realistic and factual understanding of our state’s wildlife,” its website says.

And its location makes that even truer than for most traditional zoos. I’ve seen more snakes outside enclosures than inside during my visits. (And, for me, that’s a good thing.) I’ve watched squirrels and chipmunks perfectly time their dives into the bigger animals’ enclosures to grab a snack and then scurry away before they are noticed.

I’ve seen more deer, possum, skunks and even turtles on my drive to French Creek than I could count. (Consider this your regularly scheduled reminder to pack the Dramamine, by the way.)

And amid yet another week of “Oh my goodness, it’s my job to keep track of all this news, but I’d much prefer to be out in the woods for an hour or 12,” I found myself thinking about how nice it would be to amble over and wander around for a bit.

There are a couple of gorgeous state parks close by, too; and even if I don’t end up being able to take a mental health break in the woods, I’ll feel better if I encourage someone else to. Talk of our beautiful national parks is warranted of course, during this absolutely ridiculous federal government shutdown. But our state parks are unmatched. And this time of year just begs for travelers to explore them.

Not too hot. Not too buggy. Cool enough that if you DON’T want to see a snake, you’re probably in luck. And most of them are surrounded by communities with great little restaurants and breweries just waiting to refuel you if you’ve worn yourself out on a really good hike.

If your aim is the wildlife center, just remember the hours are about to change. Starting Nov. 1, it closes at 3 p.m., instead of 5 p.m.

I know how badly I need some time in the woods, but I’m guessing the same is true for a lot of people. And soon enough, the weather really will make it a little more difficult to drive out into the mountains and spend too much time outside.

Do it now, then. Get your fill while you can. Head somewhere like the Wildlife Center where you might learn something, too. And then try to hold on to that feeling to brace yourself for the week ahead. Here’s hoping we don’t need it.

Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com.