5 Ways to Enjoy West Virginia’s New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

Have you ever heard of the New River Gorge National River in West Virginia? Don’t let the name fool you, the New River is considered to be the second oldest river in the world. The area was recently redesignated, and New River Gorge National Park and Preserve became America’s 63rd national park. We recently spent a few days exploring this expansive, outdoor area and came away impressed by the scenic views and variety of activities. Like most of our national park visits, there was much to see and do, and not enough hours in the day. Besides the scenic mountains, the area offers multiple levels of hiking and mountain biking trails, white water rafting, rock climbing, fishing, and a thrilling opportunity on the New River Gorge Bridge Walk. As a bonus, the park has no entrance fees! Keep reading to find things to do at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, plus a few tips to know before you go.  

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What to Do at New River Gorge National Park
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1. Sandstone Falls
2. The Bridge Walk
3. Hiking at New River Gorge
4. Scenic Drives
​5. Other Outdoor Activities

​​Where to Stay & Eat

Planning Your Trip

First, let’s talk about where exactly the park is located. The 70,000 plus acres that make up New River Gorge National Park and Preserve wander along about 53 miles of the New River in southern West Virginia. The closest major interstate highway is I-64, and Charleston, West Virginia, home to Yeager Airport, is about 70 miles away. From the Northern Virginia area, it’s a little over 4 hours travel time via I-81 and I-64. In fact, the location of the park makes it a good road trip destination from cities in many directions, including places like Raleigh, North Carolina, or Columbus, Ohio. As you plan your days in the park, you’ll want to factor in driving time to get around between each of the major areas of the park. For instance, from the parking lot for the Sandstone Falls trailhead, it took us about 50 minutes to get to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Allow extra time for two lane, narrow, and scenic roads.  ​

​To help plan our trip, the first thing I did was download the new National Park app. This free app has park-specific features like Things to Do and Places to Go, which gave me a quick overview of the New River Gorge area. One of the app’s best features is the ability to download park information for offline use. If you have ever been on a national park trail with spotty cell service, you will definitely appreciate this feature. Because the app is still new, the National Park service is continually adding more information. I also appreciated the app’s link to the National Park’s full New River Gorge website, where you can find the Plan Your Visit section and review the “must-see” list! 

You’ll want to be strategic in planning out your day(s). There is quite a distance between the 4 New River Gorge visitor centers--Canyon Rim, Thurmond Depot, Grandview, and Sandstone. Depending on which way you enter the park, plan to stop at either the Canyon Rim or Sandstone Visitor Center on your way in. It’s also a good opportunity to pick up a park map and chat with the park ranger. Besides the cool displays and green design at the Sandstone Visitor Center, my husband found a newspaper-sized trail guide which laid out all the trails in each section of the park. Take note that the small Grandview Visitor Center has shorter, seasonal hours, while the Canyon Rim Visitor Center was definitely the busiest. Next time we’ll stop at the Thurmond Depot, housed in an old railroad depot near Beckley. Don’t forget that kids can earn either the Junior Ranger or Junior Ranger Angler badge by completing the activities found in the Junior Ranger book, which you can pick up at any of the open visitor centers. ​

​What To Do at New River Gorge National Park

See Sandstone Falls
Spend some time enjoying the natural beauty found at Sandstone Falls. The Sandstone Visitor Center was a convenient stop on our way into town. Just don’t expect the falls to be within walking distance of the visitor center. You’ll need to drive about 10 miles up river, where you cross over the bridge in Hinton then travel back down the other side of the river for another 8 miles or so. Once you are on the other side of the river, keep an eye out for the two small overlook areas: 1) the Sandstone Falls Overlook which is almost completely filled in with trees this time of year; and 2) the Brooks Overlook, which provides a beautiful view of the river (and an eagle nest, according to the ranger). Speaking from experience, it's easy to miss the overlooks if you aren’t paying attention.

​From the Sandstone Falls day-use parking area, we explored the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk (an accessible trail). The boardwalk makes it an easy walk for all ages, and we found some great spots to enjoy different scenic views of the falls. You can also veer off the boardwalk at the end for a walk on parts of the Island Loop Trail and beautiful views like this one! 

​Take the Bridge Walk - A Unique Tour High Above the Gorge 
Many of the photos you see of the area feature the New River Gorge Bridge, considered the 3rd highest bridge in the USA. When I read that one of the popular activities was an under-bridge tour 851 feet above the gorge, I was intrigued! The New River Gorge Bridge Walk tour gives you an up close view of this massive steel single-arch structure as you walk 3,030 feet on a catwalk 25 feet below the bridge deck. Tours can be booked in advance, with time slots throughout the day. We came prepared with a cell phone case with a secure strap, but ended up purchasing a rubber phone lanyard from the Bridge Walk shop. Before you board the shuttle for the short ride to the bridge, you’ll be given a safety harness. The harness gets fastened to a safety cable once you arrive at the bridge. As you walk along the catwalk, the cable glides along with you for the length of the bridge (similar to how a zip line harness is fastened to the cable). There’s plenty of time to stop along the way and take photos or just enjoy the amazing view from high above the gorge. At one point, we were invited to sit down with our feet dangling over the side! Expect to be part of a group of up to a dozen people during your 2-3 hour tour. I can honestly say that the Bridge Walk was a memorable family experience! For me personally, there were some moments of anxiety looking down at the tiny rafts floating by on the muddy water below. But I was proud of myself for putting aside my fear and conquering the Bridge Walk. You can read about the history of this fascinating structure and check out the frequently asked questions for more information. Would you walk across this catwalk?  

​Find a Hike to View the New River Gorge 
With over 70,000 acres designated as park land, visitors won’t be bored! The trails are organized in just over a half dozen distinct groupings, clearly detailed in the Trails of New River guide we picked up early in our visit. Having the handy guide in the car made it so much easier for us to pick and choose from all the New River Gorge hikes based on length and difficulty level. It’s also a good resource if you are searching for accessible walkways for strollers or wheelchairs, such as the Sandstone Falls and Canyon Rim Boardwalks. 

Our full day hiking adventures began in the Grandview area, which turned out to be about twenty minutes from our rental home. Don’t miss the stunning view from the Main Overlook!

We then set off on the Grandview Rim Trail, and quickly found overlooks with one spectacular view after another. You can choose to hike all the way to Turkey Spur, or turn around and loop back toward the visitor center from the point where the Castle Rock Trail intersects. My husband and daughter did veer off to check out the steep rock walls at the bottom of the Castle Rock Trail. We also took some time to hike the Tunnel Trail, a shady walk through the forest passing some cool rock stacks and tunnels. And if you don’t hike all the way Turkey Spur, it’s worth the short drive to the trailhead on your way out, where you can climb the 150 steps to the 3 overlooks with more incredible views! 

While we could have tackled a few more trails around Grandview, we decided to head out to take a hike in the Fayetteville area, about 45 minutes away. We found the Fayetteville/Lansing area to be a bit more popular but not overcrowded by any means. Our timing was good, and we snagged a parking spot in the small Fern Creek Trailhead lot, a starting point for the Endless Wall Trail. The trail was just under 4 miles roundtrip, if you turn around at Diamond Point. The views from the unfenced vistas along this trail were photo worthy, even on an overcast day. You could definitely see why the area is popular with experienced climbers. 

After the hike, there was just enough time for another stop at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center parking area. My husband and daughter took a quick trip down the 178 steps that descend from a viewpoint off of the Canyon Rim Overlook to the lower overlook. 

Based on recommendations from the park rangers, we have quite a few hikes on our list for next time. These include the Long Point Trail, some of the hikes in the historic Nuttallburg area, and the trails near the Bluestone National Scenic River. 

​Take a Scenic Drive Back in Time 
After a full day of hiking, a late afternoon scenic drive was perfect for a change of pace. The Fayette Station Road drive takes about 45 minutes to get to the bottom of the gorge then back up the other side. Our Bridge Walk guide had also recommended the drive, and we thought it was worth the time. Plus the park website has a short audio tour to narrate the drive. Besides the fascinating history, the directions were spot on, always important for when you reach a fork in the road! Numerous stops on the drive gave us unique vantage points for photographing the bridge. Another self-guided tour in the area is the African American Heritage Driving Tour. This one spans a large area in and around the park, with stops at 17 historic sites. A map and links to the Fayette Station Road audio tour, along with other tours, are available through the National Park app. When we did the Fayette Station Road drive, each section of the tour was a separate sound bite. Not ideal for solo drivers if you have to hit the play button after each stop, but an interactive way to engage the family.  

​Go Rafting, Mountain Biking, or Rock Climbing
With our focus on hiking and the Bridge Walk on this trip, we didn’t have time to try some of the other available activities in the area. This includes one of the most popular activities for visitors, a New River Gorge white water rafting adventure. Different sections of the river have rapids which range from areas with primarily Class I, II, and III rapids (the upper part of the river), to parts of the river for advanced paddlers only with primarily Class III to V rapids (the lower gorge). Keep in mind that the New River flows from south to north. Learn about Whitewater at New River Gorge, including important safety information, trip planning resources, and links to local outfitters. Rafting New River Gorge is definitely something we look forward to doing on a return trip! 

Mountain biking trails and climbing information is also available through the national park website. The Arrowhead Trails offer over 12 miles of mountain biking with 4 bike loops. I know my husband is looking forward to returning with his mountain bike to explore these and other trails. The area is also frequented by expert climbers, who come for the large sandstone cliffs.  
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​Where to Stay & Eat When Visiting New River Gorge

​With so much park area to cover, it’s hard to know where to stay. I would suggest you first consider where you will be spending most of your time, and how much driving you want to do each day. Cabin rentals are popular in the area, but since our long weekend trip was planned at the last minute, our options were more limited. We spent two nights in an Airbnb just north of Beckley off of Route 19. For us, the location worked well to explore the different areas of the park. If you are looking for a hotel near New River Gorge National Park, most are clustered around Beckley. Primitive camping is available in the park. The New River Gorge Convention and Visitors Bureau is also a good resource to use to search for lodging in the area.

For one stop shopping for lodging and activities, Adventures on the Gorge is a popular choice for travelers that offers a convenient way to plan an adventure vacation. Book a cabin or campsite along with options for everything from a guided family rafting trip or zip lining, adventure to mountain biking and rock climbing. With on-site dining options and close proximity to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, it’s a good base location to explore the area.

Hawks Nest and Babcock State Parks also offer accommodations but be sure to book in advance as reservations often fill up quickly.  

As far as food, there are plenty of restaurants clustered around Beckley and Fayetteville. We try hard to support the local economy as much as we can when traveling. That included a lunch visit to the historic King Tut Drive-In, a fixture in Beckley since the 1940’s. The menu is extensive, but according to our server, “anything on a homemade bun is good!” My husband and son couldn’t resist a piece of homemade coconut cream pie, on top of the burger, pickle fries, onion petals, and homemade black raspberry milkshake!  At dinnertime, we tried the  overstuffed burritos from the Burrito Bar in Lansing, and gourmet pizza from the popular Pies & Pints at their flagship location in Fayetteville. The Grape and Gorgonzola pizza was the best! And did you know you can pick up the iconic West Virginia Pepperoni Roll at almost any gas station in the area? It’s always good to have a few of these on hand for a snack! 

​Other Tips & Things to Know Before Visiting New River Gorge National Park 
*The National Park app is very helpful for the most current information about park alerts, road closures and visitor center hours. Be sure to enable the “save park for offline use” feature while you have access to wi-fi. The nice thing is that you can remove the offline data from your phone after your visit. 

*The park is pet-friendly, and we saw plenty of well behaved dogs on the trails. Pets are not allowed to join in on Ranger programs. 

*Keep in mind the distance between sections of the park as you plan your day. Consider  building an itinerary for each section of the park and then piece them together depending on how much time you have and where you are staying. 

*Hawks Nest and Babcock State Parks, along with the Bluestone Scenic River Area and Summersville Lake are also popular places to visit in the area, with hiking trails and scenic views. We definitely will find time for these places when we visit again.  

And credit to my family for contributing to the photography for this post! 

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