The Essential Guide to New River Gorge National Park

In December 2020, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve officially became the newest national park in the U.S.

Formerly known as the New River Gorge National River, the West Virginia destination spans 70,000 acres and is home to what’s said to be the longest and deepest river gorge in the Appalachian Mountains. The 876-foot-high New River Gorge Bridge, which crosses the eponymous gorge, is also billed as one of the longest single-span steel arch bridges in the Western Hemisphere. 

While the bridge, one of the most photographed spots in the state, is not a pedestrian bridge, visitors can book a guided walk across the maintenance catwalk beneath the bridge. Or, you can time your visit for the third Saturday in October, otherwise known as “Bridge Day.” It’s the only day of the year when the bridge is open to pedestrians as well as base jumpers. The park is also filled with a range of other can’t-miss outdoor activities—most notably, whitewater rafting and hiking.

“The park is a wonderful, truly beautiful place. With more travel happening in the outdoors, patience is a must. Everything here is always worth the wait,” says ERay Haynie, the adventure operations director at Ace Adventure Resort.

With his advice in mind, here’s what you need to know before visiting New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

Know Before You Go

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is open all year round, and there is no fee to enter. That said, a visit still requires a good bit of planning.

“It’s not like visiting the Smokies, Rocky Mountain [National Park], Yellowstone, or Yosemite, in that you have multiple entrances to the park and private ownership within the park boundaries,” says Eve West, the park’s chief of interpretation and education.

A review of the park’s map beforehand will give you a solid understanding of where things are: the park itself is 53 miles long and follows the course of the New River. To get there by GPS or Google Maps, the National Park Service recommends selecting one of the various visitor centers as your final destination.

Two of the four visitor centers, Thurmond Depot Visitor Center and Grandview Visitor Center, are only open seasonally—from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The other visitor centers, Canyon Rim Visitor Center and Sandstone Visitor Center, are open daily, with the exception of select holidays. While you can pick up a map or ask questions at each outpost, West also recommends using the free NPS app, available on both Google Play and the App Store. “It’s got loads of information and self-guided tours available,” she says. 

If you’re planning to camp within the park, there are two other key points to keep in mind. “Some of the roads in the park are narrow and not the best for huge campers. If you have a huge camper, probably best to stay in a state or commercial campground and check at our two visitor centers before you venture down roads,” warns West. Outside of the park’s group sites, all campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis; reservations are not required. 

Best Time to Visit

West says the best time to visit New River Gorge National Park “varies according to the activity you’re more interested in,” but, like many national parks, summer tends to be the busiest season. If you’d like to avoid those crowds (and the heat), Haynie recommends planning a trip during the spring or fall; aim for late spring if you want to see the park teeming with wildflowers. “The rhododendron never gets old. They grow so dense here and are beautiful when in bloom,” he says. 

September brings about what’s known as “Gauley Season.” This is when the Summersville Dam releases water into the Gauley, which is known as one of the top whitewater rivers in the world. It lasts until the third week of October, and the fan-favorite Gauley Fest occurs in mid-to-late September—this year, the dates are September 18 through 21. The Gauley is just north of the park, so visitors can make it a two-for-one trip. Leafpeepers also make their way to this part of West Virginia in the autumn. According to West Virginia Tourism, the fall foliage should peak in the park between late October and early November this year.

How to Get There

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is located just outside of Fayetteville, West Virginia. If you’re flying into the area, West Virginia International Yeager Airport (CRW) in nearby Charleston, West Virginia, will be your best bet. Serviced by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Breeze Airways, it’s the closest major airport—with direct flights to and from Atlanta; Orlando, Florida; Tampa, Florida; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Newark, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, and Washington, D.C.—but it’s still about 70 miles away. Depending on which direction you’re driving from, you’ll enter the park via U.S. Route 19 or I-64.

Best Things to Do

Book a guided whitewater rafting trip.

Rafting on the Upper and Lower New River is one of Haynie’s top picks for things to do while visiting New River Gorge National Park. Several outfitters—including Ace Adventure Resort and Adventures on the Gorge—bring guests on guided raft trips, navigating them down the river from April through October. Trips vary in length, from shorter half-day journeys to multiday adventures. 

Drive the scenic Fayette Station Road.

For a slightly more relaxed activity, opt to drive the eight-mile Fayette Station Road. Along the way, you’ll come across pullouts where you can look out on the gorge and the New River Gorge Bridge. It typically takes around 30 to 45 minutes to complete the journey, and you can download an audio tour via the NPS app, which will provide more context on the history of the area and will provide details on the dozens of coal mining towns that used to line the New River Gorge. 

There’s also the option to take the self-guided African American Heritage Tour, which takes you through 17 historic sites in the surrounding counties and covers the history of the area’s Black residents, including railroad workers and coal miners. 

Go rock climbing.

Another one of Haynie’s suggestions, rock climbing, is the perfect activity for travelers on the more adventurous side. The sandstone cliffs within the park range from 30 to 120 feet in height, and there are over 1,400 “established rock climbs.” If you would feel more comfortable with a guide, book a climbing and rappelling trip with Ace Adventure Resort.

Best Hikes

Southside Trail 

Outside of rafting, hiking is one of the best ways to discover the park. “Southside Trail is great for a trail that parallels the river,” says West. While easy, it is rather long. The trail spans seven miles one way, and it passes through Rush Run, Red Ash, and Brooklyn—all of which were once thriving, but now abandoned, New River Gorge mining towns.

Grandview Rim Trail 

“Grandview Rim Trail is perfect for viewing the river from above,” says West, who describes it as an “easy to moderate” route. The trail starts at Main Overlook and concludes at the Turkey Spur Overlook. It’s 3.2 miles round-trip.

Kaymoor Miners Trail

“Kaymoor Miners Trail is great for views and history, but not for the faint of heart,” says Haynie. Labeled by the NPS as “strenuous,” the trail descends 900 feet in elevation—expect rocky stairs, wooden steps, and switchbacks over the mile-long trail. (Keep in mind that the upper section of the trail is undergoing maintenance on certain days through mid-November.) 

Best Places to Stay

Adventures on the Gorge

Adventures on the Gorge has “hotel-style” cabins that are clean, comfortable, and relatively spacious. Its location is also a plus. From your cabin, it’s just a four-minute drive to Canyon Rim Visitor Center. While on pthe roperty, guests can take advantage of the 3,000-square-foot pool, disc golf course, and lots of gorgeous vistas. 

Ace Adventure Resort

Ace Adventure Resort has a range of accommodation types—everything from cozy cabins to glamping tents and bunkhouses. The premium cabins even come with full kitchens, giving you the freedom to prepare all your meals “at home.” And if you don’t feel like cooking? The resort has three different dining options: The Lost Paddle American Bar and Grill, Woody’s Grill, and The Slushie Stand.

Lafayette Flats Boutique Vacation Rentals

If camping isn’t quite your style, check out Lafayette Flats Boutique Vacation Rentals in Fayetteville. The collection features homey one-bedroom apartments outfitted with WiFi, a kitchen, and a range of other amenities, including a coffee maker, a clawfoot bathtub, and board games. 

Campgrounds

West shares that the “park does have primitive campgrounds that are free” to use, and most don’t require reservations. Campers who prefer sites with amenities—like drinking water and expanded bathroom facilities—should consider nearby Arrowhead Bike Farm and Babcock State Park.

Places to Eat

Wood Iron Eatery

“Fayetteville is the local hotspot for shopping, dining, local coffee shops, and experiencing small-town mountain culture,” says Haynie. One of his favorites in town is Wood Iron Eatery, which he says is great for coffee and breakfast. Fill up on breakfast burritos and Belgian waffles before a day of hiking or rafting in the park. 

Cathedral Cafe

Another suggestion from Haynie, Cathedral Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch every day except Wednesdays. The Fayetteville eatery serves up hearty breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, and paninis—and, as its name suggests, it’s housed in a former church. 

Pies & Pints 

For lunch or dinner, Haynie recommends the Fayetteville outpost of Pies & Pints. After completing one of the more strenuous hikes in the park, there’s nothing better than a pizza made with house-made, hand-tossed dough. Go with the Cuban Pork or the Black Bean pizza if you want to try something a little different. Otherwise, the Margherita Pizza should hit the spot.