Southern West Virginia
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve protects 53 miles of the New River and over 70,000 acres of steep, forested gorge. It is known for its arched steel bridge, sandstone cliffs, whitewater rafting and old coal-mining towns. Entry is free. Use the sections below to choose a place to stay, pick your hikes, and plan one, two or three days.
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You can stay in a cabin or rental around Fayetteville and Lansing near the bridge, at an outfitter resort that bundles lodging with rafting, at a West Virginia state park nearby, or in one of the park’s free primitive campgrounds.
Private cabins and houses spread through the countryside around Fayetteville and Lansing, close to the bridge and the north-end trails.
Rafting companies, called outfitters because they supply the boats, gear and guides, also rent lodging. ACE Adventure Resort and Adventures on the Gorge offer cabins, vacation homes and campsites, handy if your trip centers on the river.
The Lodge at Hawks Nest State Park has rooms with gorge views. Babcock State Park, 20 miles southeast of the bridge, offers cabins and a campground open spring through fall.
The national park runs eight primitive campgrounds: basic sites with no running water. They are free and first-come, first-served, with no drinking water and no hookups (the electric, water and sewer connections RVs use). See the camping question below.
To compare current prices and availability for your dates:
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For a deeper look by type of stay, read Where to stay near New River Gorge.
Five hikes cover the essentials: Long Point, the Endless Wall Trail, the Grandview Rim Trail, the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk and the Kaymoor Miners Trail. Between them you get the classic bridge view, cliff-edge overlooks, a riverside waterfall and a coal-mine ruin.
A rim trail runs along the top edge of the gorge, so most of the walking is fairly level and the views open out at overlooks. Trails that drop into the gorge are steeper, and every step down is a step you climb back up.
Ends on a rock outcrop with a panoramic view of the gorge and the New River Gorge Bridge.
Know before you go The point has unprotected cliff edges. Keep children close.
Follows the cliff tops with the river almost 1,000 feet below. You may hear rafters on the rapids.
Know before you go The Fern Creek lot is small and fills fast. Don’t park on the road, where cars can be towed. Use the Nuttall Trailhead about half a mile farther on.
The Main Overlook sits about 1,400 feet above the river, with up to seven miles of the New River in view on a clear day.
Know before you go The 0.6-mile Castle Rock Trail near the Main Overlook is rated strenuous. The park does not recommend it for young children because of uneven footing and steep drop-offs. Rhododendrons usually bloom in mid-May (purple Catawba) and July (white great rhododendron), though timing varies.
The largest waterfall on the New River. The river spreads about 1,500 feet wide here and drops roughly 10 to 25 feet around islands.
Know before you go The park warns that the river around the falls has been the site of several drownings. Wear a life jacket whenever you are in or near the water.
Leads down to the remains of the Kaymoor coal mine, its processing plant, coke ovens and town site.
Know before you go Parts of this trail close on some days for maintenance. Check the park’s alerts first.
All five trails are in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Leashed pets are allowed on every park trail. Always check current trail conditions and closures on the National Park Service alerts page before you go, and see the easiest hikes for families.
More gentle options are in our post on easy hikes at New River Gorge.
The big draws beyond hiking are guided whitewater rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers, a guided walk on the catwalk under the New River Gorge Bridge, rock climbing on more than 1,400 established routes, and the slow scenic drive down Fayette Station Road beneath the bridge.
Licensed outfitters (companies that supply rafts, gear and guides) run trips on the New River from April through October. Rapids are rated by class: the higher the class, the bigger and harder the water. The upper river has gentler Class I to III rapids. Below Thurmond it narrows into harder Class III to IV water.
Bridge Walk runs the official guided tour along a maintenance catwalk 25 feet beneath the bridge deck and about 851 feet above the river, with walkers clipped to a safety cable the whole way.
The hard, featured sandstone cliffs of the lower gorge hold more than 1,400 established climbs. The best seasons are late April to mid-June and mid-September to late October.
This mostly one-lane, one-way road winds from the Canyon Rim Visitor Center down under the bridge, across the river and back up the other side.
History lovers can also visit Thurmond, a railroad boomtown of the early 1900s whose restored depot is now a seasonal visitor center. Amtrak still stops there on request.
To see current schedules and prices for rafting and other guided trips:
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Most of the area’s restaurants are in Fayetteville, where pizza, barbecue, coffee and cafés line Court Street, Maple Avenue and Keller Avenue. For a meal with a gorge view, the Hawks Nest State Park lodge has a restaurant.
For menus, hours and reservations, check each restaurant’s own website, or the Visit Fayetteville restaurant directory.
Late spring through October is the main season. Rafting runs April through October, rhododendrons bloom in May and July, fall color usually peaks around mid-October, and Bridge Day fills the area on the third Saturday of October. Winter is quieter, but the two main visitor centers stay open year-round.
Climbing season starts in late April, rafting opens in April, and Catawba rhododendrons bloom around mid-May.
Peak rafting. The Grandview and Thurmond visitor centers open, generally Memorial Day to Labor Day. Great rhododendrons bloom in July.
Gauley River rafting runs early September to mid-October. Color usually peaks around mid-October. It starts at higher elevations, so Grandview often turns first. Timing changes every year.
Few crowds. The Canyon Rim and Sandstone visitor centers stay open, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
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Spend day one at the bridge end of the park, give day two to the river or the rim trails, and save day three for the quieter south end around Grandview and Sandstone Falls. Each day lists free things to do first, then paid trips you can book instead, so you can mix and match. The one exception is a river day on day two: a guided raft trip is paid, so that day lists free hikes for anyone staying dry.
Paid choices for this day
Swap any of these in for the free plan above, or add them to it.
Play it on the drive
One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle. Turn-by-turn stories cover the Canyon Rim Visitor Center and Fayette Station Road, and farther south Grandview, Thurmond and Sandstone Falls.
Book this trip: New River Gorge National Park Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Tour (opens in a new tab)Instead of the drive
A fast boat ride upstream with views of the gorge and the bridge. Meets in Ansted, with a 30-minute shuttle to the boat. The operator lists no age limit.
Book this trip: Jet Boat Adventure on the New River Gorge (opens in a new tab)Instead of the afternoon hike
Six long zip lines, up to 3,170 feet, nearly 200 feet above the ground. Minimum age 12; weight limits apply.
Book this trip: Gravity New River Gorge Zip Lines (opens in a new tab)Instead of the afternoon hike
Seven shorter zip lines, four sky bridges and a rappel through hemlock forest. Minimum age 10; weight limits apply.
Book this trip: Tree Tops Zip Line Canopy Tour (opens in a new tab)Booking buttons are affiliate links: if you book or shop through one, this guide may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Paid choices for this day
Book your river day here, or swap one of these in for part of the stay-dry day above.
River day
Class III and IV rapids with a guide in your raft; no experience needed. Day trips meet at 9 a.m. in Hico and include a riverside lunch. Recommended for ages 11 and up.
Book this trip: National Park Whitewater Rafting in New River Gorge WV (opens in a new tab)River day with young kids
Gentle Class I and II rapids on the upper New River, with time to swim and a lunch break. For ages 5 and up. Meets in Hico.
Book this trip: Family Rafting in the New River Gorge National Park (opens in a new tab)Stay dry: adults who drive
A guided trail ride for every skill level. Every rider must be 18 or older with a valid US driver’s license.
Book this trip: New River Gorge ATV Adventure Tour (opens in a new tab)Stay dry: the whole family
A guided off-pavement tour through the park’s coal-mining history, planned for the whole family.
Book this trip: New River Gorge Jeep Tour (Half Day) (opens in a new tab)Booking buttons are affiliate links: if you book or shop through one, this guide may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Paid choices for this day
Swap any of these in for the free plan above, or add them to it.
For the drive south
One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle. Turn-by-turn stories cover the Canyon Rim Visitor Center and Fayette Station Road, and farther south Grandview, Thurmond and Sandstone Falls.
Book this trip: New River Gorge National Park Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Tour (opens in a new tab)Swap the morning for the river
A shorter trip on the lower New River, starting from ACE Adventure Resort near the bridge end of the park. Minimum age 12.
Book this trip: Half Day New River Gorge Whitewater Rafting (opens in a new tab)Swap the morning for a gentle float
Gentle Class I and II rapids for ages 5 and up. It meets in Hico, at the bridge end of the park, so it replaces the south end rather than adding to it.
Book this trip: Family Rafting in the New River Gorge National Park (opens in a new tab)Booking buttons are affiliate links: if you book or shop through one, this guide may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Adjust for the season, your group and the weather. Check park alerts the morning you set out.
No. There is no entrance fee for New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, and its campgrounds are free. Guided activities such as rafting and the Bridge Walk are run by private companies and charge their own prices.
Yes. Pets are allowed on all trails in the park on a physical leash no longer than 6 feet. They are not allowed inside park buildings or visitor centers, or at ranger-led programs. Pets are also not permitted at Bridge Day.
Only on Bridge Day, the one day a year the bridge opens to people on foot. It is held on the third Saturday in October from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On any other day, you can walk beneath the deck on a guided Bridge Walk tour along the maintenance catwalk.
The bridge is 3,030 feet long and 876 feet above the New River, making it the third-highest bridge in the United States. Its steel arch is 1,700 feet long. Construction began in June 1974 and the bridge opened on October 22, 1977.
Often, yes, with a licensed outfitter, a company that provides the raft, safety gear and a trained guide. The upper New River has Class I to III rapids. Below Thurmond the river narrows into technical Class III to IV rapids, and the Gauley River is aimed at experienced whitewater fans. Ask your outfitter which trip suits your group and any age limits.
No, and you can’t make one. The park’s eight primitive (basic) campgrounds are free and first-come, first-served, and they fill quickly in busy months. They have no drinking water, no electricity, limited restrooms, and no hookups (the electric, water and sewer connections RVs use). You can stay up to 14 days in any 28-day period.
The Sandstone Falls Boardwalk is about a quarter mile and flat. The Canyon Rim boardwalk at the visitor center is about a tenth of a mile, with a ramp to the first viewing point. Skip its 178 steps down to the lower overlook if anyone struggles with stairs. The park also lists several short, easy trails under about a mile.
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