New River Gorge National Park is known for a number of things, including its epic rock climbing, world-class whitewater rafting, and the spectacular New River Gorge Bridge, which holds the impressive title of being the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere! There are some incredible viewpoints of this bridge in the park, but the best one is found along the Long Point Trail, which provides unobstructed views over the gorge below.
So if you want to experience one of the most stunning views in West Virginia for yourself, here’s everything you need to know about hiking the Long Point Trail in New River Gorge National Park.
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About the Long Point Trail in New River Gorge National Park
- Length: 3 miles
- Elevation gain: 344 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Dog-friendly? Yes, but you need to keep your furry best friend on a leash
- Trail map
How to get to the Long Point Trail in New River Gorge National Park
The trailhead for Long Point is located here, located just 5 minutes away from the city of Fayetteville, West Virginia.
The parking lot is a decent size, holding about 40 or so cars. Still, this hike is one of the most popular things to do in New River Gorge National Park, so if you’re visiting on a weekend or during the busy summer season, I’d recommend trying to get here on the earlier or later side to ensure you can snag a parking spot.
What to expect on the Long Point Trail in New River Gorge National Park
There are tons of great hikes in New River Gorge National Park, like the Castle Rock or Endless Wall Trail. But, after spending almost a week exploring the park, the Long Point Trail is the MOST bang-for-your-buck option (in my opinion, anyway!), with a fairly flat and easy pathway leading to one of the best overlooks of the New River Gorge.
From the parking lot, you’ll follow a flat pathway that winds into a forest of Mountain laurel and American beech trees.
As you continue through the forest, there are a few places where the trail forks, like at 0.3 miles and 0.7 miles into your hike. Thankfully, it’s very well-signed, so just be sure to continue following the signage for the Long Point Trail.
The path remains quite flat until about 1.2 miles into the trail, where it narrows significantly and starts dramatically sloping downwards. Just be sure to mind your step here—there’s quite a lot of roots and chunky rocks that are just waiting to trip you!
At the end, there’s a rocky outcropping that offers the best views in the park of the New River Gorge Bridge to the left and the gorge’s steeply sloped walls to the right. Just be sure to keep an eye out for kiddos, dogs, or daredevil husbands along the edges of the cliff here—it would be a long and painful fall almost 1,000 feet down!
Once you’re done taking in the spectacular views here, simply retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
Tips for hiking the Long Point Trail in New River Gorge National Park
Look out for mountain bikers
This is a very popular mountain biking trail (until the last 0.2 miles of the trail, where bikers are required to dismount), so be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled for bikers zooming on by.
Technically, mountain bikers are supposed to give hikers the right-of-way, but, in my many years of hiking, that doesn’t really seem to happen in practice. I’d personally rather move off the trail a bit to let a mountain biker get through as compared to accidentally being run over by one!
Come for sunset
The viewpoint at the end of the Long Point Trail is a fantastic place to watch the sunset, which lights up the sky behind the New River Gorge Bridge with punchy colors.
Plus, unlike some trails, this one is generally flat and easy enough to hike back in low light, although you should still absolutely bring along a headlamp to help you see better on your way back to the trailhead.
I hope you enjoy the Long Point Trail—it was our favorite hike in New River Gorge National Park! Do you have any questions about this trail? Let us know in the comments below.
