New River Gorge, located in southern West Virginia, is the newest in the beloved U.S. National Park system. The park protects the New River and the massive gorge that its water has carved, over the millenia, through the surrounding limestone. This gorge is now home to unique wildlife and plant species, as well as a fascinating history of Native Americans, European settlers, and the West Virginian coal industry.
If you want to explore this unique corner of the United States, here’s 11 incredible things to do in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission, for which we are extremely grateful, at no extra cost to you.
What is New River Gorge National Park and Preserve?
The park protects the New River, which, despite its name, is actually recognized as the second oldest river in the world. Over the millenia, the river has sliced through the landscape, creating the New River Gorge, which can be up to 1,600 feet deep. The steep slopes and dramatic topography of the gorge create numerous microclimates, making this a critical habitat for unique plant species and wildlife, like the Virginia Big-eared bat.
Beyond its biodiversity, the park protects the unique human history in the area, from the Shawnee tribe that has called this gorge home for thousands and thousands of years to coal mining ghost towns.
So, whether you’re an outdoor adventure lover or history buff, there’s something for each of the two million people who come and visit this park each year.
How to get to New River Gorge National Park
The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve sprawls 70,000 acres in southern West Virginia, near the town of Fayetteville.
If you’re flying in to visit the national park, your best bet is to fly into Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia, which has direct flights from eight U.S. cities. From here, pick up a rental car and drive a little over an hour southeast to the park.
Things to do in New River Gorge National Park
1. Go on a hike
There are 40 hikes in New River Gorge National Park to choose from, many of which provide stunning views over the gorge or the unique rock formations that surround it. There’s also several trails that lead to beautiful waterfalls or historical mining sites and ghost towns.
After spending a week here, these are some of my husband, Justin’s and my favorite trails here:
- Endless Wall Trail: This moderately challenging trail winds through a lush forest and along the rim of the gorge, with lots of rocky outcroppings that serve as scenic viewpoints, overlooking the New River below.
- Long Point Trail: This easy trail snakes through a forest to a rocky outcropping that provides the best view in the park of the New River Gorge Bridge, which is actually the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere!
- Castle Rock Trail: This moderate trail follows along some towering cliffs, made up of seemingly countless layers of rugged sandstone. There are also lots of other short trails in this area, like the Tunnel and Grandview Rim Trails, that you can connect with Castle Rock to make a longer hike with views of the gorge below.
2. Stop at a scenic overlook
If you’re not keen on hiking, you’re in luck—there’s lots of incredible scenic overlooks that you can simply walk right up to!
For the best view of the bridge, head to the New River Gorge Bridge Overlook, which is right near the Canyon Rim Visitors Center (which is well worth a stop on its own!).
Alternatively, for jaw-dropping views of the gorge’s dramatic slopes, some of our favorite options are Turkey Spur, Grandview, Concho Rim, and Beauty Mountain Overlooks (one of the best sunset spots in the park!).
3. Go white water rafting
One of the most popular things to do in New River Gorge National Park is white water rafting.
The New River begins in the mountains of North Carolina and snakes through Virginia and West Virginia, crossing every ridge of the Allegheny mountain range of the Appalachians along the way. There are 53 miles of the New River, found in the national park’s footprint, which offers a variety of different rafting experiences for all skill levels.
The upper (southern) part of the river has long pools and gentle rapids up to Class III, whereas the lower (northern) section has some of the most challenging rapids in the world, ranging from Class III to Class V. Beyond just the impressive rapids, there also tends to be a lot of obstacles, including enormous boulders and rocks that are hiding in the shallows that rafters have to navigate around.
If you want to try your hand at white water rafting, here are some guided tours that you can join:
- Private Rafting Trip for Beginners: On this five hour tour, you’ll take on Class I and II rapids that’s perfect for beginners or families. You’ll have time to swim and play in the river and keep an eye out for wildlife, like bald eagles and peregrine falcons.
- National Park Whitewater Rafting Tour: For a more moderate adventure, this six hour tour involves rafting over Class III and IV rapids, plus a riverside lunch and wildlife spotting along the way.
- Lower Rapids Full Day Tour: On this six hour tour, you’ll run over 15 rapids, ranging from Class I all the way up to V, plus have the opportunity to try your hand at river surfing and even swimming in a more chill area. This trip is definitely one for the adventure lovers!
4. Stop at the Visitors Center
The New River Gorge National Park actually has four visitors centers, where you can learn more about the natural and human history of the park.
My favorite one was definitely the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, which has an educational film, interesting exhibits, and a series of metal catwalks that allow you to get different perspectives of the New River Gorge Bridge. The Sandstone Visitor Center, in the south of the park, is also worth a stop, thanks to its unique, green design and the native plant garden that surrounds the building.
5. Walk across the New River Gorge Bridge catwalk
Originally constructed in 1974, the New River Gorge Bridge is the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere and one of the highest bridges carrying a regular roadway in the world. It’s now beloved for its impressive engineering, recognized on the National Register of Historic Places and even included by the U.S. Mint on West Virginia’s commemorative quarter.
Pedestrians are generally not allowed to walk on the bridge, but you actually are allowed to walk under it with the aptly named operator, Bridge Walk. On these tours, you’re securely fastened into a harness before walking along a 24-inch wide catwalk, directly below the bridge. You’ll get to walk along the entire 3,030 foot length of the bridge, plus you can even dangle your feet over the side of the catwalk, with the canyon floor some 850 feet below.
We REALLY wanted to do this when we visited, but it was unfortunately all booked up during our stay. So you may want to make reservations at least a few weeks in advance if you’re keen to do this thrilling activity.
6. Go rock climbing
One of the most popular things to do in New River Gorge National Park is to scale any of its over 1,400 established rock climbing routes.
The cliffs here are made of rugged sandstone, with lots of crack and face routes available. Most of the routes are on the challenging side, rated 5.9 or higher.
There are several rock climbing shops and guides nearby that can provide recommendations of routes, based on your skill level, or even take you out to try your hand at rock climbing, like New River Mountain Guides or New River Climbing School.
7. Attend Bridge Day
New River Gorge National Park is home to one of the wackiest (and free!) annual events in the United States—Bridge Day.
Every third Saturday in October, the New River Gorge Bridge is shut down to traffic and pedestrians flood the bridge to watch hundreds of BASE jumpers throw themselves off the bridge into the gorge below. It’s the world’s largest BASE jumping event and one of the largest extreme sports festivals in the world.
There’s other activities going on, including an annual fun run and rappelling off the bridge, plus, live music, food vendors, and more.
8. Explore Fayetteville, West Virginia
Many of the most popular hikes and overlooks in the park are close to Fayetteville, which is the biggest city in the New River Gorge area and has a TON of cute shops, bars, and restaurants to explore.
Consider checking out:
- Freefolk Brewery: A funky brewery, with a solid mix of classic brews with some more unique options, like a beet sour, plus wood-fired pizzas
- Secret Sandwich Society: Creative takes on sandwiches, using locally sourced ingredients, with lots of great beers and craft cocktails (think smoked old fashioneds) on the menu
- Cathedral Cafe: True to its name, this adorable coffee shop is housed in an old church, complete with stunning stained glass windows, and fun drinks, like a blueberry pancake latte
- Tequila Taco Bar: Modern take on Tex Mex classics in a fun, colorful atmosphere
9. Explore a coal mining ghost town
West Virginia was once an economically booming state, thanks to the abundance of coal found in its rolling hills. Starting in the 1870s, almost 50 mining towns sprung up along the New River, in response to the United States’ seemingly endless need for coal.
By the 1950s, though, most of these towns were largely deserted, due to technological advancements, cheaper alternatives, and exhaustion of the most accessible coal reserves in the state. Now, all that’s left of these towns is old rusting mining complexes and building ruins, slowly being taken over by vegetation.
One of the most unique things to do in New River Gorge National Park is to visit the ghost town of Nuttallburg, which is considered to be the most intact examples of a coal mining complex in the state. You can wander around the decaying ruins of this once bustling mine, like the massive tipple (a large structure where coal is brought up from a mine, processed, and then loaded onto railway cars) and coke ovens.
Just be super careful as you’re driving here, as parts of the road are unpaved, curvy, and only wide enough for one car (as in, if you run into another car driving the opposite way, you may have to reverse for a bit until you find a spot that’s wide enough to pull over and let the other car pass).
If sketchy roads aren’t your jam, there’s a handful of other interesting historical mining sites throughout the park, like Kaymoor, which once had hundreds of residents, and Winona, which actually still has a handful of residents and a cool old pool hall.
10. Visit Babcock State Park
Located about 20 minutes from the New River Gorge, Babcock State Park is home to West Virginia’s most photographed site, the Glade Creek Grist Mill. This fully functional mill is situated right along a creekside, next to a series of rocky waterfalls and surrounded by the dense Appalachian forest. While the building itself is relatively new, dating back to 1976, it was constructed using parts from old mills that date back to the 1880s. We visited on a foggy autumn morning and had SO much fun taking photos here!
The grist mill still grinds corn, which you can purchase in the park’s gift shop, on Saturdays and Sundays (hours vary depending on the season).
Beyond the Glade Creek Grist Mill, the park has some other features that are worth exploring, like adorable log cabins that are available for overnight stays and the beautiful Boley Lake, which has canoe and paddleboard rentals.
11. Visit Hawk’s Nest State Park
Located 15 minutes north of the New River Gorge, Hawk’s Nest State Park is located right along the New River and actually overlooks the national park that’s right along the riverside, hundreds of feet below. One of the most unique activities at this state park is their jetboat rides, which zips down the New River and affords you spectacular views of the New River Gorge Bridge and the Hawk’s Nest Lake Dam.
If you get tired of hiking in New River Gorge National Park, there’s also an additional eight miles of trails in this state park. The most popular hike is the Cliffside Trail, which offers a mix of unique sandstone formations, views over the gorge, and, if you’re lucky, even some wildlife!
Where to stay when visiting New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Unlike some U.S. National Parks that are located in pretty remote locations, New River Gorge has a number of small towns, like Fayetteville, sprinkled around its footprint, offering a range of accommodation options while you’re visiting the park.
Hotels
There are a handful of hotels for you to choose from in the area, like:
- Quality Inn New River Gorge: To be honest, I usually wouldn’t recommend Quality Inns, but this is really the only hotel in the actual city of Fayetteville. It has everything you need, plus some nice extras, like daily continental breakfast and a pool that’s open seasonally.
- Comfort Inn New River: This hotel is like a slightly more modern, slightly nicer version of the Quality Inn—there’s a really impressive breakfast spread, a nice seasonal pool, and thoughtful extras, like laundry facilities.
- Adventures on the Gorge: This is a resort for full blown adventure addicts, with bookable activities like rock climbing, whitewater rafting, caving, and even two ziplines. Plus, there’s a wide array of accommodation options to choose from, like rustic cabins to more luxurious suites with private hot tubs.
Camping
One of my absolute favorite things about the national park is the fact that it offers eight primitive campgrounds, almost all of which are along the New River and are totally FREE! All of the campground are first-come, first serve, though, so be sure to have a back-up option, in case all of the sites are taken.
We stayed in the Army Camp campground for several days in our RV and absolutely LOVED it. It was conveniently located close to tons of the best hikes and overlooks in the park and had beautiful views of the surrounding tree-covered gorge.
I hope you have a better idea of some of the best things to do in New River Gorge National Park—it’s one of our favorite parks east of the Mississippi! Do you have any questions about visiting this unique corner of our country? Let us know in the comments below!
