New River Gorge: A New Nationwide Park

Nestled within the Appalachian Mountains in southern West Virginia lies New River Gorge Nationwide Park and Protect, which grew to become America’s sixty-third nationwide park in 2020.

The densely forested attraction encompasses greater than 72,000 acres alongside fifty-three miles of the New River, a waterway that has been coursing by means of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia for an estimated sixty-five million years. That includes peaks reaching virtually 3,300 ft, New River Gorge is a vacationers’ playground that gives many actions for nature fans and sightseers alike. And, if that isn’t sufficient, you possibly can go to the a number of historic websites inside the space and store and dine in close by idyllic small cities.

See the sights

Make your solution to the Canyon Rim Customer Heart, and stroll alongside its wood boardwalk; the 2 statement decks supply jaw-dropping views of the New River Gorge Bridge, which towers a staggering 876 ft above the river and is the longest single-span steel-arch bridge within the nation. You too can peruse the middle’s displays and bookstore and deal with your self to a memento or two.

When you’ve bought your fill of the middle, hop in your automotive for a drive on winding Fayette Station Highway to the underside of the gorge after which up the opposite facet for superb river and bridge surroundings. There are a lot of waterfalls all through the park, and its most spectacular, the 1,500-foot-wide Sandstone Falls, can also be accessible by automotive. Cease on the Sandstone Falls Overlook for a panoramic photograph alternative, or get a more in-depth view from the locale’s boardwalk, which provides a number of statement decks.

There are additionally trails for hikers of all skills; a few of the finest embody the Countless Wall Path for hovering vistas and the Lengthy Level Path to get a more in-depth peek on the bridge. And for those who like staring on the skies, there are many optimum viewing areas for sunrises, sunsets, and stargazing.

Glimpse wildlife

New River Gorge boasts probably the most biodiverse forests on earth. Greater than 180 chicken species may be discovered right here, together with songbirds, hummingbirds, golden eagles, and peregrine falcons. Quite a few butterfly species flit among the many wildflowers, and varied mammals like opossums and even black bears make their houses within the forest. You too can spot all kinds of amphibians and reptiles for those who watch intently sufficient.

© Shannon Welch

Be adventurous

For a daring jaunt, stroll the complete span of New River Gorge Bridge’s underbelly on its two-foot-wide catwalk. (If peering on the river lots of of ft beneath makes your coronary heart pound, don’t fear—a security harness protects you.) You possibly can snap pictures throughout your stroll, and a shuttle will drive you again throughout the river after you’ve accomplished the trek. Or go to in October for Bridge Day, when essentially the most daring people are permitted to BASE leap from the bridge, drawing hundreds of spectators.

There are many different thrilling actions in and across the river, together with fishing, mountain biking, mountaineering, rappelling, white water rafting, and mountaineering. For an adrenaline-fueled tour on the New River, drive north to Hawk’s Nest State Park for a thirty-minute jet-boat tour that can take you beneath the bridge and again once more.

Brush up on historical past

Historical past buffs could wish to delve into the park’s coal-mining previous.You should utilize the Nationwide Park Service app to embark on a self-guided African American Heritage Driving Tour, which incorporates stops at seventeen websites in and across the park the place you possibly can be taught concerning the lives of the area’s Black coal miners and rail employees. Or observe the app’s tour of the close by Thurmond ghost city, as soon as a bustling railroad group courting again to the late nineteenth century. Stroll the streets to view its previous houses and church, go to the rail station (now a customer’s heart) and still-active practice line, and cross the river on the Thurmond Bridge.

© Ryan Persinger

Discover small cities

Whereas Thurmond could also be deserted, there are lots of different thriving cities within the space.

After getting a style of historical past, try Hinton on the southern finish of the park, the place you possibly can catch a present on the historic Ritz Theatre, take pleasure in a meal on the river on Kirk’s out of doors restaurant patio, or store for clothes and residential items at Otter & Oak. Or head southwest of the New River Gorge Bridge to Fayetteville. This picturesque small city provides superb retailers, scrumptious eateries like Pies & Pints and the Cathedral Cafe (housed in an previous church), and delightful historic buildings, together with its distinguished redbrick courthouse.

Should you go

The lodging listed below are as diverse because the actions. You possibly can guide a room at one of many many motels within the space or chill out in a rented cabin, tree home, or tiny dwelling. Should you wish to camp, keep totally free at any of the park’s eight primitive campgrounds or reserve a campground exterior the park, lots of which include full RV hookups.

New River Gorge is open twenty-four hours a day year-round, and it’s free to go to, in contrast to many nationwide parks. Nevertheless, now that the key is out about this beautiful locale, it might be bursting with guests early this summer time. So that you would possibly wish to postpone your journey till the latter half of August, when crowds could also be lighter as college students return to high school, or mid-October, when there will likely be even fewer crowds and unbelievable foliage as well.

For more information, go to nps.gov/neri