When planning your next vacation, there are few better choices than the New River Gorge National Park. Located in West Virginia, this national park is home to one of the most beautiful canyons in the world. After receiving national park status, in December 2020, the area is now recognized as America’s newest National Park, the 63rd National Park.

The New River Gorge has always been a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and families alike. In recent years, it has also become a popular spot for rock climbing enthusiasts, and it is home to some of the best whitewater rafting in North America.

Spanning over 70,000 acres of land, the New River Gorge National River protects the largest and oldest rivers in the United States and the southernmost range of the Appalachian Mountains. The park is also known for having the highest number of visitors on Bridge Day. Bridge Day is a unique holiday that celebrates the New River Gorge Bridge. This bridge is the longest steel arch bridge in the western hemisphere. There are the best places to stay in West Virginia.

Guests can easily access the country’s newest national park by route 19 or I-64. It is located in southern West Virginia, a five-hour drive from several major cities on the east coast. The park is a great place to visit for a weekend getaway. Park visitors of all ages are invited to experience a natural wonderland of rivers and forests. It’s an adventure that brings your family closer to nature!

Things to do in New River Gorge National Park

While the New River Gorge region is most often associated with outdoor recreation and whitewater rafting, there are plenty of opportunities to get outside and enjoy the area’s natural beauty. The New River Valley provides a wide range of recreational opportunities, including hiking and camping, world-class rock climbing, and biking. The region’s natural history is equally fascinating, with a wide range of animal and plant species to explore. The canyon itself is also a great place to learn more about the region’s unique geology, with the Canyon Rim Visitor Center offering information on the area’s formation and human impact.

Hiking trails in New River Gorge National Park

The beauty of the New River Gorge is a big draw for visitors, who come from all around the country to hike and bike, and run on its trails. The gorge is home to some of the best hiking trails in the world, and it’s also one of the most popular places for bikers and runners.

Endless Wall Trail

The Endless Wall Trail is one of the most popular trails in New River Gorge National Park. It’s a 2.5-mile loop that offers runners, and hikers a spectacular view of the deep canyons of the New River at the bottom of the gorge. From Endless Wall stop at Diamond Point for a magnificent view of the New River.

Long Point Trail

The Long Point Trail is a great choice for hikers who want to catch a glimpse of the famous New River Gorge Bridge. It’s an out and back hike, three miles total, but it offers hikers scenic vistas of the New River from above.

For more hiking recommendations download our New River Gorge Travel Guide.

Climbing in the New River Gorge National Park

Rock climbing at the New River Gorge is a truly unique experience. The New River Gorge is one of the most popular climbing areas in America. For rock climbers of all skill levels, the sandstone cliffs provide world-class rock climbing. The area is also a world-class bouldering destination, with hundreds of boulder problems on both sport and traditional rock faces.

Mountain Biking in the New River Gorge National Park

Mountain bikers will have miles of trails to explore in New River Gorge National Park. Arrowhead Bike Farm is the best place to start your mountain biking adventure in the gorge. From there, ride a short distance to the Arrowhead trail system, which offers miles of trails for beginners to experts. You can also rent bikes from Arrowhead if you don’t have your own. This option is a great way to get out and try a new adventure while you’re on vacation.

Wolf Creek Park is new to the mountain biking community, and it is fabulous! Completed a couple of years ago, it is the largest trail project on public, non-park service land that the area has ever seen. The trails have several ridges and valleys with some rock features that allow for more technical lines. These trails have a different character to them than anything else in New River Gorge. The elevation is only about 200 feet, but this allows for fun, flowy trails with technical features built-in to the trail system.

Whitewater Rafting in the New River Gorge National Park

The New River Gorge region is also home to some of the best white water rafting in the country, from leisurely float trips for beginners to thrilling Class V whitewater rapids for experts. This is an experience you must try when visiting The New River Gorge. 

Rafting the New River

New River rafting season begins in spring, April 1st. It continues through the summer, and into fall, around Bridge Day (the third weekend in October). 

Spring is the highest adventure time of year for rafting the New River. The water levels are highest in the spring, which provides the opportunity for the most thrilling rafting experience as you navigate your way through the challenging rapids and tight channels of the New River. 

During the summer, water levels are lower, which provides a more gentle approach to rafting. However, the Lower New River is still an exciting adventure, with rapids and technical maneuvers that provide a thrilling adventure for all rafters.

If you prefer a more scenic trip, summer is a great time to raft the Upper New River, which is a beautiful float trip with small rapids and calm water. This provides the perfect opportunity for the avid photographer to capture the natural beauty of the New River Gorge.

Extreme Whitewater Rafting on the Gauley River

Thousands of whitewater enthusiasts come to the Gauley every fall season, to paddle what is considered by many to be the premier whitewater river in the country. The Gauley is a class IV river that offers more than 100 rapids, many of them Class III to V +. With a large volume of water, steep gradient, and technical runs, if you’re looking for the ultimate adventure, the Gauley is the place to go. Gauley season begins the first weekend after Labor Day and continues for six weekends throughout the fall.

Bridge Day at the New River Gorge Bridge

Bridge Day is the largest BASE jumping event in the world. It takes place on the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia on the third weekend of October. Base jumpers launch themselves off The New River Gorge Bridge and then parachute down to the river below. The jumpers have to clear a series of safety hurdles such as ensuring their equipment is working properly and making sure the weather is in their favor. Then it’s time to jump!

Other Things to Do in the New River Gorge

Bridge Walk

If you’re looking to get an adrenaline rush on your trip to New River Gorge, book a Bridge Walk tour . This tour is 3-hours and will take you under the New River Gorge Bridge on a 2-foot-wide catwalk that runs the length of the bridge. This is an excellent way to get up-close-and-personal with the world’s fifth-longest steel arch span and one of the oldest rivers in the world.

Hawks Nest State Park

Nestled along the New River in West Virginia’s New River Gorge Region, Hawks Nest State Park is an ideal stop for adventure-seekers. In addition to one of the most challenging whitewater boating waterways in the nation, the park offers a nature museum, aerial tramway, jet boat rides, hiking trails, and one of the nation’s best viewpoints for viewing the New River. The park’s setting is also ideal for exploring the gorge, with trails that wind through the woods and along the rim of the canyon.

Summersville Lake

Summersville Lake is West Virginia’s largest lake. It’s the perfect place to boat, water ski, fish, scuba dive, and even rock climb. You can also go stand-up paddleboarding, mountain biking, and even get in some fishing. It’s the perfect place for a day of fun in the sun!

Ace Adventure Resort

Ace Adventure Resort is the largest outdoor adventure resort in the United States with whitewater rafting, zipline adventures, ATV tours, and a 5-acre waterpark. It’s a wonderful way to spend a day. You can take a zipline tour through the forest, splash around in the waterpark, or grab some friends and go on a whitewater rafting adventure. It’s the best of both worlds. There are many best resorts in West Virginia.

Thurmond Historic District

The Thurmond Historic District is practically a ghost town today. Eighty percent of it is owned by the National Park Service for the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. It offers visitors a rare opportunity to learn about the region’s history. The Ohio Railway offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore the New River Gorge, the only national park in the country whose borders are defined by a railroad. All aboard!

Fayette Station Road Drive

A scenic drive down Fayette Station Road is a must while visiting New River Gorge National Park. It is a narrow road, in the heart of the New River Gorge, that winds its way along cliffs, down to the river. If you slow down, you can get a pretty good view of the New River Gorge Bridge as you meander down the mountain. National Park Service has even created an audio tour for the drive. Here is the link to listen to it.

Sandstone Falls

Sandstone Falls is one of the most popular day trip destinations in West Virginia. It’s located just a short drive away from the center of the New River Gorge National Park. The Sandstone Visitor Center is the starting point for many hikes, picnic areas, and other outdoor activities in the area. The largest waterfall in West Virginia is located in Sandstone Falls.

The waterfall’s name is derived from the sandstone bedrock of the gorge it is carved out of. However, the falls are more commonly known as Sandstone Falls. The falls are approximately 100 feet high and are fed by several small tributaries. They can’t be seen from the center of the gorge, so visitors must take a short hike to the top of the falls to get a spectacular view of the main cascade.

Bluestone National River

Deep In the heart of the gorge, the Bluestone National Scenic River is one of the most remote areas in the country. The only way to access Bluestone is through the two adjoining state parks, Pipestem Resort State Park, and Bluestone State Park. The Bluestone is unique in that it is a national “scenic river”—the only designation of its kind in the country, which provides additional protections for the area. The name “Bluestone” is derived from the large number of blue limestone rocks that line the river.

Coal Mining History

The New River is the oldest river in the country, originating in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Spanning 53 miles of river meandering through the New River Gorge, the river is full of history and coal mining industry remnants. The canyon is also home to the coke ovens, which are the only remaining structures of the once-thriving small towns. The gorge itself is a unique landscape, which serves as a gateway to exploring the small towns, coal mining history, and natural wonders of the region.

Bird Watching

Each spring, scores of birds make their way to the New River Gorge region. For some, the gorge provides a stopping point in a longer journey. For others, it’s the last leg of a journey that started far away. No matter where they come from, however, the gorge offers a varied selection of habitats to meet their needs. You will find a diverse population of birds including; wood warblers, vireos, thrushes, bald eagles, and peregrine falcons to name a few.

In the past, seeing a bald eagle in New River Gorge was a rare sight. But thanks to the efforts of the National Park Service, New River Gorge is now home to nesting pairs of bald eagles and peregrine falcons, making this park one of the best places in the country to see these majestic birds.

More information on Birding in the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve.

Best time of year to visit New River Gorge National Park

The weather in the New River Gorge changes dramatically throughout the year. The seasonality of temperatures and precipitation make the park a great place for recreating during all seasons.

Summer

Summer is the most popular time to visit the New River Gorge National preserve. As a result, you can expect crowds at popular spots like Endless Wall, Bridge Buttress, and Long Point.

Spring

Spring is a great time to visit if you’re looking to avoid summer crowds and enjoy milder temperatures. The park is typically less crowded which means hikers, bikers, and climbers can pick their spots without worrying that they are taking someone else’s. Spring also brings many wildflowers including azaleas, rhododendron, and mountain laurel.

Fall

Foliage season is a great time to visit the park if you don’t mind crowds. Visitors come from all over to catch a glimpse of the beautiful fall color change in West Virginia. The foliage usually starts changing around mid-October and reaches peak color around mid-November.

Winter

If you don’t mind being chilly, winter might be the best time to visit the park. There are many things to do in the gorge during the winter months. If you like hiking, this is a great time of year for that, as long as you bundle up and bring the right gear. The trails are typically not crowded, and it’s a great way to get some exercise while enjoying nature. Even though they are not abundant, there are also waterfalls in the park which are beautiful during this time of year because of the snow-covered surroundings.

Anyone who wants a quiet experience should consider visiting in the wintertime.

Where to stay near New River Gorge National Park

The New River Gorge National Park is a beautiful place to visit, and there are plenty of great places to stay while you’re there. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, there are many options to choose from. You can find new river gorge cabins, cottages, and even entire homes available for rent. There are the best and cheap cabins for rent in wv. There are also campgrounds located within the park boundaries, so you can experience the natural beauty of the area while sleeping under the stars. No matter what type of accommodations you’re looking for, the New River Gorge National Park has something to offer everyone.

Whether you’re a thrill-seeker, a nature lover, someone looking for new adventures, or somewhere in between, it’s hard to imagine a more awe-inspiring place to explore than the New River Gorge National Park. The climbing, biking, hiking, and whitewater rafting opportunities alone make this place worth visiting—not to mention the views into many of the majestic river scenes that have made it famous. If you’re planning a trip or have already been here and loved it, we’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!