New River Gorge National Park

Overview

About

New River Gorge National Park is in West Virginia. It was designated a US national park and preserve in December 2020.

Visitor map

Travel tips

Getting there: The nearest airport is the small one at Beckley, West Virginia; most visitors fly into Charleston and drive south for about an hour on I-64 and US-19.

Visitor centers: The main ones are Canyon Rim Visitor Center, at the north end of the New River Gorge Bridge, and Sandstone Visitor Center in the south of the park. The park has no single gated entrance.

Main sights: The New River Gorge Bridge can be seen from the overlook beside it or from the boardwalk and trails below; Grandview, Long Point and Endless Wall trails look down into the gorge.

Water: The New River and the Gauley River offer whitewater rafting, usually with a local outfitter and from spring to autumn; the Gauley has the harder rapids and its flow depends on dam releases.

Bridge Day: On the third Saturday of October the bridge is closed for a day to allow parachute jumping and rappelling, and the area is crowded.

Time: One day covers the main overlooks and a couple of short walks; allow two or three days with rafting or climbing.

Season: Mountain laurel and rhododendron bloom in spring, and autumn colour is best in mid to late October; summer is humid, and winter can bring snow on the roads.

Where to stay: Fayetteville and Oak Hill are the nearest towns, with motels and campgrounds; the park has a few campgrounds of its own, which fill at weekends in season.

Map