Even as my hands slightly shook, there was massive relief and gratefulness that washed over me as I sat on the edge of the unexpected cliff and took in the vibrant green expanse below me. A year later, the scene that spread before me in that moment on the edge of forever overlooking the New River Gorge still dances throughout my mind, a ribbon of memories calling me back to explore.
New River Gorge National Park is everything that those looking for the wild would hope to find. From choose-your-own adventure style trails, to sheer sandstone cliff faces that appear when you least expect them, to a beyond-ancient river coursing through – all just begging to be experienced.
Having spent time in nearby Shenandoah National Park, I had thought that I knew what to expect out of New River Gorge (our nation’s most recently created National Park). Lush forests, rolling hills, and maybe a river with a big bridge – silly assumptions of someone who should know better. If anything, our National Parks have taught me that the reason they are set aside and have reached such status is that each one of them contains unique national wonders found nowhere else. Each having been recognized as being special in such a way that the thought of losing it created such concern that it was deemed vital to protect and therefore were elevated to National Park status. New River Gorge is no exception.
The Oldest New River in the World
While new in name, the River that has carved this Gorge has been doing so since dinosaurs roamed the Earth and is widely considered the world’s second oldest river (the Finke River in Australia being the oldest). Being one of the few rivers in the world that flows North, my first experience with the River began South of the Park near the old industrial town of Hinton.
Exiting the Interstate, you are immediately plunged into the thick forest that consumes the landscape in West Virginia as you weave along the thin ribbon of asphalt under the canopy. The roads themselves are an adventure and despite being able to see its path on the map, you are constantly in a slight stupor of enjoyment taking in the next curve and next spied through the trees.
Down, down, down the road weaves through the forest, glimpses of the River occasionally poking through, until you finally reach a crossing and start back along the River’s other bank. While outside of the Park itself, the whole region feels special, and you find yourself so happy for the people who live here in these small river towns that they get to live along its banks and have its forests to explore.
While I stopped many times on this detour, Sandstone Falls was my true destination on this initial journey. These Falls don’t involve massive drops but is very much a definitive step down across the entire and wide expanse of the River. A broad walk exists to take you to a series of waterfalls and pools that they create and is a great way to take it all in. Yet if you’re willing to forsake the smooth paths of the broad walk, even more is revealed as you climb over the rocks and explore the young forest that has sprung up in this watery area.
It’s clear that the River here often journeys onto land as rain and snowmelt swell its currents, and the wildlife teems in this unique combination of forest and water. Birds chatter endlessly in the trees above, and it is obvious that the River is flush with fish as everywhere you turn there are excited fishermen casting into the pools at the base of the falls. I could have easily spent my whole day here just taking this all in.
An Endless Canopy of Green
Climbing back to the main road from the Falls is an experience all in its own. You’d think that I would have learned by now that just because the map says that there is a road linking two spots, if its in the mountains, there is no guaranteeing the quality of said road. Many times, on the climb up from the River I wondered if the weaving country road I journeyed on would suddenly be reclaimed by the forest that enveloped me. I was grateful that I was on this road in May, and not the in the midst of Winter, which I could tell would be all consuming here.
Finally reaching the main road, I was both relieved to be out of and yet also already missing the embrace of the forest I emerged from. Yet I would not be away from its cooling canopy of green for long. After a quick bite at a truly excellent local pizza place (Pies & Pints), the forest welcomed me back with open arms as I parked at the Endless Wall Trailhead (All Trails), ready to see what secrets it would reveal to me.
Sometimes I research a place to the extreme, finding the best hikes that I think I can handle, while other times I decide upon the hikes just by their name alone and let myself be surprised by what I find. Endless Wall Trail is certainly an intriguing enough name, and this method of selecting a trail did not disappoint.
This trail winds through a portion of the Mountain Laurel Forest inside of the Park itself and is one of the more peaceful trails I’ve taken. The trees here tower above you, yet are fairly thin in width, giving the whole forest a cathedral like feel as you can see large distances under its canopy. The trail itself is quite raw, unpaved, and can be a difficult muddy experience when wet, yet is mostly easy going. Thanks to the small parking lot, the majority of the time I found myself completely alone and often found myself stopping and taking in the symphony surrounding me.
The Cliffs – Walls that Touch the Sky
While the Endless Wall name is what drew me to choose this trail to hike, I was not at all prepared for the sudden and complete cliff edge that appeared before at a turn in the trail. The forest gives away to sky in such a dramatic and unexpected way that it feels as though it is unexpected for the forest as well. Trees perch on the edge of nothingness, as though straining to reunite with their brethren nestled 800 feet below at the base of the sandstone wall marking the extent of the Gorge stretched out before me.
One thing that always surprises me in National Park is how they are such draws for tourists, who are often families and people unacquainted with the Wild, yet have no real guardrails separating the two. I mean, I wouldn’t want them to, but at the same time it’s a shock to realize that there is no transition between what was a calm peaceful trail through the forest and a deadly drop that appears with no warning. Such is the wondrous draw of these places.
Despite no one visibly being around, I noticed corded climbing ropes secured to smaller than expected trees, taut running over the edge of the cliff. I briefly debated crawling to the rim and looking over to see where the rope led, but the enormity of the open air before me tempered those thoughts.
I did however calm my nerves enough to sit close enough to the edge and take in the Gorge that consumed everything to the horizon. This is not a Gorge that you may have in mind from the West, or even a movie. Yes, there are cliffs which while they feel sudden, you know that they have been carved across the millennia. But what feels different about this Gorge is the enormity and all-encompassing forest of green. The forest here doesn’t just cover the landscape—it devours it, turning steep canyon walls into vertical gardens where hawks soar below you and trees grow at impossible angles. If I wasn’t concerned about finding myself wandering through an unfamiliar forest in the dark, these cliffs would be a perfect place to take in what would undoubtedly be a stellar sunset.
New River Gorge Bridge Walk
One of my favorite traditions in regards to National Parks is to ensure that I partake in the unique experience that a Park offers – riding up into the Arch at Gateway Arch, chugging through Cuyahoga Valley aboard the Scenic Railroad, gliding across the River of Grass on an airboat in the Everglades. For this Park, that means braving the Bridge Walk.
New River Gorge Bridge Walk (link, reservations required) feels like one of those things that you can’t believe is offered to the general public. It’s such a wild experience that I almost felt driven to do it before someone wizens up and cancels it. This isn’t some stroll across a bridge with good views – this is journey along a narrow catwalk UNDERNEATH the bridge with nothing but 876 feet of open air between you and the New River below.
When you arrive, an excellent member of the tremendously brave crew of New River Gorge Bridge Walk assists you into your safety harnesses and connects you to a continuous safety cable (which you cannot see the end of as it stretches to the other side of the bridge some 3,000 feet away). The catwalk itself is about 2 feet wide, with open metal grating, allowing you to see straight through the Gorge below, creating this incredible sensation of walking on air. For those with a fear of heights, the Bridge Walk is challenging but conquerable – the safety system feels robust, and the guides are patient and encouraging.
While you can hear the traffic above you, and feel the occasional tremor of the bridge as large trucks pass overhead, the Bridge often fades out of awareness as you take in the open air all around you. From this height, the rafters on the river below appear as toy floats, and hawks soar beneath you – it is truly a unique view of the world.
The walk itself takes 2-3 hours total, including the safety briefing. It feels perfectly paced, giving you time to absorb both the adrenaline rush and the quieter moments taking in the view. The Bridge Walk guide shares stories about the Bridge’s construction, the surrounding ecology, and the region’s history, all while ensuring that everyone is having a great time and assisting in taking photos of you and your group from angles and places that only they can get to. Please be sure to tip them well after you safely reach the other side.
Ancient Landscape Meets Modern Adventures
All this time later, when people ask about New River Gorge, I find myself struggling to explain how a place can simultaneously make you feel so small and so expanded. How standing at the rim of that ancient chasm fills you with both fear and invincibility. This place feels so wild and full of unending adventure, yet so very approachable.
I feel as though I just ate a sampling platter of all that this part of the country has to offer. An invitation to come back and experience the many full meals that the Gorge and the surrounding region has to offer. There are countless trails up and down the Gorge waiting to be explored. The River itself is famous for rafting, split between the more family-friendly Upper New River, and the more intense Lower New River featuring Class IV rapids. And the ancient sandstone cliffs, rising upwards of a thousand feet in some areas, are a Mecca for rock-climbing.
I cannot recommend this Park enough to any, and all, types of explorers. It truly has something for everyone, and endless opportunities to delight those who love adventure.
What To Know
Location: Southern West Virginia, North of the Blue Ridge Mountains (Google Maps)
Best Time of Year to Visit New River Gorge? I went in early May, and while the temps were ever so slightly on the cool side, I can’t imagine a better time of year to go. The trees were green, the air clear, and it felt hard to work up a sweat. I’d have to imagine that the Fall is also great with the changing leaves through the Gorge.
How Long Does it Take to Visit New River Gorge? This National Park is a sprawling choose-your-own adventure Park and its up to you how long you spend here. The rafting that I looked into had half day, full day, and overnight options. The trails are endless too, and I bet the camping is awesome. If nothing else, head to the visitors center near the bridge to at least get in some great pictures from above the Gorge and think about doing the Bridge Walk.
Where to stay near New River Gorge? Fayetteville is the closest town, and has some great spots to eat.
How Much does it Cost to Visit New River Gorge? Free! There is no fee to enter New River Gorge National Park.
Is New River Gorge kid-friendly? Very, especially if your kids are up for some adventure. The Bridge Walk, white river rafting, and the numerous zip-line outfitters in the area are ideal for active kids.