New River Gorge National Park Know Before You Go: First Timer’s Edition

New River Gorge is America’s newest national park, inducted in 2020. This park’s main attraction is the New River, which the park’s 70,000 acres surrounds. It features whitewater rafting, hiking, climbing and the New River Gorge Bridge.

Stay tuned if you’re looking to plan a trip to West Virginia’s national park in person. I’ve got you covered with everything you need to know before you go for the first time and can’t wait to share all my tips.

Looking for other parks in the area? Check out Shenandoah National Park.

Getting There

New River Gorge National Park is located in Lansing, West Virginia. It’s about two hours from Roanoke, Virginia. The park is accessible via Route 19 or I-64 by car. I would recommend driving, if possible as the nearest airport is in Charleston, WV (roughly an hour away). Plus given the park’s size, having your own car makes traversing the park much easier.

Accommodation

New River Gorge National Park stretches 53 miles long. The towns of Hinton, Fayetteville, and Beckley boarder the park. There are plenty of hotels close to the park, but it always helps to pick one close to where you’re hiking to cut down on travel time. If camping is more your thing, the park offers a couple primitive camping sites throughout the park. Make sure you know what your plans are for any overnights.

Hikes

There is never enough time to fit in all the hikes you want to do. Just remember to leave no trace.

The Endless Wall Trail (northern section) is a 2.8 mile hike that can be done as a loop or out-and-back. The “Endless Wall,” a wall of sandstone, is what the hike is most known for. The outlook offers great views of the river.

The Canyon Rim Boardwalk (northern section) is an easy walk with a great view of the bridge. There are about 200 stairs to climb down and back.

Don’t miss the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk (southern section). It leads to the largest waterfall on the New River, spanning 1500 feet across.

Tips

New River Gorge National Park is free (no park pass required)! If you’re looking to see fall foliage, I would head out in October. I was there in September, and there wasn’t much color.

The third Saturday of October is Bridge Day. The park has vendors, BASE jumping, food stands and more. It’s the largest single-day festival in West Virginia!

As this is the newest national park, bathrooms and parking were plentiful, which I have not always found to be the case at National Parks.

Next to visit are the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina or Cuyahoga Valley in Ohio. Let me know below if you’ve ever been to either and what hikes are a must for a first trip!