New River Gorge National Park is located in the mountains of West Virginia. I’ll be honest. I didn’t have high hopes for this park. However, this park blew me away with it’s beauty and it became my favorite of the three national parks I visited on my East Coast road trip. In fact, New River Gorge National Park ranks pretty high on my list of favorite national parks (that I’ve visited so far). So, I had to write about the best things to do and provide a New River Gorge one day itinerary.
There is a lot to do in the area, beyond just the national park. However, the focus this article on the best things to do at New River Gorge National Park. I’ll cover some basic information about the park, the top sights, and a suggested itinerary for one day in New River Gorge National Park. Plus, you’ll get some of my thoughts from my own trip to New River Gorge.
Best Things to Do at New River Gorge National Park
New River Gorge National Park is broken up into different sections and so is this post. I’ll focus on the Canyon Rim, Grandview, and Sandstone Falls areas of New River Gorge National Park. At the end, I’ll cover a New River Gorge one day itinerary. But first, it makes sense to cover the highlights.
Canyon Rim
New River Gorge is incredibly visible here. This is also where so many of the iconic views of the park can be found. You’ll also find New River Gorge Bridge here, which spans the entire length of the gorge. This was the area we spent most of our time and I have no regrets. This area is home to some of the top experiences in the park.
Whether you are putting together a New River Gorge one day itinerary or you’re planning to spend a few days here, you have to stop at the Canyon Rim area. It’s my favorite of the entire park.
Bridge Walk
Although we didn’t do this (we didn’t have the time), one of the coolest things you can do is sign up for a tour which takes you on a guided walk across (under) the bridge. You’ll be strapped in for safety and while it looks amazing, we just didn’t have the time to do this. One day I want to go back to this park and this activity is definitely on the top of my list.
Endless Wall Trail
I recently saw an article that voted this the best hiking trail in West Virginia. I’m not sure if I would say that, but it was a great trail that took us into the woods and to some great views of the New River Gorge. I’d say if you’re short on time and only have one day at New River Gorge, this is the best hike to do (although my mom would disagree–keep reading).
On this hike I logged 3 miles and 374 feet of elevation change over one and a half hours. Note that this trail is only listed as 2.3 miles, so I’m not quite sure what went wrong with my tracker.
There are two different parking lots for this trail and you can use either one. This trail does make a loop, but I do not recommend it. To complete the loop, you do a short road walk. We did the road walk and did not feel safe. The cars didn’t seem to pay attention or care about people walking along the edge of the road. Instead, once you the Diamond Point Overlook (which is the highlight of this hike), turn around and retrace your steps.
Long Point Trail
Overall, this is not an exciting trail and I think the Endless Wall Trail is better. However, the highlight is the viewpoint at the end of this out and back trail. We had a crystal clear day and were treated to excellent views of the New River Gorge Bridge. The main portion of the trail feels monotonous but the views at the end of the trail make it worth it.
This trail is listed as 3.0 miles, but I logged 3.4 miles and 400 feet of elevation change over an hour and a half.
Fayette Station Road
This is a scenic drive that will take you down into the gorge and under the bridge several times. It’s a fun drive and only takes about 45 minutes (although it may take longer if you make a lot of stops). I love a scenic drive, so this was a highlight of my one day at New River Gorge.
To make the most of your experience, download the audio guide from the National Park Service before you begin your drive.
Grandview
Grandview is located about a half hour drive away from the Canyon Rim area of New River Gorge National Park. While there are less things to do here, there’s two things you should really check out.
Grandview Overlook
As long as you have a clear day, this is totally worth it. We visited the overlook at the end of our first day and had jaw dropping views. The second day (when we came back to do the Castle Rock Trail), it had completely clouded over. We couldn’t see anything.
Castle Rock Trail
This trail is fun and was my mom’s favorite at New River Gorge National Park. We had a foggy day, but I’d imagine that if you did this on a clearer day, it’d be even better. You’ll likely get some peaks at Grandview as you’re hiking. This trail also leads you into the forest and along the rocks for an overall fun hike.
This trail is listed as 1.1 miles, but I logged 1.5 miles and 256 feet of elevation change over 45 minutes.
Sandstone Falls
Another half hour south east of Grandview is Sandstone Falls. While the views feel less epic here compared to other sections of New River Gorge National Park, I think a visit here can still be worth your time. That said you may need more than one day at New River Gorge.
Brooks Overlooks
If you’re coming from Grandview like we were, these are the first two overlooks you’ll pass. While I don’t think it’s necessary to stop at both, you should definitely stop at one to take in the views.
Sandstone Falls Overlook
This takes just a bit of walking, but you’ll get some nice views of waterfalls. These aren’t the massive waterfalls that you may be picturing in your head, but it’s still beautiful. The boardwalk will take you out to a few different views of the falls.
At Sandstone Falls, you’ll also find a short loop trail. This trail did not impress me and I recommend sticking to the boardwalk when you visit.
How Much Time Do You Need?
The amount of time you need really comes down to whether or not you intend to do the Bridge Walk. If you have no plans to do the Bridge Walk, you can cover a lot of ground with one day at New River Gorge. However, a day and a half is preferable so you can go at a little more relaxed pace.
If you intend to do the Bridge Walk, you’ll want a minimum of two days at New River Gorge. This gives you plenty of time to do everything listed in this article, plus the half day needed for the Bridge Walk. And you might even end up with a little extra time to add in something else.
Keep in mind, this area is a bit of a tourist hub in the West Virginia mountains, so there are still a lot of activities outside the park that can keep you busy for even longer.
One Day in New River Gorge
For those with limited time, here’s what I recommend for a New River Gorge one day itinerary. This covers all of the highlights (although there’s still more to do outside of this itinerary if you have more time).
9:00 – Endless Wall Trail
11:00 – Long Point Trail
12:30 – A Break for Lunch – You’ll be near Fayetteville, WV which as numerous options for lunch.
1:30 – Fayette Station Road
2:15 – Drive to Grandview
3:15 – Grandview Overlook
3:20 – Castle Rock Trail
4:15 – Head back to your hotel and get some dinner.
Optional add on: If you still want to do more, you can head to Sandstone Falls, which is another 45 minutes down the highway. Just keep in mind that if you drive to Sandstone Falls, you’ll also have to drive back, and that could be as much as 45 minutes to Sandstone Falls and an hour back to your hotel.
What I Did
My mom and I had a day and a half at New River Gorge National Park. We followed the New River Gorge one day itinerary listed above through the Grandview Overlook. However, skipped the Castle Rock Trail (as I was still recovering from a hiking injury). On day 2, we returned to Grandview and hiked the Castle Rock Trail before heading to Sandstone Falls. From Sandstone Falls, we left West Virginia and kept heading south to the next stop on our road trip.
Getting Around and Basic Information
New River Gorge National Park is set up differently than most other national parks in the United States. The park is broken up into sections and it can be difficult to know whether or not you are actually in the park. Because of this, you’ll need a car to get around. There are no shuttles.
Entrance to New River Gorge is free. You will not pass any entrance stations. If you want a map, make sure to stop at one of the visitor centers.
When To Go
New River Gorge National Park can be visited all year round, but some times are better than others. In general, visiting between April and October is the best time. Just keep in mind that summers are the busiest so you’ll likely be sharing trails and those awesome views with many other travelers.
We went in the first week of October and I’d say this is a great time to go. Basically anytime in fall is a great time to go as you’ll get glimpses of fall colors. Trees line the gorge and seeing the bright reds, oranges, and yellows was beautiful. Additionally, we found the crowds to be minimal.
Where To Stay
Beckley, WV is a great hub for exploring New River Gorge National Park. This is where we stayed on our visit. It worked out well because we weren’t ever further than a thirty minute drive to what we wanted to do. However, if you only are only planning to visit Canyon Rim, you could consider staying near Fayetteville as this will be closer to your activities.
Final Thoughts
I loved New River Gorge National Park. I didn’t know what to expect, but the scenery was incredible (also helped by the fact we visited Shenandoah National Park prior to New River Gorge and had crappy weather at Shenandoah). With one day at New River Gorge, you can see a lot, but you won’t see everything. Because there is so much to do here, the more time you can give yourself, the better.
Continue Your Adventure
For More Epic Canyons: If you’re looking for more epic views and hiking through canyons in the United States, consider a visit to Grand Canyon National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, or Bryce Canyon National Park.
Virginia: If you’re already in the area, consider swinging through Virginia. Visit Shenandoah National Park or tour Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.
Itineraries: We visited New River Gorge on a road trip from Washington DC to Savannah, GA.
New River Gorge is a beautiful, newer national park that is well worth the visit. I’ll agree with Kristen in saying it’s one of my favorite parks so far!