Given our chosen website name, it should come as no surprise that we hold Appalachia near to our hearts. Having both grown up in the heart of Appalachia, exploring its beauty is always a special time for us. In July of 2023, we had the opportunity to explore New River Gorge (NRG) located in Southern West Virginia.
New River Gorge National Park is the newest national park and should be on your bucket list! NRG is America’s 63rd national park. Visiting NRG is absolutely free. At this time, there are no entrance fees for the park. A few days in NRG and you’ll quickly begin to realize why West Virginia is nicknamed “Almost Heaven.”
The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land with beautiful Appalachian mountains and gorges. One of the most famous features of NRG is the NRG bridge which holds the title for the third-longest single-arch bridge in the world. The New River Gorge Bridge is 3,030 feet long and is located over the second oldest river on earth. It’s safe to say that viewing the New River Gorge Bridge was one of the highlights of our trip and there are several ways you can do that!
New River Gorge hosts a list of activities to keep you busy during your trip. These activities can range from white water rafting to taking a guided tour under the famous bridge. We came to the area for the hiking and we were not disappointed! We also avoided strenuous activities as I was 24 weeks pregnant during the trip!
Starting your trip at Canyon Rim Visitors Center is a great idea. The visitors center provides information about the park and features historical and educational information about the area. Not only does the area provide information about the area and Appalachian life, but it also features some jaw-dropping views! Here, you can get a close-up view of the NRG Bridge and the ancient river. To get this close-up view, be sure to check out the Canyon Rim Boardwalk. This .01-mile trek is somewhat strenuous as you hike down several flights of wooden stairs. Be sure to remember that the hike back up the stairs can be somewhat difficult!
Hiking
The best part of national parks are the hikes… at least in our opinion. The boost of serotonin that nature gives you is unmatched. During our weekend trip, we hit the best trails to give you several different views of the natural beauty of West Virginia.
Long Point Trail
Our favorite hike was easily Long Point Trail. This 3.0 mile out and back trail provides you with a spectacular view of the famous NRG bridge from afar. This overlook of the bridge is quite different than a close-up view that you would get at Canyon Rim Boardwalk. Each of these views are well worth the effort of viewing them. Our favorite part of Long Point Trail was the hike itself. You traverse through the Appalachian terrain, first starting on a gravel path through a lush forest and ending up on top of the mountains. You can connect Long Point Trail with several other trails in the area. This trail is considered an easy route.
Grandview Overlook
If you view any overlook during this trip, make sure to check out Grandview Overlook.
This place seriously lives up to its name, making it a fan favorite of the region! While any area is breathtaking to view this natural wonder, we found the trails at the end of Castle Rock Trail lead us to the best overlook. Take the time to walk around the area and check out the amazing views.
Castle Rock Trail
Castle Rock Trail is a 0.6-mile one-way trail that is considered moderately challenging to strenuous due to drop-offs and uneven footing. The trail begins near Main Overlook and ends where it intersects with Grandview Rim Trail which is approximately a 0.5-mile trek from Main Overlook. In total, we hiked a little over a mile as we checked out the Grandview Rim Trail to catch some amazing views of the river!
Parking
I feel like I spend a huge amount of time trying to find out where to park to hike these awesome trails. One of my favorite parts of NRG was the ease and accessibility of trailheads and parking. Unlike many times on our travels, parking was not a concern. I simply typed each trail name into the GPS and we arrived at every trailhead with plenty of parking spaces available. Might I add this was during the dead of Summer, one of the busiest times of the year?! So, if you are like me and you plan for parking… because let’s be honest, we do this because we’ve been burned before… that’s not a concern here! Another important tidbit is that parking is free!!
Where to Stay
There are so many amazing places to stay in the area. We elected to rent a riverfront cottage as we intended to enjoy some fishing in the area while there. We rented with Cindy through Airbnb and stayed in the Fayetteville area.
Where to Eat
We enjoyed so many great meals while on this weekend trip. We want to highlight our favorites. Our favorite breakfast was at Cathedral café. We enjoyed delicious coffee and blackberry-stuffed French toast. The highlight? The blackberries were locally picked. Not only was the food delicious but the café was a beautiful place to dine with a very cool aesthetic. Our favorite dinner was at the Historic Glen Ferris Inn. Our favorite part wasn’t the food… it was the views of the river and Kanawha Falls while you dined. Of course, no trip is complete without some desert and we truly enjoyed our ice cream at The Stache.
We hope you have found this blog helpful and it has inspired you in your planning of New River Gorge National Park! Reach out to us on Instagram, which you can find on this website, if you have any follow-up questions about this trip. We are more than happy to talk to you about any of the trips we have taken! We would LOVE to hear from you. Safe travels y’all! -Justin & Caitlin