New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
Exploring this 70,000 acre national park full of impressive views around the New River
USA
On our journey through West Virginia we stopped at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. This park is located in the stunning Appalachian region of West Virginia. The park is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, featuring dramatic cliffs, lush forests, and the iconic New River, which carves through the gorge.
The parks one way loop road provides access to scenic overlooks. We particularly enjoyed the views from the Endless Wall Trail. The park is also famous for the New River Gorge Bridge, one of the highest vehicular bridges in the country, providing a spectacular vantage point for photography and sightseeing.
We started our journey through the park at the southern end at the Sandstone falls boardwalk.
Next we went to the New River Gorge Bridge Overlook. This was a short well maintained path down to several viewing platforms. Looking to the right you were met with the iconic Steel Arch Bridge that spans the valley below forming part of highway 19.
Looking to the left from the viewing platform you can see the Tunney Hunsaker Bridge at the very bottom of the valley. This bridge forms part of the Fayette Station Road which is the one way road.
We drove down and felt that the road provides you with the ability to connect with the valley through the windy switchbacks. We parked in a small parking area just past the bridge and walked back where this span provides another angle to see the New River Gorge Bridge.
We found the Sandstone Falls Boardwalk to be an easy loop hike that provides several viewing angles of the falls. The falls are not tall but wide and cascade gently over the rock.
The trail provides additional information boards detailing the local area. Aliya enjoyed some of the rugged rocky paths just off the wood boardwalk where you could get closer to the water and spot more insects and fish.
After taking in the Sandstone Falls we journeyed further north to The Grand View. This is a short hike down a ridge to a lookout point over a large bend in the river.
From this viewpoint you are able to spot many of the key mountains surrounding the New River such as Garden Ground Mountain, Highland Mountain, Sewell Mountain, Hump Mountain, and Plumley Mountain.
As well along the far bank of the river you can spot the CSX Railway line. This is a major freight and passenger rail corridor in West Virginia with coal being a main commodity moved along its rails.
The Endless Wall Trail with a stop at Diamond Point Overlook was our next hike. The trail was a little rocky with roots and some mud as it had recently rained. The views at the Diamond Point Overlook were very spectacular and we even spotted some rock climbers making their way up the vertical rock faces.
Whether you're looking to explore its rugged terrains or simply relax in its serene environment, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve is a true gem of West Virginia.
The park's diverse ecosystems and large variety of landscapes and hiking make it a year-round destination. New River Gorge National Park & Preserve is a must-visit destination for anyone looking to experience the great outdoors. Happy Exploring!
Our last hike of the day was the Kaymoor mine trail. The Kaymoor mine was one of the largest coal mine complexes in the valley. To explore the mine you hike down to the bench which has some very unique artifacts about worker safety.
To explore the entire area we then descended down wooden staircases with over 800 steps to the Kaymoor Bottom area. Be sure to give yourself enough time, heading back up loaded with gear it took us about 30 minutes. Aliya caught a ride in the backpack up the stairs until the very last few steps where she decided to help out and hike up the last section.
