The Essential Guide to New River Gorge National Park

"It's a sprawling, free-to-visit park that follows 53 miles of the New River across roughly 70,000 acres and was designated the newest U.S. national park in December 2020. The gorge is billed as one of the longest and deepest in the Appalachians, dominated by the 876-foot-high New River Gorge Bridge (one of the longest single-span steel arch bridges in the Western Hemisphere); while the bridge isn't open to pedestrians year-round, you can book a guided walk on the maintenance catwalk or visit on Bridge Day (the third Saturday in October) when it's open to pedestrians and base jumpers. The park is excellent for whitewater rafting and hiking—spring brings dense rhododendron blooms, fall offers spectacular foliage, and late summer/early fall includes “Gauley Season” when the nearby dam releases make for world-class rafting. Plan ahead by checking the park map and visitor-center hours (Thurmond Depot and Grandview are seasonal; Canyon Rim and Sandstone are generally open daily), use the free NPS app for self-guided tours, and note that many campsites are first-come, first-served, some roads are narrow for large campers, and the park contains a variety of trails from the easy, river-paralleling Southside Trail to Grandview Rim Trail for river overlooks and the strenuous, history-rich Kaymoor Miners Trail." - Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brands and online publications—with a particular focus on travel, fashion, and lifestyle. She’s also the founder of the travel site justpacked.com.  Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines