New River Gorge was designated as a National Park in 2020, and it is the newest one, bumping the number up to 63. Nestled in the mountains of West Virginia, with a stunning gorge, lots of hiking trails, and some of the most unique activities to do on the East Coast. It’s a fun gem you don’t want to miss!

For camping, you can’t actually camp in the park, so we suggest camping in nearby Babcock State Park. It is an amazing little campground, and we loved our stay there. You’ll probably want 3-4 days to stay at Babcock to camp, allowing you to see everything in the park.

Summer in the New River Gorge is incredibly beautiful, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. It wasn’t too crowded, and we found ourselves barely passing people while we hiked. We visited in mid-August and found the weather to be great as well.

Hikes

Grandview Rim Trail: This 3.5-mile trail is marked as moderate on AllTrails due to a long set of stairs leading to the overlook. We loved this trail because it offers the most stunning views of the gorge below.

Endless Wall Trail: This is a 5.5-mile-long trail, but you can cut it in half by turning around at the Diamond Point overlook. This is a moderate hike, with around 500 feet of elevation change.

Long Point Trail: This 3.1-mile-long trail is rated as easy and once again offers stunning views of the gorge, as well as the famous view of the bridge spanning the water.

Canyon Rim Boardwalk and Lower Canyon Rim Trail: This is a very easy hike. I’d actually call it more of a walk. It features boardwalks and is approximately 150 steps long, making it the perfect trail for people of all ages. It is only 0.4 miles to get to the two different platforms to view the bridge up close.

Sandstone Falls: This was also a favorite spot on our walk. Easy and a boardwalk the entire way, this walk takes you along the river by some beautiful waterfalls. When we walked this trail, we actually saw a few kittens curled up sleeping. It was so sweet! This boardwalk was easy to walk on and wide enough for multiple people to walk side by side.

There are so many beautiful trails to hike, but these were our favorites! Other activities for which New River Gorge is famous include white water rafting, mountain biking, fishing, and exploring historic old mining towns like Thurmond. The most famous, though? The bridge walk!

New River Gorge Bridge Walk

If you want a thrilling adventure, look no further than booking your walk on the bridge with Adventures on the Gorge. It takes 2 hours, so plan to allocate most of your morning or afternoon to it. Pricing starts at $79 a person. You must be at least 8 to do this, and not afraid of heights! If you aren’t, enjoy an incredible activity walking along the beams of the bridge over the gorge!

Planning a trip to another National Park? Check out this blog post for planning a trip to Maine and Acadia. Read this guide on how to secure your 2026 National Park Pass before your adventures! And if you’re planning a trip to a national park, drop a comment below about which one and we’ll send you one of our blogs or guides!

Happy adventuring!

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