2 days of a deep gorge, a steel arch bridge and a mountain town

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   Morning

   Babcock State Park

   A state park on the gorge with trails, a lake and the Glade Creek Grist Mill, a replica of an older mill completed in 1976 from parts of three other mills. Look at it by the stream, and ask whether the park sells cornmeal or buckwheat flour from it. Trails can be wet and steep, so wear shoes with a good grip, and check ahead on the road.

   Go when Morning, when the light is soft on the stream.

   Local tip The mill sits beside Glade Creek, and the trails near it can be wet and slick. Ask at the park whether cornmeal or buckwheat flour is for sale, and check ahead on the road, which climbs and bends.

   

   About 27 min by car or transit7.5 mi
2. 2
   Midday

   New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

   The national park and preserve, set aside in 1978 as a national river and renamed in 2020. It stretches in a long ribbon along the river from near Hinton to Hawks Nest. This stop is a point in the lower gorge, where the old railroad town of Thurmond stands by the water. The road down is narrow, so check ahead on the road and the weather. Whitewater rafting and rock climbing are done here with licensed guides, so check ahead on river levels and the season.

   Go when Midday, with a full day ahead of you.

   Local tip The gorge is long and the roads down are narrow, so decide on one area and take your time. River levels, heat and ice change what is safe, so check ahead on the road and the weather. Rafting and climbing need a licensed guide where it is required.

   

   About 1 h 3 min by car36.4 mi
3. 3
   Midday

   Lewisburg

   The county seat of Greenbrier County, in a valley to the east. Its historic district holds old log, stone and brick buildings from the late 1700s onward. Walk the streets with an eye on the details, and look into the shops. A pleasant place to end the trip.

   Go when Midday, then again at the end of the day (about 6:47 PM).

   Local tip Walk the streets of the historic district slowly. Look at the doorways and the stonework, and read the plaques. It is a good place to buy apple butter and a few small gifts.

   

   About 1 h by car33.7 mi
4. 4
   Afternoon

   Grandview

   A part of the national park on the southern rim, with an overlook over a bend of the river and trails through the woods. Trails near the edge can be steep and rocky, so wear shoes with a good grip and keep back from the cliff. It is a long drive from the rim at Fayetteville, so check ahead on the road.

   Go when Afternoon into evening (about 6:47 PM), as the light softens on the river.

   Local tip Walk to the overlook and back, and add a trail only if your legs are fresh. Trails near the cliff are rocky and steep in places, so keep back from the edge. It is a long drive from Fayetteville, so check ahead on the road.

5. Dinner

   Fried trout

   Trout rolled in cornmeal and fried until crisp, a dish of the mountain streams, served with greens and potatoes.

   Local tip Watch for small bones, and squeeze lemon over it before the first bite.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from GrandviewAbout 44 min by car20.5 mi

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 1
   Morning

   Hawks Nest State Park

   A state park near Ansted with a clifftop overlook on the highway, high over the New River. It lies at the north end of the national park. A building of the Civilian Conservation Corps holds a museum and a shop. The tunnel that runs beneath nearby Gauley Mountain was the scene of the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster in the Depression, an industrial tragedy that killed many workers, so read the exhibits with respect. Check ahead on what is open.

   Go when Morning, when the air over the river is clear.

   Local tip Take in the overlook on the highway first, then step into the museum building. The tunnel disaster of the Depression is part of the story here, told with care, so read it with respect. Check ahead on what is open.

   

   About 22 min by car or transit5.6 mi
3. 2
   Morning

   Endless Wall Trail

   A rim trail that follows a long sandstone cliff above the New River, with views over the gorge from the edge. The ground is rocky and uneven, and the cliff has no barrier in places, so keep back from the edge and keep children close. Wear shoes with a good grip, and check ahead on the trail and the weather.

   Go when Morning, once the trail is dry and before the day warms up.

   Local tip Keep back from the cliff edge, which has no barrier in places, and keep children and dogs close. The rock is uneven and slick when wet, so wear shoes with a good grip, and check ahead on the trail and the weather.

4. Lunch

   Pepperoni rolls

   A West Virginia bread roll baked around pepperoni, a snack carried by miners for their lunch. Soft, a little greasy and easy to carry on a trail.

   Local tip Buy a couple warm from a bakery or a gas station case, and eat them with a cold drink.

   About 23 min walk1.1 mi
5. 3
   MiddayIndoor

   Canyon Rim Visitor Center

   The visitor center of the national park on the rim, beside the bridge. Ask a ranger about trails, river levels and road conditions for your days. A boardwalk with stairs leads to a view of the bridge, so check ahead on the steps if stairs are hard for you. Rafting, climbing and bridge walks are offered by licensed guides in the gorge, so ask here, and check ahead.

   Go when Late morning, to plan the day.

   Local tip Ask a ranger about trails, river levels and the roads before you head out. If you want a guided rafting, climbing or bridge walk, ask which ones need a licensed guide, and check ahead on dates.

   About 8 min walk0.4 mi
6. 4
   Afternoon

   New River Gorge Bridge

   A steel arch bridge, 3,030 feet long, that carries a highway over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville. For years it was the longest single-span arch bridge in the world. Look at it from the rim and from below if you can. Guided walks under the roadway exist, with a licensed guide, so check ahead.

   Go when Afternoon, when the light falls along the gorge (about 6:47 PM).

   Local tip Look at it from the rim first, then from the park trails below if you have the energy. The trails down are steep and have many stairs, so take water and check ahead on what is open. Guided walks under the roadway need a licensed guide.

   

7. Dinner

   Soup beans and cornbread

   A pot of slow-cooked pinto beans, often with ham, served with a wedge of cornbread, a plain mountain supper that warms you after a day of walking.

   Local tip Eat the beans with a spoon, and crumble the cornbread into the bowl, as many people do.