![]() It’s an awesome view, to look straight down at the New River and to feel the vibrations as tractor trailer trucks drive by overhead. They last about 3 hours and for half of this time, you walk from one end of the bridge to the other, on a 24 inch wide catwalk. For one of the most thrilling experiences in the park, you can walk on the catwalk that is located 25 feet below the bridge. The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the highest bridges in the USA. To get to the lower overlook, you will walk down 178 steps (and later, back up), but it’s worth it if you want a better view of the New River Gorge Bridge. These include Hawks Nest State Park and Babcock State Park. Outside of the national park boundary are several other notable sights to visit. Located at the southern end of the park, not only can you visit this waterfall but you can also go on another scenic drive and visit the historic town of Hinton. If you want to see the most impressive waterfall in the park, put Sandstone Falls on your list of things to do in New River Gorge National Park. With a nice view of the New River and two of the best hiking trails in the park, this is a great place to spend half of a day in New River Gorge National Park. With one overlook and a “ghost town” that is a bit out of the way, this is the area that I think is skippable, unless you have lots of time and/or an interest in the history of the area. South of Canyon Rim is Thurmond Historic District. If you only have one day in New River Gorge National Park, this is a great place to spend your time. Located at the north end of New River Gorge National Park, this is where you will find New River Gorge Bridge, numerous hiking and biking trails, one very scenic drive (Fayette Station Road), and several historic coal mining sights. This is one of the main areas of the park. On December 27, 2020, it was officially designated as a national park. ![]() New River Gorge was first a national river. At New River Gorge National Park, on the list of things to do are visits to these old settlements and towns, once a vital part of West Virginia’s economy. There is a long history of coal mining along the New River. Now, motorists can cross the gorge in less than a minute. Prior to construction of the bridge, the only way to cross the gorge was on a winding, narrow road that took 45 minutes to drive. Constructed on October 22, 1977, this bridge is one of the most photographed sights in West Virginia. The New River is also one of the few rivers in the USA that flows from south to north.Ĭrossing the gorge is the New River Gorge Bridge. The Nile River (in Africa) and the Colorado River (the river which carved out the Grand Canyon) are also on the list but are considerably younger than the New River. On the list of oldest rivers in the world are the Susquehanna (in the mid-Atlantic region of the USA), the Finke (in Australia), and the Meuse (in Europe). There is some debate among geologists about the age of this river, with estimates ranging between 3 to 360 million years. Interesting Facts about New River Gorge National Parkĭespite its name, the New River is one of the oldest rivers on the continent, if not the world.
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