New River Gorge Itinerary: The Perfect 6-Day National Park Trip

Planning a New River Gorge itinerary? You’ve picked one of the most underrated national parks in the country, and one of our personal favorites.

Designated as a national park in 2020, New River Gorge sits in the heart of West Virginia and packs an extraordinary variety of experiences into one destination. Think world-class hiking, a ghost town frozen in time, one of the most dramatic cliffside hikes in the Mid-Atlantic, and a bridge walk 851 feet above the New River that you will genuinely never forget.

Six days is the perfect amount of time to explore all four sections of the park: Northern, Middle, Southern, and the areas around Fayetteville, without feeling rushed. We drove 4 hours from home, made Fayetteville our base for the entire trip, and came away wishing we had more time.

Here’s exactly how to plan your New River Gorge National Park itinerary, day by day.

Best Time to Visit New River Gorge National Park

There isn’t a bad time to visit New River Gorge National Park, except maybe in the winter. That being said, if you can get there with snow on the ground, it will be spectacular!

• Summer in West Virginia brings heat and humidity. The mosquitoes and ticks are out in full force, and you could be in store for a severe thunderstorm.
• Fall in West Virginia brings cool, crisp weather and amazing color. Yellow, orange, red, and green foliage will make for an unforgettable trip. Why else would Bridge Day be planned for October?!
• Winter brings cold conditions with bare trees and a chance for snow.
• Spring is cold and cool as well. Temperatures for hiking are perfect, but the leaves may not be out if you go too early.

We traveled here in July. The weather was hot and humid. Thunderstorms were common in the evening, and the mosquitoes were out in full force! Our home is located 4 hours from Fayetteville, WV, by car, so we made this our home base for the entire trip. It worked out great.

For the best weather to hike and explore, we recommend visiting anytime from May through October.

New River Gorge Itinerary at a Glance

The map above shows a numbered itinerary outlining the order of stops, along with our recommended hikes and activities in New River Gorge. Each day/section of the park is color-coded, providing a helpful visual overview of your route!

How Much Does A Trip To New River Gorge Cost?

Wondering how much a trip like this can cost you? Here are some details. Our cost breakdown is based on our trip here in 2022, so costs have likely increased. This section includes most of the major costs except for food and gas.

If you skip all the tours and are within proximity to drive to this park, you can have a pretty awesome and cheap vacation! Flights and rental cars are variable, so check prices and rebook if you can.

Planning Your New River Gorge National Park Itinerary

Getting there

The closest commercial airport is West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston, WV, which is about 1 hour from Fayetteville. It’s a small regional airport, so direct flights can be limited depending on where you’re coming from.

If you can’t find a reasonable fare into Charleston, don’t worry, several larger hub airports put you within a manageable drive. Pittsburgh International is about 2.5 hours away, Washington Dulles is roughly 3 hours, and Charlotte Douglas is about 3.5 hours.

We drove 4 hours from home and honestly didn’t think twice about it. The drive through the West Virginia mountains on the way in is beautiful and gets you in the right headspace for the trip.

Need To Know

• Entrance to this park is FREE!
• Get to ALL trailheads as early as you can. This park is not nearly as busy as Grand Canyon National Park, but small parking areas at some of the most popular trails may fill up very fast! (Endless Wall, Long Point)
• The park is split up into different “sections” – Lansing and Fayetteville, Nutallburg, Arrowhead Trails, Thurmond, Grandview, Glade Creek, and Sandstone.
  • New River Gorge is a large park and will require you to drive some distance to reach different sections of the park. Drive times can be up to 1 hour+. Some roads are gravel, narrow, winding, and/or steep. In some cases, roads might be 1 lane, and you will need to be prepared to back up if you can’t pull aside.
• Bring bug spray and be prepared for mosquitoes and ticks. Both are present in and around New River Gorge National Park. Tick-borne illness can be serious. Learn how to protect yourself and your family here.
• When out and about enjoying nature, please be sure to follow the principles of Leave No Trace.

Rental Car

We usually book our rental car super early as a pay later option. If you do this, you can continuously check the prices before your trip. If the price is lower than when you booked, cancel for free and rebook for the lower price! Most major rental car companies have free cancellation on pay later bookings, but always check the fine print.

Make sure to take a video of the outside AND inside of the car before you leave the rental car lot. This will save you from any damage claims made by the rental car company after your return. We know from a very bad experience on this!

Please don’t off-road at any point during your visit unless you have the proper vehicle. A 4X4 or all-wheel drive is not necessary at most of the places in New River Gorge, but a higher clearance may help you get off the beaten path.

🚙 If you are looking for a rental car, check out Booking.com or visit Expedia to compare prices and options for your trip.

What About White Water Rafting?

Let’s be upfront, we are hikers, not rafters. So while white water rafting is not part of our New River Gorge itinerary, we’d be doing you a disservice not to mention it.

The New River is one of the most legendary white water destinations in the world, drawing rafters from across the country to tackle everything from beginner-friendly floats to Class V rapids in the Lower Gorge. If rafting is on your bucket list, there is genuinely no better place to check it off.

Several outfitters operate right out of Fayetteville, and guided half-day and full-day trips are easy to slot into this itinerary — especially on Day 1 or Day 6 when the hiking schedule is lighter. Check out this tour option from Viator and book ahead during peak season.

Day 1 – Travel Day, Fayetteville & The Bridge Trail

First, Day 1 is a travel day to get you closer to New River Gorge National Park if you aren’t already. We are within 4 hours of the park, so this was a great park to visit as a road trip. Who doesn’t love a good road trip? This may look different for you depending on where you are located, but we always try to include our travel days in our itineraries so you know exactly what you’ll need to plan for.

🚗 Depending on when you arrive, there are a few options for activities. To learn more, check out our post on some things to do here.

As part of your travel day, we recommend exploring Fayetteville, WV. Fayetteville has plenty of small-town charm that will get your trip started off in the right direction.

Walk through the historic downtown and explore what the area has to offer. Visit the local shops to discover unique souvenirs, outdoor gear, art, and more. Additionally, find one of the many local eateries for a delicious bite to eat. Don’t forget to stop for ice cream!

🚣🏽‍♀️ The area is also home to many other activities as well. If you are looking to do some white water rafting, this is a great place! Check out the options below from GetYourGuide.

If you want to complete a nice short hike on your travel day, head to the Bridge Trail. This is a super short trail that actually travels underneath the New River Gorge Bridge for a different perspective.

If you are lucky, you might even see some folks completing the Bridge Walk. We’ll talk more about that later. To complete this hike, first, park in the lot on Fayette Station Road. Walk up the hill 3/4 of a mile to reach the bridge.

Part of this trail is steep, so be prepared for that. Once you complete this portion of the hike, turn around and return to your car the same way you came in. You do have the option to continue on the trail, but as an out-and-back hike, you will need to return the way you came.

📖 Read more about New River Gorge: Things to Do in Fayetteville, WV

Day 2 – Trails of Lansing and Fayetteville (Northern)

How did we choose the hikes for our New River Gorge Itinerary? We try to do the most research on possible options around and hit up the best bang for your buck or unique hike. On day two, you will hike some of the best trails that New River Gorge National Park has to offer.

First, take a morning hike on the Long Point Trail. This trail offers one of the best views of the bridge. It’s mostly flat but very popular!

Second, take a hike on the Endless Wall Trail. This is definitely one of our favorite hikes in the park. View the gorge from Diamond Point, and enjoy a nice hike through the woods. This is also a mostly flat hike and there is an option to turn it into a loop if you hike along the road.

Next, it’s time to get off the beaten path on a one-lane, narrow road with a visit to the Nuttallburg Coal Trail. If time allows in your day, visit this old mining site, complete with old coal mining machinery.

Finally, visit the Kaymoor Miners Trail, but beware, this one is steep! With 800 stairs down to the abandoned site, this is one you might want to skip. We hiked down to the coal mine and only went down the stairs about 1/4 the way, as it was getting late in the day.

🥾 Here are more details on the Long Point and the Endless Wall Trail.

Day 3 – Thurmond and Grandview (Middle)

Our New River Gorge Itinerary will lead you to the middle section of the park on day 3. Visit a ghost town and see one of the grandest views in the park. Ha! See what I did there?

Start your day off with a 30-minute drive to Thurmond. Thurmond is not technically a ghost town, as there are still a few permanent residents. That being said, you can’t miss this spot. It’s very cool! Watch the trains rumble through and explore the old depot and village.

🌲 Here is more information on how to visit Thurmond, West Virginia.

Following your visit to Thurmond, drive 1 hour to visit the Grandview area of New River Gorge National Park. While you are there, visit the “horseshoe bend” of the New River. This is definitely one of the best views in the park. Then, take a hike on the Castle Rock, Tunnel Trail, and Grandview Rim trails. Spend the afternoon here before you make the 45-minute drive back to Fayetteville.

👉🏽 Check out How to Hike the Grandview Rim Trail & More: New River Gorge for details.

Day 4 – Glade Creek and Sandstone (Southern)

Next, spend some time in the southern area of New River Gorge National Park. First, head south from Fayetteville for just a little over an hour to reach the Sandstone Falls Loop Trail. This is a short-mile trail that will provide you with some great views of Sandstone Falls.

Once you complete this hike, head a little further south and check out the Big Branch Trail. This is a quick two-mile loop that heads through the forest along numerous streams. If it’s spring, be on the lookout for wildflowers. We saw a Bobcat during our hike here!

After this, there are a few options on what to do next. If you want to continue hiking more, head to the Glade Creek Trail. If you decide to check out this area, use the campground trailhead to start. The road to the Upper Glade Creek Trailhead is unpaved and very narrow, winding, and steep.

You will need high clearance for this one. This hike features multiple swimming holes and waterfalls. If starting at the campground, Glade Greek Falls is about 1 mile in, and Kate’s Falls is about 4.5 miles in. Don’t forget, you’ll need to hike back out the way you came in!

Alternatively, if you are finished hiking or are looking for something more low-key, check out the historic town of Hinton, WV. Head to the Hinton Historic District or the Hinton Railroad Museum! Hinton, WV was established in 1873. Further, you also have the option to check out nearby Little Beaver State Park.

📌 For more information on how to spend day 4, visit New River Gorge Hikes: How to Visit Sandstone Falls.

Day 5 – New River Gorge Bridge Walk & Babcock State Park

Your New River Gorge itinerary would not be complete without accomplishing the New River Gorge Bridge Walk! Imagine yourself strapped into a harness and linked up to a cable, walking the 24-inch-wide catwalk under the bridge, 851 feet above the river! Now, it is impossible to fall from the bridge, so this is definitely a must-do attraction when you are visiting New River Gorge National Park.

If you plan on completing the Bridge Walk, you must be at least 4 feet tall, 8 years or older, and have a waist size of 52 inches or less. The tour is about 2-3 hours, and you’ll walk 1.5 miles. These tours sell out fast, so get your tickets as soon as you can! We recommend going in the morning and then spending the rest of the day at Babcock State Park.

➡️ Your ultimate guide on what happens during a Bridge Walk can be found here!

Book your Bridge Walk tickets the moment you commit to dates. This is not an exaggeration!

Babcock State Park is located 20 minutes from Fayetteville, WV, and is a great place to spend some time hiking. If you have seen the famous photo of the Glade Creek Grist Mill on postcards or other tourism websites, this is where you will find it.

Babcock State Park has many opportunities for visitors, including hiking, paddleboats, and biking. We recommend checking out the grist mill and then heading out on the trails to complete the Islands in the Sky Trail, the Wilderness Trail, the Triple Creek Trail, and finally, the Lake View Trail.

🌲 Get the details here at Babcock State Park Hiking: How to Visit for 1 Day.

Finally, if you have time, finish up your afternoon at Babcock State Park and take a scenic drive on Route 60 to visit Cathedral Falls. A quick stop at this waterfall can also be done on your travel day from New River Gorge National Park to the airport or back home.

🧭 Loving this itinerary so far? We’ve got more of them, so check them all out!

Day 6 – Travel Day & Cathedral Falls

Day 6 on your New River Gorge itinerary is a free day, depending on when you need to travel. For us, it was a travel day back home with a 4-hour drive. Depending on the timing of your trip, one last thing we recommend doing is taking a scenic drive on Route 60 north to visit Cathedral Falls.

The falls drop over 60 feet with multiple tiers, and this location is just a short walk from the parking lot.

Where to Stay When Visiting New River Gorge National Park

🛏️ Book your stay in nearby Fayetteville, WV. This is a perfect location to use as your home base while exploring New River Gorge National Park.

• Our top pick is to have a place of your own on VRBO. Pick a place right near Fayetteville and enjoy what this cute town has to offer. Check out the options on VRBO!
• Quality Inn New River – run of the mill chain hotel offering free breakfast & a best seller. Outdoor pool on site. Check it out on Expedia or Booking.com.
• The Historic Morris Harvey House Bed and Breakfast – breakfast included! Built in 1902, this 3-story Queen Anne-style inn features five themed guest suites, historic charm, an on-site speakeasy, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Cantrell Ultimate Rafting – Walking distance to the village of Fayetteville and five minutes from the New River Gorge Bridge. They do offer cabins and bungalows for you non-campers out there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a New River Gorge National Park Itinerary Worth the Trip?

We really enjoyed our visit to New River Gorge National Park and the surrounding area. West Virginia is definitely a beautiful place. It was warm and humid during our visit, but that did not deter us from hiking and enjoying what this park has to offer.

We really enjoyed visiting Thurmond and learning about the history of the town while visiting some of the abandoned storefronts and homes. Our favorite hike was definitely the Endless Wall Trail. This one can’t be missed and has amazing views.

For those who can travel here during the fall season when the leaves change, be prepared for some epic color. We hope to return someday to visit during this time!

This trip will look different for everyone, but we hope our New River Gorge itinerary will give you a solid foundation to plan an amazing trip of your own.

🚙 If you loved New River Gorge, Virginia‘s Shenandoah National Park is just 2.5 hours away.