New River Gorge Bridge
What do you know about West Virginia? We did not know much either, but traveled through on our way towards the East Coast from Kentucky. We got settled into our campground and had spotted a sign with things to do in the area, and one of the things mentioned was a bridge. So we loaded up the kids, and took the short drive and discovered much more than just a bridge.
What is it?
The New River Gorge Bridge is the longest steel span in the western hemisphere and the 3rd highest in the United States at 876 feet. This enormous bridge crosses the New River Gorge and is one of the highest vehicular bridges in the world. It was originally constructed in the 70s to shorten the drive through the area.
Things to know:
*The New River Gorge Bridge is located on U. S. Route 19, just north of Fayetteville, WV.
*If possible, plan for more than a day, there is much more to this area than appears.
*The Canyon Rim National Park Visitors Center has plenty of parking, including parking for RVs, and provides awesome overlooks of the bridge.
*The walk to the overlook does include a couple hundred stairs both ways. So leave the stroller at the car.
*We recommend the video at the visitor center; it’s very informative about the history of the gorge and bridge.
*If you have kids, they can do the Jr. Ranger Program, and earn a badge.
*There are paid guided tours of the bridge, where you get to walk out on a catwalk underneath it.
*There are miles and miles of hiking, and mountain biking trails throughout the New River Gorge area.
*We hiked Long Point Trail; the views of the bridge were spectacular!
*Make sure you bring a camera; this is a photographer’s dream location.
*There are many driving tours through the original route that zig zags through the gorge.
*Pedestrian traffic is not allowed on the bridge except for one day a year. Dubbed Bridge Day, it’s held the 3rd Saturday in October and is a huge local festival with base jumping, repelling and much more.
*We stayed at Summersville Lake COE about 15 minutes away, and this is one of our favorite campgrounds to date, but there are many other camping spots in the area.
Overall, this is one of our favorite stops along the way. We have covered 30+ states in our travels, and when asked, “What’s been our favorite state?” West Virginia always tops that list because of this amazing spot.
