New River Gorge (Fayetteville)

The New River flows north through the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia and has carved a canyon of about 85 km there, with sandstone cliffs and forested slopes. Despite its name, it is one of the oldest rivers in North America. The area was protected in 1978 and, in 2020, was upgraded to a national park and preserve, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

The region’s symbol is the New River Gorge Bridge, a 1977 steel arch bridge that spans about 267 meters above the river and shortened the canyon crossing from nearly an hour to one minute. It is visible in full from the overlooks along US-19 on the north side, and once a year, on Bridge Day in October, it is closed to cars and opened to pedestrians and parachute jumpers.

The canyon is one of the leading rafting and climbing destinations in the eastern United States. The rapids on the lower stretch of the river and, in autumn, those of the nearby Gauley River attract commercial outfitters, and the sandstone cliffs have thousands of climbing routes.

At the valley floor are remnants of late 19th-century coal-mining and railroad towns, such as Thurmond. Overlooks like Grandview and the Sandstone falls to the south round out a visit to the park.

This destination brings together 1 city: Fayetteville.