New River Gorge National River

We think National Parks are treasures. This park protects 53 miles of the New River and encompasses over 72,000 acres. The landscape has been carved over time by the river and the streams and creeks that flow into it. The gorge reaches a depth of 1400 feet and at its bottom the river and the railroad have provided transportation and access through this mountainous region.

We began our excursion at the Sandstone Visitor Center Monday morning; perfect fall weather continued. Mem and Donna tucked into the very back seat of the Ford Explorer so that we could have the middle seat; Chuck navigated and Larry did the driving. The Visitor Center has a large inlaid floor map of the New River watershed. This feature combined with the informational displays throughout the center made the visit informative. We picked up maps and brochures and saw a short movie about the watershed and the significance of the New River Gorge.

Monday was our day to see everything. We quickly realized one day was not enough. The New River Gorge Scenic Drive is 83 miles long and takes about three hours. A shorter trip is along the Fayette Station Road which takes about the same time and focuses on the area over and under the New River Gorge Bridge. Grandview Overlook is a destination itself. We wanted to do everything. We agreed to stay another day and go home on Wednesday. It was a good decision.

We should preface this tale by saying that there is precious little flat land in the Beckley, WV area. If a road seems flat, look to the sides, and you will see a valley or gully has been filled to form the road. As you travel upward you will soon travel downward, and you will likely be turning sharply as you go up or down. Roads are narrow, some more than others, and mostly paved. Bridges are often one-lane.

An overlook of Sandstone Falls, on Route 20, was our first stop. This is the largest waterfall on the New River and en route to our first destination: the Historic District of Hinton, WV which includes buildings from the late 1800s when Hinton was a railroad center with a roundhouse and extensive rail yards. We enjoyed touring the Railroad Museum. One of the ladies that greeted us was at least a third generation railroader. When steam engines moved C&O trains east and west, Hinton was a boom town; it became an artifact when diesel engines replaced steam engines. The museum had many interesting exhibits which we pored through for most of the morning.

A ranger at the Visitor Center had recommended two places for a lunch stop. Both are on the west side of the New River. We found a bridge and crossed over. One restaurant was closed, but we found Sugar Mills open. We ate lunch on the deck overlooking the river. It was a beautiful setting on a perfect weather day.

Our main objective Monday was to visit the New River Gorge Bridge. From our lunch location, we retraced our route back to the Visitor Center then took a series of local roads northward. Babcock State Park, one of the oldest parks in West Virginia, was on our way. We stopped at the visitor center and enjoyed seeing the much photographed Grist Mill.

Further north we came to US Highways 60 & 19. These were "good roads" compared to those we had been on for sometime. US 19 crosses the Gorge Bridge and we sped across looking at the magnificent views up and down the gorge. We retraced our route back over the bridge to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center where we gained a new appreciation for the gorge and the history that surrounds it. The center also had observation decks where we could view the bridge just below its road level.

As nice as this was, we wanted to see the view beneath the bridge. Chuck found route 82, also known as Fayette Station Road. This road is hard to describe. It twists and turns up and down hills, yet the memorable feature is that it is only paved in the middle; the road is gravel on its sides. When an oncoming vehicle approaches, both vehicles go to the gravel with only left side tires on pavement.

The views beneath the bridge were extraordinary. Looking upward nearly 900 feet at the steel and concrete construction is an awesome experience. Since we were at water level, our next stop was the Tunney Hunsaker (Fayette Station) Bridge. This bridge crosses the New River about a mile upstream from the gorge bridge. From this lower bridge, the views of the larger bridge are incredible. We spent a long time on the small bridge looking up and downstream admiring the river, the kayakers, and the changing colors of the trees. It was a wonderful experience.

Each year, a "Bridge Day" is held to celebrate the New River Gorge Bridge. Fortunately, we were there too early. "Bridge Day 2008" is October 18. The road is closed so that people can walk across the bridge: about 200,000 people are expected. During the day, parachutists will jump off the bridge and fall to the river below. Bungee jumping has also been done on bridge day. We saw a film of a wedding ceremony with the bride and groom both jumping in wedding dress and tuxedo. Strange goings-on in West Virginia.

No day trip would be complete without some shopping. We found our way to the town of Fayette, WV. This is a busy small town with a courthouse square, Main Street, and several stores. The ladies went one way, and the men stood on several street corners watching the town scene go by. It was a relaxing end to a busy travel day.

There was more to see, but the day was done and so were we. We went to the campground for happy hour and a late dinner. Tuesday was ahead and we needed some rest.