New River Gorge National River

Sandstone Falls

On July 4^th I continued my journey through West Virginia and saw some of the most spectacular scenery of my trip along the New River Gorge National River. My first stop was Sandstone Falls where the river transforms from a peaceful river into a raging torrent  as it begins its descent though the gorge. I hiked along the boardwalk for a view of the falls before hopping in my car and driving to the other side of the river where I stopped at the Sandstone Falls overlook which is 600 feet above the river.

Sandstone Overlook

Continuing on, I went to the Grandview area which was my favorite of the day. A short walk from the car us the main overlook which was one of my favorite views of the whole trip. 

From the main overlook, I hiked along the Castle Rock trail that went under overhanging cliffs and back on the Rim trail which offers more beautiful views.

Castle Rock trail

The Tunnel trail was also in the area and is a short walk through large boulders that create cave like tunnels. I drove down to the Turkey Spur overlook for even more views. That overlook is a bit more strenuous to hike to because of several stairs but the stairs go over massive rocks that trap cool air in between them and act like a national air conditioner.

Thurmond

The Thurmond Depot was my next stop and it was like a place frozen in time. Thurmond was a boomtown in the early 1900s and a short walking tour took me past the old buildings and gave a sense of life in a railroad town. It was utterly fascinating but the coolest thing was that the depot is still an active Amtrak stop which boggles my mind because it is so remote.

Thurmond

My next stop was at one of the most photographed places in West Virginia: the New River Gorge bridge. It was completed in 1977 and is the longest steel span in the western hemisphere and the third highest in the United States. The Canyon Rim visitor center offers views of the bridge and exhibits on life before and after the bridge. 

To get a sense of just how much the bridge changed the community, I drove along Fayette Station Road which was the old route across the river. I took much longer than the anticipated 40 minutes as I stopped at all of the pulloffs along the way to read the interpretive signs. I could hardly imagine how people would complete that drive in the winter in the old days.

Fayette Station Bridge

Every spot I stopped at along the New River Gorge was amazing with fascinating history and beautiful views. It takes a while to drive between the spots because most are off major highways and down one lane roads but it is so worth it.

Summersville Lake

Near Summersville Lake, just north of the New River Gorge National River, is the Gauley River National Recreation Area. I stopped at Carnifex Ferry State Park which had some short hiking trails to overlooks of the rapids. From high up the rapids seem pretty innocuous but they are Class V and above rapids.

Leith Run Campground

My final stop of the day was at my campground on the Ohio River. I forgot that I had booked a walk in site so I drove around the campground loop twice looking for my site number. I finally found it and had to cart my gear on in. After I got settled and fed, I relaxed along the quiet river.