Why Your Next Trip Should Be To West Virginia

I’ve driven through West Virginia before and crossed it off my list of states to visit. Little did I know it was a completely hidden gem. The only reason I was trekking down to this state is because B found out it was designated a national park. And as someone who hopes to one day visit all 63, this one clearly had to be visited.

I was completely blown away by West Virginia. It’s embarrassing how little I knew about this state prior to visiting. It reminds me so much of New England, but the trafficked crowds are replaced by friendly faces. Everyone we encountered in West Virginia was kind. From the cars that moved an entire lane over while we cycled on the road, to the servers at hole-in-the-wall spots, to a passing car smiling and waving as we ate ice cream on a bench on Fayetteville’s main street.

I fell in love with West Virginia, and here’s why you will too. On your trip, you should:

Summersville Lake from an overlook spot on the drive down to the beach access parking lot.

Take a swim in Summersville Lake.

West Virginia’s largest lake is not only near Fayetteville and America’s newest national park, but it’s absolutely stunning as well. We stumbled upon this dreamy reservoir when B was researching a body of water for us to swim in as we train for our triathlon races coming up.

Parking at the lake is amble and only $5, which felt like a steal for the gem that it was. It’s a popular spot for swimming, relaxing, and boating. There’s a kayak launch as well!

Stroll through historic Fayetteville, WV.

One of my favorite things to do in a new town is walk around the main street. I’m a sucker for a charming small town, and Fayetteville is exactly that. There is a cathedral-turned-café in town, along with local shops. There is an incredible pizza place (Pies and Pints) that exceeds the hype. Parking here is also very accessible.

Learn how grist mills work by visiting the Glade Creek Grist Mill.

This mill may look familiar because it’s one of the most photographed ones around. A quick drive from Fayetteville to Babcock State Park brings you to a large parking lot and epic views of this mill.

Tip: Visiting during operating hours to see this mill in action!

Hike in New River Gorge National Park.

Y’all know I love a good hike and even better views and boy does this park not disappoint. I felt like within a half mile of every hike I went on, there were views, if not sooner, of the New River Gorge. The hikes also all were less than a fifteen minute drive away, most were less than 10 from Fayetteville.

Here are a few of my favorite hikes (I even did a couple of them twice!):

Long Point

An iconic hike that’s viewable from the bridge itself. It’s truly a spectacle to drive across the bridge and peer out to see a tiny, exposed cliff. The hike up is mostly flat and downhill for a little over 1.25 miles. It’s a quick one and ideal for sunsets. We had the summit to ourselves for sunset. Unreal. The last half mile requires some ascent to return, with about 350 ft gain on your way back.

It’s a busy hike during the day, so plan accordingly. There is a good amount of parking here.

Endless Wall

The parking lot for this trailhead fills up swiftly, but because the hike is short, hikers also exit the lot almost as frequently. I did this hike twice and scored a spot both times. If you go out and back, it’s a little under two miles, but I suggest hiking a loop and you’ll end up at another parking lot. This also serves as a great backup parking lot if you don’t want to wait for a spot at Endless Wall.

If you decide to hike the loop, it’s about three miles and almost 400 feet of elevation gain, though you don’t really feel it. This is also a popular climbing spot, so you may get lucky and see a few climbers rocking it on the ledges.

Beauty Mountain

This hidden hike doesn’t have an official parking lot, but it does have a trailhead. As soon as you step onto the trail, you have views. Instantly. It almost doesn’t seem fair! We hiked for about a mile along the trail and were swept away by cliffside views of the New River almost the entire way.

Soak in the beauty of Sandstone Falls.

I initially saw these falls while researching the NRG and didn’t put it on our itinerary. B wanted to go and so off we went to explore another part of the national park. Sandstone Falls is near Hinton, WV, about an hour and a half drive from where we were centrally located in Fayetteville. You drive through the mountains and there isn’t a handy bridge to connect you, so that adds to the driving time. It’s a scenic drive and leads you to a boardwalk hike that’s accessible by all. The falls are striking. I felt like I was exploring newfound land, not West Virginia.

These falls should make it on your list of places to explore. There were plenty of people fishing here, as well as sitting among the rocks and enjoying the views under the summer sun.

Sandstone Falls Boardwalk

The wide, accessible trail leads you to several viewpoints of the falls. It’s also dog-friendly!

What are you most excited to experience in West Virginia?

The Best Way to See the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia

If you peer closely, you can see the catwalk directly under the road.

At the end of 2020, the New River Gorge in beautiful West Virginia was designated a national park, making it America’s 63rd national park. One of the highlights of the New River Gorge is the bridge.

Through the construction of this bridge, the commute between the mountains of West Virginia was cut down from forty minutes to one. The access this bridge provides to the locals is immense, and I love that a visit to this park includes driving across it each time.

This bridge, at the time of its creation, was the longest, steel single-span arch bridge in the world. Today, it’s the fourth. It is 3,030 feet long and 876 feet above the rapids below it. It’s taller than the Space Needle in Seattle and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. It comes just shy of the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building.

While you can access these other impressive monuments and buildings by elevator or a long walk up, there is something quite unique about the New River Gorge Bridge that you simply cannot do anywhere else.

The absolute best way to see the New River Gorge Bridge is by walking across it. No, not walking on the road where cars are driving past. Rather, walking directly beneath those cars. I highly recommend a bridge walk when you visit the New River Gorge National Park. You can book a bridge walk here.

The walk is guided and costs $72 with tax. It’s completely worth it. What I also love about this guided tour is that it’s accessible. Everyone can enjoy this experience!

The catwalk is quite wide with railing alongside the entirety of the walk.

Here are a few tips for how to best enjoy your experience walking across one of the coolest bridges you’ll ever explore:

1. Book your tour in the evening – choose the 5pm time slot! The lighting is best and you may catch a glimpse of the sunset, depending on what time of year you go. West Virginia can also get hot, so it’s a great idea to avoid the midday heat if possible.

As we headed off the bridge, we watched the sun set behind the West Virginia mountains.

2. Secure your phone. This sounds obvious, and the Bridge Walk store even sells phone cases to fasten your phone around your neck for $5, but take this seriously. About 5 minutes into our walk, after we were already strapped in, a woman behind me dropped her phone. Casually down 876 feet.

You can bet I held onto my Nikon and iPhone a little tighter the rest of the way.

3. Only take what you need. You will be locked in on a harness for a couple hours, so all you need to have on you is whatever device you’d like to take photos with and remember to wear closed toe shoes.

4. Sit down along the catwalk.

The entirety of the bridge walk is spent walking 3,000 feet across the bridge. How neat is it that you can sit and dangle your feet from this incredible bridge? When your guide allows (usually once you’ve hit the halfway point to be fully above the river), take a seat!

The bridge walk was such a neat experience that is unlike any other national park adventure!

Are you adding a bridge walk to your New River Gorge itinerary? Let me know if you do!