Hawks Nest gives you one of the easiest big views in the gorge: a short paved stroll to a sandstone overlook the Civilian Conservation Corps built in the 1930s, perched high above the New River, Hawks Nest Dam and the green lake behind it. The state park sits on U.S. 60 at Ansted, about 20 minutes from Fayetteville, it's free, and the park is open 24/7. The overlook loop is just 160 yards from its lot.
Set your expectations on one thing: the aerial tram down to the river still isn't carrying passengers in September 2026. The old tram closed in 2021, and the $8 million replacement has missed every announced opening date so far. The good news is that you can still get out on the lake, since the jet boat trips are running, for now on a pontoon boat.
What's open at Hawks Nest right now
Status on September 22, 2026 | What | Status | Cost |
|---|
| Hawks Nest Overlook | Open; park open 24/7 | Free |
| Aerial tram | Not carrying passengers; replacement unfinished | No fare published |
| Nature center | "Closed until aerial tram completion" | None listed |
| New River Jet Boats | Running seasonally on a pontoon boat "due to mechanical issues with the jetboat" | From $45 adults, $29 kids |
| The Overlook restaurant | Year-round: Monday to Saturday 7 AM to 8 PM; Sunday 7 to 11 AM and noon to 6 PM | Menu prices |
| Lodge | 30 rooms with gorge views; reservations 1-833-WV-PARKS | Call for rates |
The view from the Hawks Nest Overlook
Walk out to the stone wall and the gorge drops away beneath you, with what the state park calls "a panoramic view of the New River, Hawks Nest Dam and Tunnel area." The CCC crews built the overlook in the mid-1930s from local sandstone.
That dam below you is a working hydro plant, a 948-foot concrete gravity dam with 14 spillway bays feeding a 102-megawatt development, commissioned in 1936 and owned today by Brookfield Renewable. Its reservoir stretches about 6.9 miles and covers 243 acres, according to federal energy regulators. And the name? It comes from ospreys, the "fish hawks," says the e-WV encyclopedia, which also notes the state bought the land in 1935.
The Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster
The view carries a heavy history, and it's worth knowing before you look. The dam is tied to what the state's historical marker calls the "state's worst industrial disaster." Starting in 1930, workers drove a three-mile tunnel through Gauley Mountain to divert the river for hydroelectric power, and silica dust from that work "claimed the lives of at least 764 workers," at least two-thirds of them African American, according to the Park Service. The 1986 marker at the park gives the older official figures, 109 "admitted deaths" and a congressional estimate of 476. To pay your respects, the workers' memorial and grave site is at 98 Hilltop Drive in Lookout, off U.S. 19 near Summersville, dedicated September 7, 2012.
Is the Hawks Nest tram open?
Not yet. On September 22, 2026 the state park's lodging page still listed the nature center as "closed until aerial tram completion," and the jet boat operator's page still said "Once the Tram is open this summer." A few travel sites claim the tram has reopened; the official pages don't back that up. Here's how the timeline has slipped.
Hawks Nest aerial tram status reports by date | Date | What was said | Reported by |
|---|
| 2021 | The 1970 tram closed for structural problems and hard-to-find parts | MetroNews |
| April 24, 2024 | Replacement project kicked off; completion estimated late spring 2025 | Governor's office |
| July 12, 2024 | $8 million; still a 465-foot descent, about 1,100 feet long; ready "by the end of next summer" | MetroNews |
| September 4, 2025 | Pipestem's new tram opens; Hawks Nest planned "next year" | MetroNews |
| May 21, 2026 update | Expected to open "late this year or early 2026"; terminals were the remaining work | Charleston Gazette-Mail |
| September 22, 2026 | Nature center still "closed until aerial tram completion" | State park lodging page |
When it does open, the new tram will carry six-person, ADA-accessible cabins down the cliff. For the latest, call the park at 304-658-5212; the what's new page will post the date once it's official.
Jet boat rides on Hawks Nest Lake
Down at the bottom, Adventures on the Gorge runs New River Jet Boats from the marina on Hawks Nest Lake. Prices start at $29 for kids and $45 for adults, with about 30 minutes on the water and an hour including the ride down. There's no age limit, and the season runs spring through fall. For now the trips run "on the pontoon boat due to mechanical issues with the jetboat," so think scenic cruise more than thrill ride, an easy outing for the whole family. You park at the lodge and ride a shuttle down to the marina; book at 855-379-8738.
If you drive down to the marina yourself, the gravel road is steep and narrow, so take it slowly. There's no swimming in the lake. Below the dam, the bypassed stretch called the Dries "is NOT safe for floating or tubing under any flow condition," Brookfield warns, and the portage and hike-bike trail there is closed on weekdays through October 31, 2026, open on weekends.
Hiking trails at Hawks Nest
Pick anything from a two-minute stroll to a proper half-day hike.
Hawks Nest State Park trails with distance and difficulty | Trail | Length | Rating | Notes |
|---|
| Hawks Nest Overlook Trail | 160 yards, loop | Easy | Paved; to the CCC overlook |
| Lovers Leap Trail | 400 yards | Moderate | From the tram office behind the lodge to a rock outcrop |
| Park Loop Trail | 0.6 mile | Easy | Behind the CCC pavilion |
| Fisherman's Trail | 1 mile | Easy | From the marina lot along the lake to Turkey Creek Waterfall |
| GSYP Canyon Trail | 1.6 miles | Moderate | Steep, from the tennis court down to the river |
| Cliffside Trail | 3.5 miles out and back | Moderate to difficult | Ends near the overlook |
| Hawks Nest Rail Trail | 3.8 miles | Easy | Gravel, along Mill Creek to Ansted; check status before you go |
The Rail Trail is the one to save time for, following Mill Creek past two bridges, waterfalls and the remains of an old coal mine. Wear shoes you don't mind muddying, since hikers report soft sections. The park's page still carries a "temporarily closed until June, 2026" notice for it, so call the park office to confirm it's open before you set out.
How to get to Hawks Nest
From Fayetteville, take WV 16 north to U.S. 60 and head west; it's about 12 miles and 21 minutes. The overlook lot is a quarter mile west of the lodge, across the road from the CCC pavilion.
Make a day of it, and where to stay nearby
Hawks Nest sits right on the Midland Trail (U.S. 60), so keep rolling west: the Midland Trail day trip continues to Gauley Bridge and the waterfalls along the road. For pure roadside fun, the Mystery Hole at 16724 Midland Trail in Ansted plays tricks with gravity and balance on Saturdays and Sundays, 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Keeping score on views? Compare this one with the best overlooks in the gorge and the New River Gorge Bridge.
The park lodge is a memorable place to wake up: a four-story lodge from Walter Gropius's architectural firm, set on a cliff 750 feet above the river, per e-WV, with 30 rooms (e-WV counts 31), some with balconies. Book it through 1-833-WV-PARKS, or use the map here to compare the lodge with other places to stay around Ansted and Hawks Nest for your dates.
