New River … Live gauge Next up Beckley Half Marathon and 5K, September 26, 2026
A four-lane highway running between autumn woods toward a steel arch bridge spanning a forested gorge, with one car on the road under a blue sky, AI-generated illustration

Plan your trip

Everything to sort out before you point the car toward the New River Gorge.

Planning a New River Gorge trip is easier than you might think. The national park charges no entrance fee and stays open 24 hours a day, all year, and Fayetteville sits right at its north end, about a mile from the bridge views at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center (open daily 9 to 5 except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day). Sleep in town and 53 miles of gorge, whitewater and cliff-top trail start at your doorstep.

A good trip comes down to a few decisions: how you'll get here, which town you'll sleep in, which month you'll come and what to book before you leave home. The guides below walk you through each one. First tip, free of charge: the park warns that Apple and Google Maps "may direct you to areas of the park that are rough in terrain and inaccessible," so plug in the park's own addresses instead.

Your trip-planning guides

Getting here

Drive times from nine cities, the closest airports, a three-day-a-week train that stops in the gorge and what the Turnpike tolls cost.

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Where to stay

Walk-to-dinner Fayetteville, rim cabins at Lansing, the rafting resorts, budget Beckley or a free campsite by the river: pick your base.

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Best time to visit

Month by month: the weather, the rafting seasons, the big festivals and the weekends that book up first.

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First-timer itinerary

Two full days: the bridge end first, then the ghost towns, waterfalls and overlooks down the middle and south of the gorge.

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Budget and what to book ahead

What a trip costs, how much of the gorge is free and which reservations to lock in before you leave home.

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With kids

Rafting and zipline minimum ages, free things kids love and a plan for the rainy day.

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With dogs

Which trails and overlooks welcome a leashed dog, where dogs can't go and which places to stay take pets.

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Rules, safety and services

The rules on drones, swimming, alcohol and hunting, plus where to find cell signal, restrooms, groceries and a doctor.

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What's new

The latest in the park and in town, from road closures to new places to eat.

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Ready to pick a base? Where to stay sizes up each town, and the live map shows real prices for your dates without leaving the site. The good cabins go first on fall weekends, so look early.

Heads-up for a fall 2026 trip

Current as of September 22, 2026. Road work and closures change fast, so check again before you drive.

  • Expect paving on U.S. 19 between mile markers 15.95 and 20.82, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a 14-foot width limit, through June 30, 2027, plus night paving at WV 612 through November 30, 2026 (WV511).
  • Coming east on I-64? The Exit 139 ramp at Sandstone is closed through late October 2026, so take Exit 143 and double back (WVVA).
  • Gauley season, the big-water release weekends, runs through October 17-18 (NPS), and Bridge Day lands on Saturday, October 17, with U.S. 19 over the bridge closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (organizer). Book that weekend early.
  • The park is still recovering from the August 15 and 16 floods. As of a September 3 update, Keeneys Creek Road to Nuttallburg has reopened, Brooklyn Campground is open and one lane of Cunard Road is open. Planning to drive Fayette Station Road? Call the park at 304-465-0508 first.
  • Want the Grandview Visitor Center or the Thurmond depot? Go before October 25: Grandview closes for the season after that date, and Thurmond opens weekends only until then (NPS).
  • The Rend Trail is closed until about December 2027, and the upper Kaymoor Miners Trail is closed Monday to Thursday through November 19, so save Kaymoor for a Friday to Sunday (NPS closures page).
  • The nature center at Hawks Nest State Park is "closed until aerial tram completion," according to the state.

Who to call with questions

Facts on this page were checked on 2026-09-11. The editorial policy explains how pages are researched and corrected; send corrections to the editorial desk.

Around the gorge

A folded paper trail map, a compass, a phone and a mug of coffee on a rustic cabin table by a window onto autumn woods, AI-generated illustration
A cabin near Fayetteville, West Virginia
Two adults in their forties studying a timber trailhead kiosk with blank panels at a gravel parking area at the edge of hardwood forest, AI-generated illustration
A trailhead in New River Gorge National Park

Find a place to stay near Fayetteville, West Virginia

Cabins, hotels, campgrounds and vacation rentals on one live map, with current prices from Booking.com, Expedia, Vrbo and more for your dates. Stay close and you'll spend less time driving and more time in the gorge.

Free to browse. The site may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.