New River Gorge Escape

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The New River Gorge Bridge and Bridge Day: when to go and how to see it

By New River Gorge Escape

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The steel arch of the New River Gorge Bridge high above the New River, seen from river level on Fayette Station Road
The arch from the Tunney Hunsaker Bridge on Fayette Station Road. Photo: Andrew Heneen, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · resized.

The New River Gorge Bridge is the park’s best-known landmark. It is 3,030 feet long and stands 876 feet above the New River, which the National Park Service says makes it the third-highest bridge in the United States. Its steel arch alone is 1,700 feet long. Work began in June 1974, the bridge opened on October 22, 1977, and it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

The bridge carries a highway, so on almost every day of the year you can’t walk across it. You can still see it from above, from below and from the catwalk underneath. Here is how.

From above: the Canyon Rim Visitor Center

The Canyon Rim Visitor Center sits on the edge of the gorge beside the bridge and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all year. It closes only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. A boardwalk of about a tenth of a mile leads from the parking lot to the overlooks, with a fully accessible ramp to the first viewing point. The lower overlook is reached by 178 steps, so it is not wheelchair accessible.

The New River Gorge Bridge deck and steel supports seen from the Canyon Rim Visitor Center boardwalk, with spring blossoms in the trees
The bridge from the Canyon Rim boardwalk in spring. Photo: Andrew Heneen, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · resized.

From the side: Long Point

For the view on most postcards, hike the Long Point Trail. It runs 1.6 miles each way, rated moderate, to a rock outcrop with a panoramic view of the gorge and the bridge. There is one steep stretch just before the point, and the outcrop has unprotected cliff edges. To reach the trailhead, take WV 16 south through Fayetteville, then Gatewood Road and Newton Road.

From below: Fayette Station Road

Fayette Station Road was one of the main routes across the northern gorge until the bridge was finished in 1977. Today it is a mostly one-lane, one-way scenic drive of about 8 miles. It starts near the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, winds down beneath the bridge, crosses the river on the rebuilt Fayette Station Bridge (reopened in 1998 as the Tunney Hunsaker Bridge), and climbs the other side. Allow 30 to 45 minutes.

A low railroad bridge means vehicles taller than 12 feet can’t complete the drive. It isn’t suitable for large RVs or trailers.

From underneath: Bridge Walk

Bridge Walk runs the official guided walking tour of the bridge. Walkers wear a full climbing harness and stay clipped to a safety cable along a maintenance catwalk 25 feet beneath the road deck and about 851 feet above the river. The company says tours take 2 hours or more from check-in to return and cover about 1¼ miles. Walkers must be at least 8 years old and 48 inches tall. Book directly with Bridge Walk.

Bridge Day: the one day you can walk across

Bridge Day is always the third Saturday in October, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is the one day each year the bridge is open to people on foot. BASE jumpers (parachutists who leap from fixed structures such as bridges) jump from the deck, and rappellers lower themselves down on ropes, while thousands watch. Entry is free. The 2026 Bridge Day was held on October 17, and organizers list the next one as October 16, 2027.

  • Getting there: US 19 closes to traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Organizers recommend parking at a shuttle pickup lot and riding in. Shuttles take cash only; the official page lists different fares in different places, so bring small bills.
  • Leave at home: pets, coolers, folding chairs, bicycles, skateboards, wagons, drones, weapons, fireworks and alcohol are all banned.
  • Bags: clear backpacks, clear tote bags and fanny packs are allowed, plus a purse or clutch smaller than 5 by 7 inches. All are subject to search. Other backpacks, totes, large purses, camera bags and binocular cases are banned.
  • Strollers: the two official sources disagree. The park service says strollers are not permitted on the bridge during Bridge Day. The organizer says fold-up strollers are allowed but searched at the gate. Do not rely on bringing a stroller onto the bridge. Check the current guidance with the organizer and the park service before making a plan that depends on one.

Rules change from year to year, so read the official Bridge Day information before you go.

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