Travel: West Virginia’s New River Gorge offers adventures in the heart of the Appalachians

This spring, the rest of the nation learned something West Virginians have known for a long time: the New River Gorge is a spectacular attraction.

The recognition came from USA Today, whose readers named the gorge's Endless Wall Trail the best hiking trail in the national park system. But hiking is only one of the activities that await visitors to this scenic corner of the Appalachian Mountains.

The region's rugged slopes, thick forests, cascading waterfalls and rushing rivers make this one of the East Coast's top ad-venture destinations.

Despite its name, the New River is one of Earth's oldest rivers. During the course of 65 million years, it's created the deepest and longest gorge in the Appalachians. Today, 53 miles of the river and its gorge, plus an additional 40 miles of tributaries, are preserved in the New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and Bluestone National Scenic River.

Together these three rivers offer some of the best white-water rafting in America. In the spring, the New River is at its height and offers class IV rapids as it drops 750 feet in 50 miles. Summer brings tamer waters ideal for beginners. In the fall, the dam-controlled Gauley River has class V+ rapids that can challenge white-water veterans.

The region's allure goes beyond rafting. Almost 80 miles of hiking trails wind up and down the mountains, including the Endless Wall Trail. It curls along a sheer cliff face. The Long Point Trail ends at a panoramic viewing point of the gorge. Horseback riding and mountain biking also are popular activities.

Many natural areas human-made structures detract from wild areas, but the bridge spanning the New River Gorge is a major attraction. The elegantly designed bridge is a marvel of engineering, an object of beauty and one of the longest such steel arch spans in the world. It towers 876 feet above the New River.

'When the bridge opened in 1977, people thought of it mainly as a way to save time in getting from one side of the gorge to another,” says longtime resident Benjy Simpson. 'It was only after it opened that it became a tourist attraction in its own right. It's beautiful in any light, in any season.”

Simpson is on the staff of BridgeWalk, a company that works with the National Park Service and West Virginia Division of Highways to offer beneath-the-bridge tours. Securely strapped to a safety line, people walk along a narrow catwalk usually used for bridge maintenance. As a guide shares historical notes about the area and talks about the natural wonders of the gorge, visitors can marvel at the rushing river far below. If they're lucky, they will see the peregrine falcons that live in a nest in the trusses of the bridge.

The coal mining heritage of the region beckons history buffs. From the 19th to early 20th centuries, dozens of small coal mining towns filled the valley. The Canyon Rim Visitor Center provides information on the hard lives of the miners who once lived here, and visitors can tour the town of Thurmond, which was a major stop on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway.

The National Park Service now owns and operates much of the historic settlement where parts of the John Sayles' film 'Matewan” were filmed.

No commercial establishments or lodging facilities exist in the federally protected part of the New River Gorge, but the Adventures on the Gorge resort offers an array of visitor facilities a few miles away. Perched on the rim of the canyon, it specializes in high-energy activities such as white-water rafting, rock climbing, ATVs, stand-up paddleboarding, mountain biking, horseback riding, canopy tours and zip line rides. Adrenalin junkies might enjoy its TimberTrek. Designed by Swiss mountain guides, the elevated obstacle course features bridges, swings and zip lines that go as high up as 50 feet in the air.

'In the summer, we cater mostly to families, including a lot of reunions,” says Angela Sundstrom, marketing coordinator for Adventures on the Gorge. 'In the spring and fall, we're a magnet for rafters seeking more exhilarating trips than the calmer summer waters provide. The New River is good for rafters of all levels, while the Gauley River has some of the most challenging rapids in the world.”

Guest amenities offered by Adventures on the Gorge include a swimming pool with a panoramic view and meals in restaurants ranging from casual to gourmet. Lodging is offered in campsites, bunkhouses, both rustic and deluxe cabins, and guest houses with up to four bedrooms.

Among the most popular activities is the sunset viewing at the gorge as slanting rays of light illuminate the landscape of woods, mountains and water.

If you go

Each October, Bridge Day is held on the New River Gorge Bridge. Vehicle traffic is diverted, and vendors set up stalls along the 1.5-mile span. The event attracts 80,000 people and is West Virginia's largest one-day festival. This year, Bridge Day is Oct. 17.

Adventures on the Gorge (855-379-8738; www.adventuresonthegorge.com) offers lodging and activity packages that range from $169 to $1,245. The nearby town of Fayetteville has hotels, restaurants and shopping. Try Cathedral, a cafe located in a former church, for breakfast, and Pies and Pints Restaurant for pizza in the evening. For more information about the area, contact the New River Gorge Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-(800) 927-0263 or www.newrivergorgecvb.com.