While the charms of the New River Gorge have been no secret to whitewater rafters and kayakers who traverse the globe to journey these wild West Virginia waters, this jewel of Mother Nature was not made officially a national park until 2020, making it the youngest national park in the country. I would like to fancy myself an intrepid adventurer, but if I am being perfectly honest, my level of hiking adventures rarely surpasses a couple miles and although I am a Pisces, I much prefer floating leisurely on a raft with Piña Colada loosely in hand instead of torpedoing through raging rivers with a paddle. Would the New River Gorge National Park be “too wild” for me?
Nope. It offers various levels of rafting options and something to enjoy for every level of skill, from families to die-hards. And as luck would have it, I also planned my trip during the park’s biggest festival of the year: Bridge Day, where base jumpers test their mettle with a leap from the New River Gorge Bridge.
Bridge Day 2025
As West Virginia’s largest single day festival scheduled every third Saturday in October, guests are in for an exhilarating treat, even if they don’t dare catapult themselves off a perfectly good bridge to parachute down to the rushing New River Gorge below. Located in Fayetteville, WV, The New River Gorge Bridge spans the river gorge and was considered an engineering marvel when completed in 1977 in USS COR-TEN Steel, which oxidizes with age and gives the beautiful bridge its dark russet red color. The New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet tall and has a length of 3,030 feet. It is also the longest single arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere and the third longest in the world. The bridge is so revered locally that it appears on West Virginia’s state quarter!
Just three years after being built, the first Bridge Day was held in 1980 when two parachutists jumped from a plane to the bridge and five parachutists jumped from the bridge to the gorge. As the years grew, so did the crowds and parachutists and base jumpers ready to join the fun. Along with the daredevils are the spectators who walk across the 3,000-foot bridge to see the jumpers as well as shop local artists and sample local fare available on the bridge. But as fun as it looks, it’s also for the well-equipped and trained. An ambulance is stationed at the ready for any misfortunate missed marks and I myself spied a man with a bloodied face from his descent over the gorge. There have been three deaths since Bridge Day began, so take special note: leave the jumping to the experienced professionals.
On our visit, the sky was blue, and jumpers were hopping off in non-stop successions, one such group in a type of human catapult contraption that I will happily leave to the experts. It does make for an exciting spectator sport and truly a once and lifetime opportunity to see such adventurous spirits all in one place. A morning 5K Race starts off the celebration, and in the afternoon, you can be shuttled to downtown nearby Fayetteville for their annual chili cook-off.
And take special note, while you can enjoy the view from the bridge, the best seat in the house will need ticket reservations. You may purchase “In the Gorge” tickets, where a tour guide will drive you down to under the bridge for an uncrowded view of the jumpers. This was sold out on our arrival, so if you plan to go, be sure to buy tickets early at officialbridgeday.com/activities.
Other experiences you may enjoy include a Rappelling and High-Line course (with those without experience are free to do the High Line Course, which is essentially a catwalk under the bridge, only available for ticketed tours.) At the end of the festival, many head over to Taste of Bridge Day hosted at Adventures on the Gorge for food and alcohol samples from the area’s finest restaurants and breweries.
Braving the Rapids
Perhaps watching all these daredevils inspired me to push our limits as we signed up to do a whitewater river raft tour through the Gorge below. In October the weather is typically mild and cool and is at the tail end of their whitewater season, which is April through October. High temperatures average around 68 degrees with lows in the 40s. It’s a great time to take in the fall foliage, and the hiking trails are less crowded and more peaceful.
One of the top purveyors of rafting tours is conveniently where we stayed at the park – Adventure on the Gorge, which offers lodging, cabins, RV sites and lots of excursions on the river. The guides here will explain the nuances of the river from the Lower New River, which offers thrills for first-time rafters and seasoned thrill seekers alike, or the Upper New River Rafting, perfect for families and first timers. You see, the Upper New River is about fun splashy waves and gentle rapids and not to mention breathtaking scenery of the gorge. They have several tours to choose from, with a minimum age of 6 to 12 and older.
Now the Upper Gauley is the “pinnacle of whitewater rafting” and is considered the most legendary whitewater runs on the planet! The Gauley drops a staggering 668 feet over 24 miles and are ranked Class III to V. Only the truly experienced and strong should be facing the challenges of the Gauley. Most of the trips have a minimum age of 15-16 years. The Lower Gauley, considered the “hidden gem” of the area, has Class III to IV rapids (See sidebar for whitewater classification guide.)
We chose to do the Half-day Lower New River Rapid Run, as our 14-year-old daughter was in on the ride. Early in our rafting trip, the guide allowed us to jump in and roll with the rapids for a minute or two. For some wild and crazy reason, without hesitation I jumped in the chilly water, with a life vest and wetsuit of course. It was my opportunity to channel my inner Indiana Jones, I guess. The water was more unpredictable than expected and when I hit the tiny dip in the river and was churned with the water, that made me reconsider my recent choice. But all was well. He helped me back on the boat, and I earned a healthy respect for the rapids. If that was an easy patch of rapids, I would not like to be dunked into the really raging parts of the river. Mother Nature is not someone you mess around with, it seems. It’s better if I stay securely in the boat, which thankfully I did for the rest of our exhilarating journey.
Place to Chill
After hiking to edges of cliffs and braving the river waters, I was ready to relax. And there is no place better than Adventures on the Gorge Resort, which conveniently has regular shuttles to the Bridge Day event and hosts the Taste of Bridge Day in the evening. It’s all about location, location, location, and Adventures on the Gorge Resort has that! The resort is perched on the rim of the New River Gorge National Park, affording some wonderful views to enjoy while taking a sip of wine or firing up the smore pit. It’s surrounded by West Virginia’s lush forests, and they offer their own special tours from ziplining and world-class whitewater rafting.
We chose to be in the charming cabins, and they were a special treat with a two-bedroom cabin, complete with kitchen, sitting area, fire pit, screened in porch and outdoor hot tub. Yep, that’s a little more my style. What a way to relax after an adventurous day of hiking and rafting. If you would like more relaxation, then may I recommend renting paddleboards or kayaks and enjoy the crystal-clear waters of Summersville Lake. But this is West Virginia, and there is always a dare-devil option, like cliff jumping into the water. There are also New River jet boat tours you can choose, if whitewater rafting is a bit too much in the fast lane for you.
There is also dining and shopping at the resort, such as Rendezvous River Lodge, Sweet Java Falls, Chetty’s Pub and Smokey’s on the Gorge. Realizing you don’t have any whitewater rafting gear? Never fear, the Canyon Rim Retail Store will have the necessities for a comfortable water experience.
We might have arrived at New River Gorge National Park stretching our limits for a family vacation, but as it turns out, we have wild side, too. And there is no better place to explore your inner daredevil than where those who have experienced her wonders, lovingly just call “The Gorge.”
For More information
Bridge Day 2025
Oct. 19, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Adventures on the Gorge
219 Co Rte. 60/5
Lansing, WV
