According to the West Virginia Department of Tourism, the fall foliage this year is the best it has been in ten years.
Currently, people from all over the country are flocking to West Virginia to view the beautiful autumn colors throughout the Mountain State.
The New River Gorge National Park & Preserve is one of the most popular destinations for fall foliage seekers, so we have compiled a list of the top ten places in and around the New River Gorge that provide the best views.
#1: Grandview Main Overlook
The Grandview Main Overlook provides one of the best views of the New River Gorge. The Main Overlook is easily accessible as it is a short walk from the overlook parking lot.
To reach Grandview from Beckley, follow I-64 East five miles to Exit 129 B. From Lewisburg, follow I-64 West forty miles to Exit 129. From either exit, turn right and follow Route 9 North six miles to Grandview.
#2: Diamond Point Overlook
The Diamond Point Overlook is another location in the New River Gorge that provides a stunning view of the fall colors. Diamond Point is located along the Endless Wall Trail. The Endless Wall Trail is an easy to moderate 2.4-mile hike (one-way), or 2 miles if you stop at Diamond Point and walk back.
There are many other beautiful vistas along the trail, but Diamond Point provides the most rewarding view of the New River and the Gorge that looks like, you guessed it, an endless wall. There are two trailheads and the parking lots for both are small and usually fill up frequently, do not park on the road as you risk being towed.
To reach the Endless Wall trailheads, turn off Route 19 on Lansing-Edmond Road, located just north of the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Fern Creek Trailhead is located 1.3 miles (just before Fern Creek) down this road, while the Nuttall Trailhead is 1.8 miles from U.S. Route 19. This is a narrow road; please drive with caution.
#3: Fayette Station Road
The scenic drive from the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, under the New River Gorge Bridge, across the river, and back up the mountain to the other side provide many areas to view the fall foliage. This trek is perfect for those who are eager to take in the sights but are not a fan of hiking as you do not have to get out of your vehicle to take in all of the views.
This drive allows the New River Gorge Bridge to be seen from all angles with the fall colors surrounding it. The Fayette Station Bridge, Wolf Creek Falls, and the New River down below also provide unbeatable views.
To get there by leaving the parking lot of Canyon Rim Visitor Center, return to the four-lane highway of Route 19. Turn right (north) onto US 19 and take your next right onto Lansing-Edmond Road (County Route 5 and 82). In 1/4 mile, turn right onto the road with a road sign marked “Fayette Station Road.” The road forks almost immediately; take the left fork. Fayette Station Road continues into the gorge on a series of two- and one-way roads, passing under the New River Gorge Bridge twice and passing exhibits along the road. At the bottom, cross over the reconstructed Fayette Station Bridge, which reopened in 1998 as the Tunney Hunsaker Bridge. Park in the Fayette Station parking area and see the wild waters here. GPS coordinates to the parking area are 38.06625⁰ N, 81.08130⁰ W. After leaving Fayette Station, the road winds back up to Fayetteville. The entire trip from the visitor center to Fayetteville takes about 40 minutes (without stopping).
Fayette Station Road is a narrow one-way road and is NOT suitable for large vehicles.
#4: Babcock State Park
Babcock State Park is located less than thirty minutes from the New River Gorge Bridge and is one of the most photographed locations in West Virginia.
Babcock State Park is home to the iconic Glade Creek Grist Mill which has been standing along the bank of Glade Creek since 1976. The mill was constructed using parts from other mills in the state. The fall foliage plus the grist mill can make for some very special photos.
The entire park provides some beautiful views, so be sure to check out what the rest of the park has to offer.
Babcock State Park is located at 496 Babcock Rd, Danese, West Virginia, United States.
#5: Concho Overlook
The Concho Overlook can be accessed from Ace Adventure Resort in Minden. This view overlooks the New River as it curves around the mountain and passed the railroad ghost town of Thurmond.
The town of Thurmond and the Thurmond bridge can be seen from this overlook, and if you’re lucky, you may catch a freight train or Amtrak coming around the mountain resulting in some breathtaking views.
Concho Road at Ace Adventure Resort leads straight to the overlook and is located at Concho Rim Overlook, Oak Hill, WV 25901.
#6: Hawks Nest State Park
Hawks Nest State Park is located about twenty minutes from the New River Gorge Bridge and is home to some fantastic overlooks of the New River Gorge.
The Lover’s Leap overlook will blow you away with the abundance of fall foliage that surrounds it. There are no bad angles at this overlook as every photo will turn out perfect with the unbelievable views of the Gorge, Hawks Nest Dam, and the historic C&O train trestle that crosses the New River.
Those that wish to view the fall foliage from the top of the Gorge down to the river are in luck as the nearly two-mile-long Hawks Nest Rail Trail follows Mill Creek down to the New River. This trail consists of many waterfalls, old train trestles, and of course a lot of fall colors.
Hawks Nest State Park is located at 49 Hawks Nest Road, Ansted, WV 25812.
#7: Sandstone Falls
Sandstone Falls is the largest waterfall on the New River as the falls span 1,500 feet wide. Sandstone Falls can be easily accessed by walking the boardwalk which provides many different views of the falls and the New River Gorge. The rushing water from the very wide falls coupled with the mountain foliage will surely create a picturesque scene.
Sandstone Falls is located just outside the town of Hinton in Summers County which is the southern gateway to the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. After crossing the bridge at Hinton you will begin driving alongside the New River down River Road. The journey ends at the Sandstone Falls day-use area, where you begin your walk along the boardwalk and bridges that span the two islands below the falls.
#8: Prince
Prince is one of the least visited areas in the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve but holds some pretty stunning views, especially in the fall. The Prince bridge crosses the New River at the Fayette/Raleigh County line and allows for easy access to view the fall foliage along the river.
Prince used to be a thriving town when the C&O railroad was used as the most common means of travel and coal was king. The 1946 C&O passenger depot in Prince is still used today as an Amtrak station and can serve as a perfect backdrop for fall photos.
Some other locations near Prince are the McCreery Boat Launch, Grandview Sandbar, Army Camp Campground, and the Glade Creek Campground which are all located along the New River.
Prince is located at Prince, WV 25907 along Route 41.
#9: Thurmond
Thurmond used to be a booming railroad town along the New River but when the demand for coal declined and steam engines were no longer used on the C&O railroad, the town began to decline. As the advent of automobiles allowed for easier and quicker travel, passenger travel on railroads significantly declined. People began to move out of Thurmond to places that were more accessible and the town today has a population of only around five people.
Most of the town is now owned and preserved by the National Park Service. They have restored the Thurmond depot and have turned it into a seasonal visitor center and museum.
The depot, commercial buildings, bridge, and abandoned homes make for an eery yet beautiful view in the fall.
Be mindful of the railroad tracks when visiting as they are still active.
To reach Thurmond, take U.S. Route 19 to the Glen Jean exit, north of Beckley. Follow the signs to Thurmond, seven miles down WV Route 25 (Route 25 is a narrow, winding road and is not recommended for RVs and trailers).
#10: Summersville Lake
Although Summersville Lake is not located directly within the New River Gorge, the twenty-minute drive from the NRG bridge is worth considering.
The lake was formed by a rock-fill dam on the Gauley River in Nicholas County and it is the largest lake in West Virginia. The best views can be seen from the Long Point Overlook and Summersville Dam.
Directions to Summersville Lake from I-79 North: Take Exit 57, US Rt. 19 S to Summersville. Five miles south of Summersville, turn right on Rt. 129 (traffic light). From I-64 East or West and I-77 South: Take Exit 48, US Rt. 19N. Travel US Rt. 19N to Rt. 129 (traffic light and U-Save on your right), turn left onto Rt. 129.
The New River Gorge region should reach peak foliage by late October according to the West Virginia Department of Tourism 2022 Fall Foliage Map.
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October 14, 2022 at 07:29AM
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Top 10 Places to View Fall Foliage in the New River Gorge - Lootpress
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