New River Gorge anyone?

**d-p** · 01-18-2014, 11:59

Hangers,

Has anyone hiked the New River Gorge south of the bridge? If you haven't would you want to?

Not familiar with the New River Gorge Bridge? It may be worth a peek?
www.bridgewalk.com/

I want to take Amtrack from Lafayette, IN to Thurmond, WV.

Hike to the Bridge ( 2 days with one overnite)

Do the Bridge walk.

Hike back to Thurmond, WV to catch Amtrack back to Indiana.

If anyone has done this hike, I would appreciate your thoughts. This hike is said to be best with the leaves OFF the trees for gorge viewing.

PM me if you would like to do this 5 day hike. I can do anytime with 30 days notice.

dp Dave

**DivaB** · 01-21-2014, 21:03

So envious!! I'm not a hiker so I can't help much with that, but I do love that area along the bridge and walked quite some ways on the path. Would have loved to have stealth hammock camped (not sure if you're allowed to or not); but regardless, when we were there, it was a really busy area, even off the the trail and up the hill. Seemed like people coming from all directions all of the time......but then it was fall so maybe that had something to do with all of the hikers, because it was gorgeous. Some day before I'm too old and crippled up, I want to kayak that.

I hope you go, and I hope that you have a blast, with one heck of a trip report for us.

**d-p** · 01-23-2014, 13:52

DivaB,

Thank you for sharing your experience because I do want to avoid crowds.

I've been putting this hike off for quite a while and time is NOT standing still.

Maybe early this Spring, say March? I have had more than one person share that hiking the NR Gorge is best without leaves on the trees.

dp

**DivaB** · 01-23-2014, 21:23

You're welcome! Go, be free, and enjoy. I just now looked over that site link, and wow, that is steep at $69. Could be worth it, but wow. I personally enjoyed the drive across the bridge, and then just strolling along the paths. There are also some areas, when your searching for those particular spots, that my teen son and I were able to climbed down on some of the rocks to get a different perspective.

**d-p** · 01-26-2014, 07:29

DivaB,

I know the Bridge Walk is expensive, for me at least, but I figure it is a "one and done" experience.

Walking and looking down from over 800 feet in the air has to be "thrilling"?

CarpeDiem ...

Thank you Diva for your input.

dp Dave

**TRog** · 02-03-2014, 14:53

Man i used to do alot of mountian biking and day hiking around the bridge area, fayetteville, back in the 90's. That bridge walk looks awesome! I dont believe you could do this back then, cause if i knew about it i would have, but would really dig doing it!

**Kia Kaha** · 02-03-2014, 19:30

As a native West Virginian (I have lived in OH the last 15 years) and an avid backpacker/hiker, I can tell you that if you are looking for solitude and great hiking, that is not the part of WV you want to be in. You want the Potomac Highlands region, wher you find hikes such as Dolly Sods Wilderness, Roaring Plains Widerness, Seneca Creek Backcountry, North Fork Mountain Trail, and Canaan Mountain. The are you are looking at is pretty with some nice views, but hiking trails and backpacking adventures are few and far between. Check out midatlantichikes.com and click the WV link for some further ideas.