Thinking about a trip to New River Gorge National Park with kids? Here are some tips to make your vacation a successful one!
A Little About the Park
Where is New River Gorge National Park?
- GPS: 37.78320 N, 80.89778 W
- Address: 330 Meadow Creek Rd. Meadow Bridge, WV 25976
If you’re flying, the closest airport is West Virginia International Yeager Airport located in Charleston, WV about 1.5 hours from the park.
Basic Information about New River Gorge National Park
The park covers 70,000 acres and protects 53 miles of the New River. There are 4 visitor centers: Canyon Rim, Sandstone, Grandview, and Thurmond Depot. Canyon Rim and Sandstone visitor Centers are available year round while Grandview and Thurmond are open Memorial Day-Labor Day.
On average July is the warmest, but also the wettest month to visit.
No entry fee! The park is free to visit year round.
Staying connected- there is public wifi available at the Canyon Rim and Sandstone visitor centers. TIP: download your preferred map prior to entering the park and pick up a paper map at the visitor center before heading out to explore.
Where to Stay
NORTH END OF PARK
- Fayetteville: most popular because of its proximity to Canyon Rim Visitor Center and cute, small town vibes.
- Bear Mountain Cabins & Campground. Highly rated for their clean bathrooms, near by convenience store and well maintained cabins.
- Quality Inn New River. Older motel with pool, free hot breakfast, and on-site restaurant.
- Oak Hill/Lansing: just outside of Fayetteville offers more of an outdoorsy base.
- Adventures on the Gorge Resort. This is where our family stayed and we loved it. This resort offered almost every type of lodging style from luxury cabins to tent slabs, theres something for everyone! In addition to their lodging, Adventures on the Gorge offers many amenities, such as onsite dinning, a heated pool, rafting/boat tours and hiking trails.
CENTER/SOUTHERN PARK
- Buckley: larger city that offers more choices for lodging and dining.
- Hampton Inn Buckley. Praised for its clean rooms and convenient location to interstate and local dining.
- Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Beckley. Hotel in the area with great reviews regarding the friendly staff, warm cookie on arrival and wonderful breakfast selection.
INSIDE THE PARK
There are 8 campsites within the park that offer primitive camping. There is no reservations for these campgrounds- they are first come, first serve. There is no fee to stay at these campgrounds. During the summer months they fill up quickly. Learn more about camping in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve here.
Things to do:
- Visitor centers. Stop at visitor centers to stamp your national parks passport, talk to the rangers and pick up junior ranger booklet! Bringing your furry friend? Ask the Rangers about their B.A.R.K Ranger program!
- Hike. Enjoy a family friendly hike, see below!
- Water Activities. White water rafting for kids 6 and older! Have younger kids? New River Jet Boat Tour offered by Adventure on the Gorge is perfect for all ages. It is a 1hr tour, $29 for kids and $45 for adults.
- Scenic car ride. Take in the views from your car with a scenic drive along Fayette Station Rd, starting at Canyon Rim Visitor Center the 8 mile one way route will take you to the bottom of the gorge, then back up. There are multiple opportunities to pull off and take in the views!
Kid Friendly Hikes:
NEAR CANYON RIM
- Canyon Rim Boardwalk and lower Canyon Rim Boardwalk. This trailhead is at the visitor center, the lower Canyon Rim Boardwalk has 178 steps, we went after it rained and found the steps and boardwalk to be slippery.
- Burnwood Trail is a 1.2mi lollipop loop that takes you through an old forest. This trail would be great to take the kids on with their junior ranger booklet. Reviewers mention lots of tall trees, fungi, small mammals and footprints! Trail can be muddy, so wear appropriate shoes and keep their favorite shirt at home.
- Park Loop Trailhead is a 1.1mi loop that begins at Fayetteville Town Park. Bring swim suits in the spring/summer to enjoy the splash pad after the hike! Looking to extend your hike- this trail is a great starting point as it connects to many great hikes in New River Gorge trail network.
NEAR GRANDVIEW
- Grandview Main Overlook is not exactly a hike, but a 0.2 mile all accessible walk from the Grandview Visitor Center. The lookout stands 1400ft above New River and is great for bird watching! In my opinion, this spot offered the best views (we also did Castle Rock Trail)
- Grandview Rim Trail to the North Overlook. The Grandview Rim Trail runs parallel to the Castle Rock trail which is not recommended for young children due to the large drop offs and slippery rocks. Taking the Grandview Rim Trail which starts near the visitor center, to the North Overlook is a kid friendly hike that still allows for the breathtaking views of the North Overlook. I recommend speaking with the park rangers and taking a map from the visitor center to see which hike would be best. The hikes in this area are very customizable to your needs.
- Turkey Spur Overlook is the 2nd overlook in the Grandview area. You are able to hike or drive to it. The hike is about 3.2 miles, shaded and muddy at times. If you drive, be sure to get there early as the parking lot is small and fills up quickly! There are about 150 stairs to reach the lookout.
NEAR SANDSTONE
- Sandstone Falls Boardwalk is the best way to take in the the Sandstone Falls, the largest waterfall in New River Gorge NP. The Boardwalk is ADA accessible and has picnic tables near by for a little lunch break.
Final Thoughts
Come prepared with appropriate footwear, bug spray and lots of water.
Grandview Visitor Center was our favorite stop. The visitor center is very small, but we loved the park nearby for the kids and the view from the Overlook!
New River Gorge was a muddy adventure for us. We went in June during record flooding, but didn’t let it stop us from exploring!
Just remember- when you’re planning with kids, there’s no such thing as a perfect trip, and kids are washable. Let them run, climb, dig, and explore!
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