For my mom’s birthday, I decided we should visit to our newest National Park – New River Gorge in Fayetteville, WV. I have to be honest in saying that I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Living on the east coast, there is a lot of subtle beauty, but we lack the extraordinary sites of the west. But…I’ve decided they don’t need to be compared. And what a surprisingly sweet little town with idyllic little shops and cafes, and views at every (and I mean every) turn (and there are LOTS of turns).
Admittedly, the credit of the itinerary belongs entirely to my mom. She meticulously studied maps and googled the must-dos. I managed the heavy lift of asking ChatGPT to weigh in. 😏
We set out. The drive in was beautiful, the endless expanse of green rolling hills we’re used to seeing at home. And then we pulled off at our first overlook. Stiff from the long drive, we straightened ourselves out, and quickly made our way to the first views of the trip at Hawk’s Nest State Park – and it did not disappoint.
Convinced we were in for a couple days of stunning views, we headed to our rental to get settled before dark, then wandered back out for a bite to eat at the highly recommended Pies & Pints. Do I drink pints? No. Do I love pizza? Also no. Is this worth a stop? Absolutely.
The next morning we grabbed a quick & carb-loaded breakfast at Biscuit World – which…I’d give a 5/10. It was decently good, but nothing special – I think maybe our expectations were just a little high.
We headed off for our first adventure, a little hike on the Endless Wall Trail. Now…I’m going to be brutally honest here. It was a fun hike for me, and the views were stunning. BUT…when you get to the views – it is a rockface…a cliff…just a straight – and long – drop. Do I want to take the kids – yes. Will I catastrophize the whole time? Yes. Am I currently catastrophizing even though we have no plans to go any time soon? Also yes. Be careful, do whatever you gotta do to keep anyone from yeeting themselves off the edge. The views are stunning.
We made our way back and stopped in the Canyon Rim Visitor Center to grab my passport stamp and take a look around. A very short walk from the parking lot is a view of the bridge, and worth the short trek…but the views get much better from other vantage points (imo). From there, we took advantage of the FREE NPS guided audio tour that you play as your drive your car along Fayette Station Road. You can find it here. This was one of my favorite activities, so don’t skip it. We spent about 2 hrs, but you could easily make it much shorter or longer – there are plenty of spots to jump out and take in the views. I didn’t have the kids with me this trip, but they’d have been plenty entertained both with the narration and the stops.
It was early afternoon by this point and and we wanted to make our way over to Babcock State Park. On our way, we decided to stop in Thurmond…a mostly-ghost town. Once a bustling stop on the railroad, it was a quick peek into the past. If you’re riding around with adults it’s a picturesque drive where a stream gives way to waterfalls quite often all along the drive. If you have kids in tow, I’d say you can skip this stop, there really isn’t too much to see.
Next stop – Babcock State Park. This was a really cute, very picture-worthy. It is a full park with plenty of space to walk, plan for a picnic, catch your breath from the day. Good luck taking just one photo!
That wrapped up day 1 – and we were tired…but we were fulfilled. We found a place to grab a quick bite close to our rental, and even got a little ice cream to take back and didn’t eat it because we were soooo tired.
Day 2 started with breakfast at Cathedral Cafe which was also highly recommended. This also may have been a bit overhyped, but the vibes and little shop upstairs made it a great start. We headed south to the remaining hotpots the internet told us to visit. First up was Grandview…which offered us…a grand view. No lies were told.
A charming little drive made way to a small visitors center that is only open a handful of hours a week, but the overlook is just a short walk from the parking area. Again, plenty of space to picnic, walk, and frolic. We rode up Grandview Drive to Turkey Spur Rock. (You can also walk/hike here from the main overlook. It looked to be mostly level and about a 3 mile out & back.) I would say the views are better at the main overlook, but still worth a stop – kids would find it fun to climb to the top!
Next on the list was our final stop – Sandstone Falls. This was again, a very pretty drive down, but it was a bit of a trek. Without another activity planned, it would likely be anticlimactic for kids unless you planned for them to splash in the water a bit, make a picnic, etc. For us, it was perfect. We stopped at Lucky Rivers Cafe on our way out for a late lunch where we were greeted with very charming glasses of lemonade and a surprising menu that did not disappoint. We shared an apricot pecan bar before heading out, and I am not exaggerating when I say it might be my favorite ever dessert.
That rounded out our trip. We stopped for breakfast before heading out at Wood Iron Eatery where I had an amazing iced spanish latte – I do recommend!
Fayetteville is a charming little town. Small and proud, with visitors buzzing about ready to engage in their adventures. Avid rock climbers and white water rafters were plentiful. Welcoming them are the locals that seem to be building such community. Unapologetically authentic in just the best way.
You feel the history in the air everywhere you go. The hardship, the strife, the perseverance. There is a vibe that is quite difficult to explain. Maybe it’s stepping into the second oldest river in the world – watching the water ripple over the rocks just as it has for millions of years. Maybe it’s knowing that so many suffered in their efforts to build a life from working in the mines. There is just a heaviness, not a bad heaviness, just a heaviness that demands your full attention and appreciation.
I hope you go – and I hope you take time to slow down and take it in.
🤟 Ashley