Monthly Archives: October 2020

Gorge-ous October!

Discovering Nature and the Great Outdoors

Rugged, Wild and Whitewater! That’s the way you describe the New River and the Gorge it’s carved out in southern West Virginia. Flowing north through forested canyons, the New River is one of America’s oldest rivers that is rich in cultural and natural history and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities. The river, along with 70,000 acres of adjacent land make up the New River Gorge National River.


The New River Gorge seen from the Canyon Rim. The Fayette Station Bridge (at river level) can be seen far below.
Rafting and Kayaking are very popular outdoor activities on the New River, and with sections of Class V whitewater, it’s not for the faint-hearted!

Theresa and I ventured west for a quick autumn getaway to check out this beautiful area. Although our time was limited , we managed to see some of the iconic sights, such as the engineering marvel of the New River Gorge Bridge (from above and below), a foggy, but magical sunrise at Grandview Overlook and a visit to Sandstone Falls, located near the southern boundary of the park. On the way to “The Gorge” we made a quick stop at Babcock State Park to see one of West Virginia’s most photographed sites-the Glade Creek Grist Mill, tucked away in the brilliant fall foliage! We did our part to contribute to their total-snapping many cool photos.

The Glade Creek Grist Mill , in Babcock State Park, is one of West Virginia’s most photographed sites…especially in the Autumn.

Perhaps the most famous part of the New River Gorge is nothing natural at all! It’s the mighty New River Gorge Bridge. Construction of the Bridge began in June of 1974 and was completed on October 22, 1977. This engineering marvel took three years to complete and cost nearly 37 million dollars. Most of the 22,000 tons of structural steel for the bridge project was fabricated at the American Bridge Division’s Ambridge, Pennsylvania plant. All of the structural steel used for the Bridge is USS COR-TEN Steel, which oxidizes with age and gives the Bridge its dark russet color. This special steel blends in well with the surrounding environment and eliminates the need for repainting as the oxidation is a natural protectant.

The first challenge in designing the New River Gorge Bridge was choosing the type of bridge capable of spanning the 3,030 foot wide gorge, 876 feet above the New River. Several types of bridges were considered including two different suspension bridge designs: an arch truss design and a continuous truss design. The design that suited the surroundings of the New River Gorge and dealt with the challenges the gorge presented for construction was a single 1,700 foot arch span design. The New River Gorge Bridge would become the longest single span arch bridge in the World. To commemorate the importance of the New River Gorge Bridge to West Virginia, Bridge Day was established (cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic) 3rd Saturday of every October, closing traffic for pedestrians to explore the Bridge and allowing BASE jumping for a few hours on that day only. The iconic Bridge became the subject of the West Virginia state quarter in 2005, and now Bridge Walk guided tours are available year round on the walkway beneath the Bridge.

Theresa and I pose on the Fayette Station Bridge to snap a selfie. This bridge is part of a cool driving tour which takes you from the north rim, down under the bridge, across the river and back up the south rim.

Before we left, I was told by a local photographer that we HAD to get up early and go out to catch sunrise at Grandview Overlook. We’re glad we left early since the small platform and rock outcrop in front of the viewing area (unguarded with a 500′ vertical drop off) were packed fairly tightly with photographers seeking the perfect pictures! Although it was foggy (it’s known for thick fog banks that rise up from the canyon below), it was also magical! The fog, along with the rising sun, can produce breathtaking photos, even pre-dawn, right before the sun rises.

Theresa snapped this pre-dawn photo of me looking out over the fog-covered New River Gorge as the fog begins to rise.

Our last stop was on the southern boundary of the park. A natural drop in the river called Sandstone Falls. The largest waterfall on the New River, Sandstone Falls spans the river where it is 1,500 feet wide. Divided by a series of islands, the river drops 10 to 25 feet. Sandstone Falls marks the transition zone of the New River from a broad river of large bottomlands, to a narrow mountain river roaring through a deep boulder strewn V- shaped gorge. The falls form the dramatic starting line for the New Rivers final rush trough the New River Gorge to its confluence with the Gauley river to form the Kanawha River.

Sandstone Falls as seen from 1,500 feet above.
Sandstone Falls as seen from the boardwalk, at river level.
Fall-blooming asters grow along the ridges of the Gorge.
A Great blue heron rests in the rising mist, just above Sandstone Falls.

The New River Gorge is one of the greatest treasures we have in this country. From the rich cultural history of coal mining and adjacent forested lands that hide a variety of wildlife, to the exciting recreational opportunities that await the adventure seeker! It’s a Gorge-ous place to visit! Go!