If you’re hanging out around the New River Gorge, you’re probably there because you want to, like, see the New River Gorge. And if you want to see the New River Gorge, you probably want to see the New River Gorge Bridge. And if so, that 45-second drive across the bridge itself might not do it for you. And even that great view from the Visitor Center Overlook might not do it entirely for you. So if you find yourself desiring more, there’s only one thing you can do: walk the bridge. The bridge’s catwalk underneath the bridge itself gives you an amazing view that you can soak in during a 2+ hour walk. Doug was our guide and he was fantastic — he answered questions, gave us some good detail, and really took the walk at the pace we wanted to take it. We ended up staying on the bridge for over 2.5 hours, because we lucked out with several falcons hanging out near us and wanted to observe. We also saw rafters, heard the lonesome whistle of a train as it chugged along 900 feet below us, everything. I was a little worried as the date approached because the weather forecast looked horrid, but nothing to fear. If it’s sunny, I can only imagine how far into forever you’d be able to view. As for us, it alternated rain under overcast skies, resulting in this mist that made the land feel as ancient as the New River itself is. And the bridge itself is your umbrella, so no worries about getting wet. Just about everyone who has seen my photos and heard about this asked me if I was scared, or they comment on how crazy it must be to walk it. I point out that you’re tethered for the entire walk and it is essentially impossible to fall. You’re only crazy if you get an opportunity like this and you don’t take it.
