New River Gorge National Park and Preserve — Interstate Access, 2026 Fees & Truck Notes

01 Park overview

New River Gorge is the youngest US national park (redesignated from a national river in December 2020) and protects 53 miles of one of the oldest rivers in the world — the New River, which flows north through a 1,000-ft sandstone gorge in the southern West Virginia coalfields. The signature landmark is the New River Gorge Bridge, the longest single-arch span in the western hemisphere when completed in 1977 and still one of the highest vehicle bridges in the country (876 ft above the river). Bridge Day, held the third Saturday of October, closes the bridge to traffic and is the largest legal BASE-jumping event in the world. From I-77 / I-64 the standard access is Exit 48 in Beckley, then 23 mi north on US-19 to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center at the bridge.

Youngest US national park (redesignated from national river in December 2020)
New River is one of the oldest rivers in the world (~260+ million years old) and flows north
New River Gorge Bridge: 876 ft above river — longest steel arch span in western hemisphere when built
Bridge Day (third Saturday of October) is the largest legal BASE-jumping event in the world
Park entry is free; no entrance gate

02 Photos

Grandview Overlook, New River Gorge Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA

03 Don't miss

Canyon Rim Visitor Center bridge overlook
Long Point Trail (3.2 mi RT to a panoramic ledge view)
Endless Wall Trail (climbing-area cliff line)
Sandstone Falls (south end of the park)
Bridge Walk catwalk under the bridge ($85, 3 hr guided)

04 Getting there & truck/RV access

Route from interstate

From I-77

Exit 48 (Beckley, US-19 N)

23 mi north on US-19 to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center at the New River Gorge Bridge

Big rigs & RVs

Truck access

US-19 from I-77 north past Beckley to the bridge is paved 4-lane and accommodates any vehicle size. Inside the park, paved roads to the major overlooks are RV-capable; the Fayette Station Road descent under the bridge is paved but has 8% grades and tight switchbacks restricted to vehicles under 30 ft.

Parking: Canyon Rim Visitor Center has an RV-capable lot. Sandstone Visitor Center, Grandview, and Thurmond all have RV parking. Truck-friendly fuel is concentrated at I-77/I-64 Exit 48 (Beckley) and I-77 Exit 60 (Mossy).

Restrictions: Fayette Station Road (the original gorge crossing) has tight switchbacks and 8% grades — vehicles over 30 ft and trailers should use US-19 over the main bridge instead.

05 Seasonality & road closures

Best months: Mid-April through October — full road access, comfortable hiking. Bridge Day weekend (third Saturday of October) draws the heaviest crowds of the year.

Closures: No seasonal road closures on the main paved network. Bridge Day closes the New River Gorge Bridge to vehicles entirely (one day only).

Notes: Whitewater season is April–October; commercial rafting outfitters on US-19 in Fayetteville. Climbing season is most active September–November.

06 Entrance fees (2026)

Pass	Price
America the Beautiful (annual, all NPS sites)	$80 U.S. residents · $250 non-residents

2026 nonresident fee — does not apply here

The $100 NPS nonresident surcharge applies at 11 specifically named parks. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is not on that list, so non-U.S. residents pay the same standard entrance fees as U.S. residents.

No entrance fee at any time. Bridge Walk catwalk and commercial whitewater rafting are operated by independent concessioners and priced separately.

Note: No entrance fee. Bridge Walk catwalk tour $85 (book at bridgewalk.com). Whitewater rafting trips $80-$200+ depending on section.

Official NPS fee page →

07 Current alerts (1)

Active National Weather Service alerts and FEMA disaster declarations affecting New River Gorge National Park and Preserve's state(s). Updated every 15 minutes.

FEMA · Winter Storm WV

SEVERE WINTER STORM

Putnam (County)

08 FAQ

How do I get to New River Gorge from I-77?

23 miles north of I-77/I-64 Exit 48 in Beckley on US-19. The Canyon Rim Visitor Center is just before the New River Gorge Bridge. Total ~30 minutes from the interstate.

Does the park charge an entrance fee?

No — New River Gorge has no entrance fee and no entrance gate. The Bridge Walk catwalk under the bridge ($85, operated by a private concessioner) and commercial whitewater rafting are paid extras, not park fees.

Does the $100 nonresident fee apply?

No. New River Gorge has no entrance fee for any visitor.

When is Bridge Day?

The third Saturday in October. The bridge closes to vehicles for the day and BASE jumpers (~400 of them) leap from the catwalk. Watching from the Canyon Rim Visitor Center is free; designated jumper-watching areas fill by 9 AM.

From I-77

Truck access

2026 nonresident fee — does not apply here

SEVERE WINTER STORM

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve on the live map