New River Gorge National Park

 From the Smokey Mtns we headed north into Virginia and then West Virginia to visit New River George. The park runs along the New River and features hiking and rock climbing but may be known mostly for white water rafting. We've run the river back in college and it is a blast. This trip we started at the visitor center then drove the twisty road down into the gorge, across the river over the old bridge and back up to the main road.

 

The view of the bridge from the visitor center trail that winds part of the way down into the gorge.

You can drive the old road down into the gorge, across the old river bridge, and back up the other side. The road is narrow, twisty, and one-way so once you start you are committed. There is no where to turn around and it's one-way but a fun and scenic drive. It takes you directly under the new bridge.

The view down the gorge from inside the visitor center.

This is the old bridge that was the only way across the river until the new bridge was built.

View of the new bridge from the old bridge.

If you look really close you can see people under the bridge. There is a bridge walk you can do to view the river 800 some feet directly down, if you don't mind heights.