04 Jun The “not so” New River

The New River Gorge National Park located in southern West Virginia is a short five hour drive from my house and the state it is located in borders the western portion of my home state; but I had never heard of the New River Gorge prior to applying for my internship and had no idea what to expect. Some experts argue that the New River is actually one of the oldest rivers on the planet and that is why the gorge is so deep. The park itself protects nearly 60 miles of the river and the surrounding land from Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park. Due to the north-south orientation of the gorge it is a great place to watch migratory bird species make their journey south in the winter; with even a few couples of raptors nesting here. The gorge is also one of the premier places to whitewater raft and rock climb east of the Mississippi. I, along with thousands of tourists and adventure seekers, will be fortunate enough to call this natural wonder my home for the summer and am looking forward to everything it throws at me.

The New River Gorge bridge is probably the most famous landmark of the park. Even though its a huge steel man made object it actually complements the natural scenery, in my opinion. Prior to its opening in 1977 the drive to cross the river took 45 minutes across narrow, winding roads. The bridge shortened that drive to about 45 seconds now and opened up the economy of the area to the nation. There’s one day a year when the bridge is shut down known as “Bridge Day”, people can base jump off the side of the bridge and land right where I took this photo; New River Gorge is the only national park that allows base jumping to take place on its land. I don’t think I will be partaking in jumping off a bridge, even with a parachute!