The best view of this iconic bridge is 800ft+ up on the catwalk

What is more breathtaking than the New River Gorge? Well, walking across it, of course!

In 2009, Bridge Walk was created from a collaboration with the National Park Service, West Virginia Division of Highways, and the partners that make up Bridge Walk, LLC. Using the existing catwalk underneath the New River Gorge Bridge, the company added a safety system with harnesses. Since then, more than 32,000 folks have crossed the 3,030-foot span— the longest of its kind in the western hemisphere.

A walk unlike any other

Your tour starts at Canyon Rim Visitor’s Center. From there, you’ll take a short hike Two women standing on catwalk beneath New River Gorge Bridge, WVto the catwalk. A guide will clip you into a harness and cable (the world’s longest continuous safety system), and then the trip begins!

Tours are leisurely, so you’ll have time to take in the stunning vistas. From your vantage point, the vast New River Gorge sprawls 876 feet below you in all directions. Look at distant rapids, sandstone cliffs, and forests as they disappear into the horizon. Falcons are a common sight, too.

Bridge Walk is open year round (Thanksgiving and Christmas Day excepted), so it’s worth returning as seasons change. Winter is especially lovely. Beards of ice grow on cliff faces, and snow dusts everything like sugar. There are special full moon tours, too— nocturnal trips lit only by silvery constellations.

Another great thing about Bridge Walk is accessibility. Tours are 1.25 miles long (including the short hike before and after the catwalk). You don’t have to be fit, either. Most of the tour happens on a flat platform. When you’re done crossing the bridge, a shuttle will return you to the visitors’ center.

Handy tips

Wear comfortable walking shoes and a light jacket if you get cold easily. If you wear glasses or sunglasses, consider bringing a lanyard. You can also purchase one from Bridge Walk.

Kids 8-15 must be accompanied by an adult, and they must be more than 48 inches high.

Bridge Walk also has holiday deals. No occasion is too minor, either. Daylight Saving Time, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day … visit the company site or Facebook Page for the latest discounts! You can also get an annual pass for unlimited tours.

The sky-high exhilaration doesn’t end with a Bridge Walk, either. Visit in October for the world’s biggest BASE jumping festival!

Bridge Day >

This post was last updated on March 16, 2022