Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about what NOT to do when you visit the New River Gorge in West Virginia. While many travel blogs will tell you the best things to see on a trip to New River Gorge, we like to tell you what NOT to do so you can avoid making these common mistakes.
Don’t Overestimate Your Rafting Skills
When you visit the New River Gorge, whitewater rafting is by far the most popular activity. Don’t worry, anyone can raft here, but an honest assessment of your skills and risk tolerance will determine which section you go on. Both sections are great fun, but be realistic about your skills when choosing which section of the New River to raft.
- The Upper New River is actually easier, with Class I through Class III rapids. These mild rapids are perfect for new or younger rafters.
- The Lower New River is for more adventurous travelers, with Class III through Class IV rapids.
Don’t Count On Rafting Year Round
While rafting is the most popular thing to do in the New River Gorge area, there are times when it is not possible to go rafting. Water levels vary throughout the year, and there are times when the water levels are too low for rafting. You might still be able to get out, though, using duckies, or inflatable kayaks.
Don’t Forget to Keep Your Head and Feet Up!
If you go New River Gorge rafting, there’s a good chance you’ll end up going for a swim during your outing. The guides will give you a safety briefing before you go, and the most important thing to remember is to keep your feet up and your head up. Let your body float feet-first down the river – remember, nose and toes to the sky! This is known as the “downriver swimmer’s position.”
Don’t Bring Valuables Rafting
The river is not a good place for showing off your new camera or wearing expensive jewelry. Even sunglasses should stay on shore unless you have a strap to secure them to your head. Your rafting company will most likely have photographers out on the river so you can still get photos from the outing without ruining your phone or camera. If you decide to bring a phone to capture your rafting adventure, make sure it’s in a waterproof container and make sure that you can strap it to the boat securely.
Don’t Forget Adventures on Land
While whitewater rafting is the biggest draw to the area, there are lots of other fun things to do on land, too! Some of the best ziplines in the United States are in this area. A few that we recommend:
- The Treetop Canopy has ten ziplines, rappelling, bridges, and more.
- The Gravity Zipline gets up to 60 miles per hour in a ¾-mile stretch
- For younger kids, there are some more mellow canopy walks and ziplines as well
There are also a ton of great hikes in the area, and you can also do paintball, laser tag, trap shooting, and cave tours.
Don’t Forget Serious Bug Spray
Most New River Gorget adventures are outdoors, and the bugs can be nasty, especially in the summer months! There are stinging bugs, biting bugs, and all kinds of annoying bugs. Don’t mess around with the bug spray. Get the good stuff and keep reapplying as often as you need.
Don’t Forget to Potty Before Your Adventures
A lot of the adventures in New River Gorge are all-day excursions. Whether you’re rafting or ziplining, or hiking, make sure you take care of business before you head out for the day. You may not see a flush toilet, or any toilet, for 7 to 8 hours, depending on what you have planned.
Don’t Count on Lots of Photos
It’s hard to take photos when you’re rafting a river or ziplining through a forest! We don’t have a lot of photos from our New River Gorge adventures, but that’s because we were having a blast and hanging on for dear life! If you have a way to safely carry your phone or a camera, you might get a few shots, but don’t count on it. Most tour companies will have photos you can purchase at the end of the tour.
Don’t Forget a First Aid Kit
With all of your outdoor adventures in West Virginia, it’s a good idea to have a small First Aid kit with a few necessities in case of emergency. If you’re doing something super rugged, your guide will likely have a kit, but for your own, we recommend a few must-have toiletries:
- Band-Aids
- Neosporin
- Ankle Wrap/Brace aka Ace Bandage
- Pain Reliever (Paintball is painful!)
- Allergy Medicine
- Aloe Vera Gel
- Tweezers
Don’t Forget Sunblock
The sun is strong here, especially if you are on the water. It’s not enough just to bring sunscreen along. You have to bring a high SPF sunscreen, apply it liberally, and reapply it throughout the day. Don’t forget places like the tops of your feet or the tops of your knees; these are likely to get burned while rafting. Don’t ruin your trip with a sunburn.
Don’t Skip Fayetteville
Fayetteville West Virginia is one of the closest towns to New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. It is marketed as one of the “coolest small towns in America.” And it is pretty cool. The historic downtown has the courthouse building, cute little shops, and lots of fun restaurants that are family-friendly. It’s worth exploring for a ½ day or so between outdoor adventures.
What NOT to Do in West Virginia
Don’t Miss the Good Food!
You’re in the south, so expect some down-home Southern cuisine when you visit West Virginia. We had some amazing food in Fayetteville, from BBQ and banana pudding at The Pink Pig to pizza and beer at Pies and Pints. For breakfast, Tudor’s Biscuit World is pretty fantastic.
Simply Jocelyn Shares What to Eat in West Virginia
Don’t Wait to Eat Dinner
Some of the better restaurants we tried close early. Like 7;00 early for dinner. So, this is not a place to eat late. If there’s a place you want to try, it’s best to check their hours ahead of time as folks tend to eat dinner earlier in the day. It can be pretty hard to get a meal after 9:00, so plan ahead! There is a Wal-Mart in Fayetteville if you need to purchase groceries.
Don’t Forget Multiple Shoes
You’ll need a couple of different types of shoes for your West Virginia adventures. You’ll need good hiking shoes or walking shoes. For rafting, a pair of water sandals are best. You can’t wear flip-flops rafting, but you’ll want dry tennis shoes for the rest of your trip.
Don’t Miss the Overlooks and the Bridge
The New River Gorge Bridge is pretty spectacular, so it’s worth going to some of the overlooks. There’s a good one from the visitor center, and other cool ones off the road. If you’re feeling brave, you can actually sign up with BridgeWalk for a guided walking tour across the catwalk on the bottom side of the bridge.
Don’t Count on the Weather
Weather can be different in this part of the state, and it can affect your plans. The Gorge tends to stall weather, so a storm that would normally pass quickly may linger a bit longer. Frequent summer thunderstorms often put an immediate end to your zipline plans. Unexpected storms can appear from nowhere, so it’s always a good idea to have a rain jacket handy.
Grab Some Wolters World Travel Gear!
Don’t be surprised if you fall in love with New River Gorge! There are so many fun things to do; we’re not surprised it gets more popular every year! Our family trip to New River Gorge is one of our favorite adventure trips yet and it’s one of our favorite places to visit in West Virginia! Want more travel tips for the southern states? Check out some of our other blog posts: