Climbers on the East Coast call it “the New”. The cliffs of the lower New River Gorge in West Virginia have made the area one of the most popular climbing destinations in the United States, and since the gorge became a national park and preserve, it gets more attention than ever. If you are planning a first trip, here is what the Park Service says about the rock, the season and the rules.
The rock
According to the National Park Service, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve holds over 1,400 established rock climbs. The cliffs are a hard sandstone and range from 30 to 120 feet high. The rock is well featured, with plenty of both crack and face routes.
This is not a beginner’s crag. The park says most routes favour advanced and expert climbers, the majority are graded 5.9 and harder, and most sport routes fall in the 5.10 to 5.12 range. A guidebook is the way to find routes, and local climbing shops can point you in the right direction for your level.
When to go
You can climb in the gorge in any season, but the park names two windows as the best: late April to mid-June, and mid-September to late October. Summer brings heat and humidity in the trees below the rim. Winter days can be good on sunny walls, but short.
Camping near the cliffs
There are many private campgrounds within easy driving distance of the climbing areas, and showers can be bought at many of them. The park asks climbers not to bathe in visitor center restrooms.
Primitive camping is allowed on park property, with limits. You cannot camp within 100 feet of parking areas, water sources, historic sites or the top rim of the cliffs. Drinking water is available at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, and nearby towns have markets and places to eat.
Private land inside the gorge
One thing surprises visitors: a lot of land in the gorge is private, including some parcels inside the park boundary. The Park Service is clear that you must respect gates, fences and no trespassing signs. Some well-known crags sit near private property lines, so check your guidebook and the signs at the trailhead before you walk in.
Parking and security
- Park only in designated areas and never block roads or driveways.
- Change clothes out of view of the road and other visitors.
- Do not leave a vehicle unattended overnight at a parking area or trailhead.
- Hide or remove valuables and lock the car while you climb.
The climbing rules
The park says over one million people visit New River Gorge each year, thousands of them climbers. With numbers like that, erosion, damage to plants, human waste and crowding all become real problems. The main rules are:
- Motorized drills are allowed by permit only.
- Use existing trails whenever possible.
- Pets must be on a leash.
- Pack out everything you bring in.
- Leave historical and natural objects where you found them.
Human waste, in detail
The park spells out its human waste rules, and they are stricter than many climbers expect. Within a quarter of a mile of a restroom or pit toilet, you must use that facility. Further away, waste must be packed out in a container or buried 6 inches deep in organic soil, in a place the public does not use. It must not be buried within 200 feet, or in sight, of any trail, road, parking lot, campsite, cliff, climbing route, water source or stream. A waste bag in your pack solves most of this.
Safety
The Park Service reminds visitors that climbing carries real risk, that many climbing locations are miles from roads and that rescue is difficult. Get qualified instruction before you climb on your own, and call 911 in an emergency. Cell coverage in a deep gorge can be patchy, so tell someone where you are going.
Finding your way around
Guidebooks split the gorge into many named walls, and the busiest are within walking distance of the rim roads near Fayetteville, the town most climbers use as a base. Approaches are usually short but steep, through dense forest, so a headlamp in the pack is a good habit for late finishes.
Combining the New with other trips
The gorge is also known for whitewater rafting on the New River and for the bridge that spans it. A climbing trip here pairs well with a rest day on the water or on the rim trails.
More climbing on this site
For a contrast in rock and style, read about climbing Devils Tower, where long crack routes and a free registration system set the rules, or rock climbing in Joshua Tree, where the desert decides the season. If you want to keep climbing in winter, the Ouray Ice Park in Colorado is built for that.
The park’s climbing information, regulations and planning documents are on the National Park Service New River Gorge climbing page.