We’re feeling especially grateful this season as major media outlets like Travel + Leisure and AFAR have both highlighted the magic of fall in the New River Gorge and mentioned Lafayette Flats Boutique Vacation Rentals as a wonderful place to stay while exploring it.
By hosting travelers to New River Gorge National Park for over a decade, we’ve found that there are three types of fall visitors. Which one are you?
Type 1 – Equinox Enthusiasts
- A.K.A. Hoodie Hermits, Golden Hour Groupies
- These folks are big fans of fall, not so much of other people.
- Best time to visit: September
Beyond the crisp weather and ever-changing seasonal scenery, here are a few experiences we think Equinox Enthusiasts will love discovering the New River Gorge.
- Lesser-known hiking trails. We created a list of our favorites for West Virginia Explorer.
- Picking up ingredients at New Roots Community Farm and cooking dinner at home base.
- Visiting the former subsistence farms within New River Gorge National Park. The Richmond-Hamilton Farm sits along the river road that leads to Sandstone Falls. The other, much more remote but worth the 25-minute side trip, is the Trump-Lilly Farm. Sitting high on Freezeland Mountain overlooking the upper New River Gorge, this farm was first settled in pioneer days and still contains many of the original structures like the farmhouse, several barns, and sheds. Rarely visited, it is one of our favorite places to spend time, so we added it to this itinerary.
Type 2 – Foliage Fanatics
- A.K.A Autumn Addicts, Pumpkin People
- These folks are fueled by pumpkin spice and the energy of a fall festival crowd.
- Best time to visit: October
Along with the brilliant fall colors and lively crowds, here are a few experiences Foliage Fanatics will love in the New River Gorge.
- Bridge Day Weekend, Oct. 17-19. It’s the biggest party in West Virginia!
- Leaf Peeping at the Best Spots. Here are our top tips for leaf peeping in the New River Gorge.
- Rafting the Gauley River. The Beast of the East is turned loose every fall, and folks come from far and wide to try and tame it. Gauley Season begins the first weekend after Labor Day when the Army Corp of Engineers opens the dam to begin drawing down Summersville Lake to its winter pool level. It continues for six weekends creating the best white-water rafting in the country.
Type 3 – Autumn Introverts
- A.K.A Frost Seekers, Bare Branch Bunch
- These folks love calm forests and nature doing what it does best – just being nature.
- Best time to visit: November – middle of December
Paired with tranquil trails and quiet small town life, here are a few cozy experiences we think Autumn Introverts will cherish in the New River Gorge.
- Enjoying nature every way possible in New River Gorge National Park.
- Hiking Endless Wall Trail and Long Point Trail without the crowds of summer.
- Visiting the OTHER big bridge in the New River Gorge. The Phil G. McDonald Bridge, which spans Glade Creek (a major tributary in the New River Gorge), is tied for 5th tallest bridge in the USA. It also holds the distinction of being the tallest bridge in the entire USA interstate system. At 700 feet tall, the Phil G. McDonald Bridge is only 176 feet lower than the New River Gorge Bridge! And it’s only 40 minutes away in neighboring Raleigh County, WV. The Glade Creek Trail offers hikers a view from below.
Who are we? Amy & Shawn, New River Gorge hikers, master naturalists, and owners of Lafayette Flats Boutique Vacation Rentals in downtown Fayetteville, WV, the heart of New River Gorge National Park.
If you enjoyed this post you might also like:
New River Gorge Explorer: A 7-Day Itinerary
