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The New River Gorge Bridge

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Known best for the annual 'Bridge Day,' held every October to commemorate the birthday of this engineering feat, the New River Gorge Bridge is one of West Virginia's most recognizable landmarks. The bridge, completed in 1977, also serves as an economic stimulus for the New River Area, as various adventure and outdoor-oriented businesses have flourished due to the improved accessibility to the region's natural wonder, the New River.  Built as part of the Appalachian Regional Corridor 'L,' the New River Bridge spans 3,030 feet in length.  At 876 feet above the New River, it is the third-highest bridge in the US, and the arch length of 1,700 feet made the bridge, at the time of its opening, the longest steel single-arch span in the world.  (The bridge is now the third longest of its kind in the world and the longest within the US.) Corridor 'L' is simply nearly 70 miles of US 19 from the West Virginia Turnpike Exit 48 to Interstate 79 (Exit 57).  It serves as a shortcut for many travelers from Western Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario to the South and vice versa.  Personally, I cross this bridge and travel this route several times a year between North Carolina and Pittsburgh.

The New River Gorge Bridge as viewed from the upper observation deck. 

The Canyon Rim Visitor Center is one of the best and most accessible locations to take photos and learn about the bridge.  It is just off the north shore landing of the structure.  At the visitor center, there are multiple vantage points.  One - a quick walk that leads to a viewing platform just above highway level (shown above) or via a longer, more strenuous trek - there are a lot of stairs - to a viewing platform that affords views of the bridge (see below) and the New River Gorge below.  The Canyon Rim Visitor Center features exhibits and video presentations about the geological formation of the river, the area's coal heritage, and, of course, the bridge itself.  The visitor center is also a great place to stop and have a picnic, and in our case, let the kids get out and play.

The lower observation decks afford various perspectives of the bridge and allow for closer detail shots.
 

The nearly 50-year-old bridge replaced a turn-of-the-century structure that sits less than 20 feet over the river.  It also eliminated a curvy, narrow 45-minute down the ridge, across the river, and back up the ridge venture that motorists wishing to cross the New River at this location had to take.  Once the bridge opened, US 19 moved onto Corridor L and the new bridge. 

The Fayette Station/Tunney Hunsaker Bridge as viewed from the lower Canyon Rim overlook.

"Bridge Day" is a celebration of the bridge and also of the recreational opportunities the New River has to offer.  The event, first held in 1980, features bridge jumping, rappelling, a carnival atmosphere, and more.  The festival is West Virginia's largest one-day event.  For more information, visit the New River Convention and Visitors Bureau's Bridge Day Site.  The festival takes place on the third Saturday of every October.  John and Barb Bee attended Bridge Day in 1989 and received a certificate recognizing their completion of walking across the bridge.

1989 Bridge Day Certificate (Barb and John Bee)

Today, you can do a rather unique bridge walk yourself.  Bridge Walk, LLC offers guided tours along the catwalk underneath the bridge.  The tours are offered daily and cost $79/person.  This unique tour began in 2009 as a partnership between the WV Department of Transportation, National Park Service, and Bridge Walk, LLC.  Since then, over 40,000 people have taken part in this tour.


Construction on the bridge began in 1974 and was completed three years later for $37 million.  The bridge officially opened to traffic on October 22, 1977.  The bridge was featured on the back of the West Virginia state quarter by the US Mint in 2005.

All photos taken by the post author - July 2007 or September 2025 - unless otherwise noted.

Site Navigation:
  • Corridor L History
  • New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Guide
  • Gribblenation's National Park Guides
Sources & Links:
Page History:
  • First Published - January 2002
  • Updated and moved to Gribblenation.org - January 22, 2017
  • Grammar, spell check, revision, new photos, and links - January 3, 2026

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