LANSING, W.Va. (SWVO) – New River Gorge National Park and Preserve saw heavy visitation over Labor Day weekend, as thousands of visitors flocked to the region to celebrate the unofficial end of summer.
Trails, scenic overlooks, historic sites, and river access points were crowded throughout the three-day weekend.
The New River itself was filled with rafters, stretching from Prince to Fayette Station, while onlookers gathered on the Tunny Hunsaker Bridge to watch the steady flow of boats below.
Visitors traveled from across the country, with a majority arriving from neighboring states such as North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. License plates from as far away as California, Florida, and Indiana were also spotted.
One traveler from Indiana, gazing up at the New River Gorge Bridge, described the view in a single word: “Remarkable.”
Parking lots across the park reached capacity, particularly at popular spots such as Fayette Station, Thurmond, and Sandstone Falls. In many cases, overflow parking spilled onto roadsides despite warnings against doing so.
The surge of visitors extended beyond park boundaries, providing a boost for nearby towns and businesses.
Restaurants, shops, and lodging options in gateway communities such as Fayetteville and Hinton reported strong holiday weekend traffic, with hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals booking up across the region.
While official visitor statistics for the weekend have not yet been released, the National Park Service publishes monthly reports and will provide updated figures in the coming weeks.
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