bridge walk- new river gorge bridge

Our trip to West Virginia was made memorable by the breathtaking views from under the longest arch bridge in the Northern Hemiphere! It is pictured on the back of the WV state quarter. The bridge walk is a guided tour along the cat walk maintenance walkway under the bridge leading to a view that is not comparable from any other place. Our tour guide Doug and Lisa were very warm, welcoming and knowledgable about the construction and history of the bridge. Highly recommended during peak season and off season. Every season changes the view.

Although I really don't like heights I went on this tour with my wife and boys (ages 14 and 11). We had a great time and everyone with the company was great - especially Doug our guide. Water and Hot Chocolate awaited us after we wrapped up. It's worth the money and quite a thrill. We even went on a foggy/cloudy day and I'd actually say that was better because of the beautiful pics.

I wanted something to celebrate my wife's birthday that would take her out of her comfort zone. (She is not the adventurous type). I chose the Bridge Walk after hearing very favorable comments about the walk. I didn't tell her where we were going until we got there! She actually agreed to do it. Our guide (Doug) was fantastic and got everyone In a feeling comfortable before we left for the Bridge. I believe this is the only bridge in the U.S. that you can actually walk under. You are 851 feet above the New River Gorge and walking on a 2 foot wide catwalk. Everyone wears a harness which is secured to an overhead cable. After the first 100 feet or so my wife was taking pictures, smiling and having the time of her life. The view is simply beautiful. The leaves were at their peak and the river below was awesome. The entire trip across takes about two hours with plenty of stops for photo ops. I would highly recommend this adventure to anyone. This trip exceeded my expectations and my wife said this was the best birthday trip she has had.

The bridge walk is a fun and different trip to take. The guide was interesting an new his stuff. The views from underneath the bridge of the George are amazing. I would defiantly recommend the bridge walk.

This was a surprise for my birthday and boy, was it awesome?!?!?!?! I had so much fun doing this, even though my group had to turn around within the first 10 feet because one of our group members became extremely terrified. I felt bad for her but didn't mind to get to do the beginning again. The tour guide Logan was AWESOME and VERY knowledgeable and gave us tons of info. The pictures from up above of the white water flowing was AWESOME!! I would definitely suggest doing this tour!!!

The view from the catwalk on the bridge was amazing and breathtaking. We had a great tour guide with us and he was very knowledgeable. We will visit this area again. Highly recommend!!!

We had never done anything like this before and had looked forward to this part of our trip. We were not disappointed. The day was a little cool but we dressed for it and it was awesome. We are not afraid of heights but it was amazing to be walking under a bridge and hear the vehicles above you, especially the trucks! Our guide was very good and let us take our time on our walk. Glad we did this.

It's a very pretty view and worth the walk.... You just have to remember you have to walk back up the stairs! It's truly a breathtaking experience in person. Wish we could have stayed longer.

Where else will you have the opportunity to walk under a major bridge and peer down 531' to the river below? The answer to this is why we took the tour, gladly shelling out $140+ for the opportunity. I'm not that fond of heights myself, but found that standing close to my tour partner or putting my hand on his shoulder was enough to ground me.... pun intended. The geometric shapes of the bridge steel were a fantastic background to the scenery below. Both of us sat down midway, might as well do this after you made it this far! You're safely strapped in, there's no danger. I highly recommend this tour. It was the highlight of our trip. Seeing the underside of the bridge is an opportunity that may not be repeated.

A group of us (6 in total) were in the area for a family wedding and decided to go on the bridge walk. For those who are not familiar with it, you walk across a 24 inch steel catwalk, with railings, underneath the largest arch bridge in the country. At the center, where it crosses the New River, you are 851 feet above the water. The entire thing takes about 2 hours, and it is a hoot. Once ou get to the bridge, it is about a .6 mile walk along the catwalk. That is a long way, and you can't really see the end when you start--the catwalk just seems to go on and on. At the beginning, you feel a bit vulnerable, as you are out in the open, but you are under a 64 foot umbrella (the deck of the bridge) so the walk goes on rain or shine. The views are amazing, and to feel the wind and the vibrations from the traffic on the bridge brings home that you are really very far up.There is a guide with each group. Ours was Tyler, as 20 year old who said he has done this about 500 times. He was great. He had a good sense of humor, and was quite knowledgable about the brigade. He pointed out features of the bridge, and explained why it is so unique. He also pointed out the nesting place of a family of peregrine falcons who live inside one of the supports. At the midpoint, where you are 851 feet above the water, we actually sat down on the catwalk and watched the white water rafters and kayakers negotiate a class three rapid right below the bridge. It was very cool. But, not to fear, you have a harness and a tether, and are quite safe. Even the most nervous of our group ended up having a very good time.We went on a Sunday in August. The big event there each year is a bridge walk in late October. Our guide described this event, which includes parachute jumping, rappelling down through 800+ feet of open air, and a zip line at such a steep angle that you must be held back to keep from crashing fatally into trees at the end. It all sounded a bit crazy, but apparently about 200,00o people a year think enough of it to show up.All in all, this was a lot of fun. My only complaint is that it is a bit pricey. When we went, it was $69 a person. There are some days when it is less, so you need to look at their website to see what it is on the day you want to do. Still, all six of us agreed that it was worth it, even though there was some hesitation beforehand.

but oh so worth doing. I challenged myself to do the bridge walk and recommend others do the same. The was another woman on our tour that had some trepidation, as I did. By the middle of the bridge we were high-fiving! We even dangled our feet over the edge while sitting on the catwalk. Doug, our guide, was both interesting and informative......entertaining, too. Had been raining. Was too foggy to see the bridge from lookout when we arrived, but a half hour later it had cleared as we started our tour.

Trying to find activities that engage kids, tweens, and teens is a challenge. The catwalk tour met that challenge and satisfied everyone in our family. The walk is entirely safe, non-demanding, and especially interesting to those who appreciate architecture, history, birds, heights, or anything big. The price is a bit high for the tour duration, but the perspective is one-of-a-kind. There is a very short bus ride to the beginning of the tour and a short bus ride back to the parking area. Warning: do not trust your phone or car-based navigation device in this part of West Virginia. Go with the directions from the tour vendor. In general, a decent map of West Virginia is mandatory when traveling in this area.

The group leaders of the bridge walk are young and energetic. The scenery is great and the history and the interaction about the bridge was interesting.

I must admit I was a bit skeptical concerning this walk. The walkway is all metal and about 2 feet wide with a waist high railing. You do feel safe, but I must admit it was somewhat difficult for me (64 year old male) to walk and look down at the same time, however I had no problems with looking down while standing still. Everyone will have his own reaction to the height, but even so you always feel safe and are always tied to a cable above with a harness and a strap, which you really never feel. The views are amazing, the guides are great (mine was Joel) and you get a drive back by bus. There are no other attractions like this in the area and certainly not many even in the US. Take the plunge (figuratively or literally in October only) and walk the walk!

The Bridge Walk is absolutely amazing!!! The views are incredible. It is like walking through the sky. The tour guide and the manager were both very friendly and knowledgeable. My family got some amazing pictures! Take as many shots as you can on the way over because it's a one way trip... You walk to the other side and then get bussed back to the office, you don't walk back across to the beginning side of the bridge. If you're in West Virginia, it's the one attraction you MUST DO!