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SA Reviews: National Park Review

March 10, 2021

Here at Liberty University, exploring the beautiful backdrop of central Virginia is strongly encouraged. Surrounded by a multitude of hiking trails, lookouts, and overall adventurous natural landscapes, Lynchburg is an exciting place to be. However, in the past year quarantine and safety restrictions have made it hard for students to take part in many on-campus activities. The beauty of exploring your surroundings is that there are rarely (if any!) restrictions to keep people from enjoying the outdoors.

For those who have already sightseen around the area and are looking for a new adventure, there is much to be explored beyond the Peaks of Otter and the city of seven hills. My roommate and I took it upon ourselves to spend a day to visit a new place, and we decided on New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia.

The newest addition to the ever-growing list of National Parks, New River Gorge National Park is a place ready to be explored. Stretching for 53 miles throughout southern West Virginia, the park is rich in history and full of opportunities. The park is open to various recreational activities such as hiking, mountain-biking, and rock-climbing. The most notable activity is the exceptional whitewater rafting, as the New River is full of rapids and small waterfalls.

The New River itself is recognized as the second oldest river in the world, coming close behind the Finke River in southern Australia. The river begins in North Carolina and ends in West Virginia, and it is around 360 miles long. It is also low crossing, meaning plants, animals, and settlers have utilized it as a corridor to spread throughout the Appalachians for hundreds of years. Today the river is home to a wide variety of landmarks and attractions, and surrounding parks add to the versatility of the area.

With the journey fully mapped out, my roommate and I visited three landmarks in total: Sandstone Falls on the New River, the Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park, and the New River Gorge Bridge.

The first destination was Sandstone Falls State Park, a few miles down the river from the New River Gorge. This waterfall is the largest on the New River with a height of 25 feet. The park is spread across various small islands connected with a series of large wood and steel bridges. The first island is considered to be one of the most unique botanical ecosystems in West Virginia, and we were able to take an island loop trail that covered a majority of the area. Each trail system offers views of the upper and lower falls, each from a different perspective.


Sandstone Falls State Park, WV

After spending a while exploring the falls, we left and headed up the road to Babcock State Park in order to check out the Glade Creek Grist Mill. This mill is one of the most iconic locations in West Virginia, with a fully functioning replica of the original mill which once stood in its place. I was able to explore the area on foot while my roommate took some long-exposure photos of the miniature falls near the mill itself. Although we visited Babcock State Park in the winter, this mill is a gorgeous attraction year-round.

Glade Creek Grist Mill – Babcock State Park, WV

The final destination and the main highlight of the daytrip, the New River Gorge Bridge stood 876 feet above the ground, which was an awe-inspiring sight to see. Construction began in 1974 and the bridge was completed in 1977, fully open to the public. Upon completion it was the world’s highest bridge, a record held until it was broken in 2001, beaten by the Liuguanghe Bridge in China. One of the most fascinating things about the bridge is the festival that people hold on the bridge every year in October called “Bridge Day.” This celebration is full of demonstrations where people base jump off the bridge, walk along the bottom beams, and rappel off the side of the bridge. Although we were not there for this festival, we enjoyed the long drive that snaked from the top of the bridge to the bottom of the gorge, and explored our way up to the top again.

New River Gorge Bridge – New River Gorge National Park, WV

Our trip to New River Gorge National Park was a great experience, and we were both able to learn a lot about some of the history surrounding southern West Virginia. It was a long day, but an eventful one full of new experiences. Taking a daytrip is not always an option to some students, but when an opportunity presents itself, I will always encourage people to be spontaneous and explore the natural and man-made wonders that surround us.

References:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/01/22/new-river-gorge-national-park/

https://bridgewalk.com/history-of-the-bridge/

https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/dispatch-new-river-gorge-our-newest-national-park


 

Written by: Zachary Grabill

Zachary is a Sophomore studying Business Administration: Project Management. He is passionate about music, traveling, and adventure, and enjoys sharing his experiences with others. He appreciates the opportunity to write for the blog as a platform to both entertain and discuss culture from a creative and personal perspective.