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January 2024 by Wolfy H.
My 8 year old daughter and I went on a tour with Kalila and we had a fantastic time. It was a great mixture of walking and enjoying the scenery and moments of her sharing facts and information - perfect amount of each! It's $75 per person but how many chances do you get in life to walk on the catwalk of a bridge over 800 feet in the air? TOTALLY WORTH THE PRICE! It felt incredibly safe and was not scary at all - my 8 year old daughter loved it! 8 years old is the youngest who can go on the tour and must be 48 inches tall but I felt it was extremely kid friendly! Once in a lifetime experience and a must do if ever in West Virginia!
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December 2023 by Brett Jones
I was able to do the bridge tour in December 2023. Our tour guide was Josh. He welcomed us, walked us through the safety aspects, and what to be prepared for. We then proceeded to the bridge. From beginning to end, he made sure everyone was comfortable and moving along. Josh was very knowledgeable about the area and the history behind the bridge. After crossing the bridge, during our ride back to the meeting place, Josh continued to provide information about the area, including parks and places to eat. I plan to do the bridge walk again and have recommended it to people I know.
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November 2023 by Jim Calvert
Wow, an exhilarating experience you just can't get anywhere else. The 3,032' long walk under the busy highway on the 2nd highest bridge in the USA was awesome. At 871 feet above the river you can see beautiful views all the way across. Our guide was the best - filled us in on the history, details (and fun stories) about this amazing feat of engineering. I've wanted to see this for a long time and it did not disappoint.You need to experience this!
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November 2023 by Brett A.
Unless you're absolutely terrified of heights, you MUST do this if you're near Fayetteville. You're wearing fall protection and on a 20ish inch walkway with high railing on both sides the whole time. This is an experience like no other. You get to walk the entire length of the bridge and experience a perspective that not many people get to see. I would highly recommend trying to walk near the guide as it can be a little bit noisy under the bridge with the traffic above. Our guide was Carl and he was knowledgeable and funny too. He did a great job! Would highly recommend doing this if you have a few hours of time in the area.
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November 2023 by Manon Hale
One of the coolest things I've ever done! Doug was our guide and he was fantastic, and let us go at a very relaxed pace while giving us lots of good info and recommendations for other things to do around town. I recommend doing the endless wall and long point hikes (the latter giving you a beautiful view of the bridge).Fayetteville is super cute and you should definitely stop there for some food (Cathedral cafe was really cute, and the store Thread) Anyway it's totally worth it! I was worried because it was raining that the views wouldn't be as good, but it was so gorgeous with the mist and fall colors!
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November 2023 by Tommy Compton
Spectacular views abound! I enjoyed the panoramic unobstructed views of the gorge while gaining an appreciation of the engineering and massive undertaking required to complete this work of art. Our guide was entertaining as well as informative and allowed us plenty of time to enjoy the experience The bridge walk was easy and there were several breaks along the way. Definitely an experience of a lifetime!
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November 2023 by Brandy G.
This was hands down the highlight of my recent visit to the New River Gorge National Park. The Bridge Walk (offered by an external tour company not affiliated with the NPS) offers a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with an amazing architectural accomplishment and some truly breathtaking views.I'll be the first to admit I'm a bit terrified of heights but If I can do this 1mile walk across the 2-foot wide cat walk then so can anyone with a minor to moderate fear phobia. There are guardrails on either side of you and you're tethered in and essentially wearing zip-lining gear just in case somehow the unthinkable happens. The views are truly breathtaking and learning the history of the bridge and the region and then the impact that the bridge had on the local community was incredibly interesting. No purses, bags, or fannie packs allowed. I ended up purchasing the cellphone lanyard for $5 since my outfit didn't have pockets to help keep my cell phone secure - which ended up being really convenient since my phone was easily accessible at all times when i wanted to snap a photo.This tour is a great way to learn the history of the park and the area and provides a great baseline for visiting its natural wonders.
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October 2023 by Lorna LA
Recommend you book a tour probably a week before you want to go. Our trip was kind of last minute so there was no online availability when I checked. I took a chance and emailed them to see if they have a wait list. Prompt and friendly communications by email and phone and we got on a 9am tour 2 days later. On the day of, our tour guide, Hannah, conducted a brief and informative session on "how to wear your harness" (checking everyone for proper fit) and what to expect during the Bridge Walk. During the tour she was making sure everyone in her group was comfortable and if we had any questions. We took our time walking the catwalk, Hannah detailed the workings of the bridge, pointed out landmarks, sites of the Park, recommended trails to take and also telling us about Bridge Day. Fall foliage was amazing and the views from the Bridge and over the New River were beautiful. When we reached the middle of the bridge, we were able to sit down on the catwalk for a few minutes which was awesome. Never felt rushed. Short shuttle to starting point of tour and another shuttle back to the Bridge Walk office near the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. It was a tad pricey but the experience was worth it and I would highly recommend!
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October 2023 by pcampbell74
The Bridge Walk experience was truly awesome. The New River Gouge Bridge is amazing by itself, however, you can take a guided tour under the bridge on a cat walk. I went to the Bridge Walk website, picked my day and time, filled out the waiver & paid for my ticket. The building was easy to find on GPS. I recommend being at least 20 min early. I also recommend purchasing a phone leash from their store. A well maintained parking lot with ample parking was much appreciated. You check in at the desk and are introduced to your guide (we had Paul). Your guide will instruct you on how to wear your safety harness properly. You are then transported by bus to the beginning of the tour area. You are then secured to a static wire safety system on the car walk and being your tour. Our guide gave us all sorts of fun facts about the bridge. The history, the building of & it’s structure. He was also my than happy to answer all of our questions. You will walk the entire length of the bridge (1,700 feet) so wear comfortable footwear. At the end of the tour you get transported back to the main building via bus. You do get a cool sticker to commemorate you bridge walk!This was an absolutely amazing experience. I strongly recommend if your down that way.
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October 2023 by Howdy RodneyH
AMAZING! Highly recommended. Even if you have a fear of heights, well worth it. The walk way is wide enough and a solid piece of steel. Hand railings on both sides and you have a harness on. Highly recommend a lanyard for your phone for photos. Dress is layers, can be a bit chilly in the spring and fall. Our guide Larry was great, informative with stories and facts and tales! Make sure you pee before you go.
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October 2023 by Debbie Kaighn
Excellent time. Doug aka "Larry" was fantastic. Funny, full of information and a pleasure to have as a guide. I highly recommend him. Well worth the cost. We went the day before Bridge Day and had a treat being on the catwalk in the pouring rain watch in come off the bridge in small waterfall fashion. Also got to chat with the repel safety team and the special ops officers, who were there preparing for Bridge Day.
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October 2023 by Kelly G.
Underneath the four lanes of highway 19 and among the rust-red girders and beams is a lesser-known feature of the bridge: a two-foot-wide, grated-steel catwalk that runs the entire length of the bridge. And you can walk it !The bridge walk was the highlight of our trip to New River Gorge National Park. Here's what to know : You'll park at the outfitter and you'll put on the safety gear that will tether you to the bridge . You'll then be shuttled to the bridge with your tour guide . Once under the bridge you will use the carabiner to tether yourself to the bridge for safety. If you have a fear of heights the first few steps are okay , the anxiety sets in about midway when you become immersed under the bridge and recognize how high you are . Take your time , breathe and hold onto the handrails . The cat walk you walk across is two feet wide with hand rails on either side . The walk itself takes about 45 mins to an hour . Upon completing the walk , the shuttle then picks you up and returns you to the outfitter. Some tips : Make sure you use the bathroom at the outfitter.If you're cold natured , bring a jacket or wear layers. Be careful with your phone . If you drop it , there's no recovering it as it will fall into the river . The outfitter sells cell phone holders you can wear around your neck . No flip flops allowed . Heels not recommended . Enjoy the beautiful views and experience !
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October 2023 by Sabrina W.
Absolutely fantastic time on our tour with Scott! Views were awesome and learned a lot about the area and the bridge on our trip. Super cool experience, highly recommend!
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September 2023 by Shalyn Steinbeck
What a fantastic experience! From start to finish, this was an amazing day! We were originally scheduled to due the walk in July, but do to an unforeseen injury to one of the girls, it had to be postponed by a few months. They even made that process super easy- a quick phone call to the phenomenal staff and it was rescheduled to September. And boy, was it worth the wait!Larry, our guide for the walk, greeted us warmly, got us checked in, chatted with us about our plans and recommended some things to do. He also took us through the facility and chatted with us about the bridge itself. You can really see and hear the pride in every voice that you encounter and rightfully so. Even today, the bridge is still a testament to ingenuity, engineering, and determination.Larry was so much fun on the walk..he didn't mind that we were acting silly or being loud-he really seemed to revel in the energy and matched it! He pointed out features of the bridge along the way and even threw in some great anecdotal commentary about his experience with the bridge as a young man, growing up nearby. The pace was leisurely, the experience was magnificent and the day was just gorgeous!Would highly recommend-make the trip to see the bridge do the walk, hike the trails, mingle with the locals and see America's newest National Park!
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September 2023 by G
Visited on 9/21 1pm tour.If you’re scared of heights like I am/was, you have got to do the Bridge Walk. The first few minutes I couldn’t look down just left & right, but by the time we reached the middle, I was sitting on the walkway dangling my feet!This was an absolutely amazing experience & worth every penny. The view is out of this world. Paul was our tour guide. If you’re doing the Bridge Walk, make sure Paul is your tour guide. I had seen Paul on several YouTube videos & I was hoping he would be our tour guide. He made the whole experience so much more fun & he is very knowledgeable on the area.BTW, I highly recommend purchasing the little phone rubber lanyards from the office. I think it was $6. I seen a few people holding their phones with no protection & it’s not worth it if it falls.
