In association with Hikercentral.com
and Goingoutside.com
In association with Hikercentral.com
and Goingoutside.com
Welcome to my site about the outdoors and about water camping there.
Without the items on my list below you could get in some trouble so make sure you have it all.
| CAMPSTOVE | There are two kinds of paddlers, those who wouldn't use anything else than a Trailstove and those who have never tried it. It has the lowest pack weight in the world even though it's based on ancient concepts. It simply burns wood, and it works great. | |
| FOOD | Bring good tasting food to eat, even if it weighs a bit more. You're going out in nature to have a good time and enjoy yourself, not for some kind of punishment. | |
| SLEEPING PAD | Never underestimate the value of a good nights sleep. Make sure you can sleep comfortably even if it means carrying a bit more weight. A sleeping pad will keep you warm but not comfortable. I recommend an air mattress. | |
| LAMP | If you don't have a dependable light source you could get into very big trouble if you start running late and the sun starts going down. It's a good idea to bring an extra flash light with you too. Make sure that both flash lights have good batteries and that they both use the same type of batteries. | |
| FOLDING TOOL | Multi purpose tools are great things, you can do so many things with a good one. | |
| BLANKET | If you're just going for the day bring a small blanket with you, the kind they have on airplanes. |
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD CAMP FIRE
1. COLLECT WOOD. You should have about 20 to 30 very thin twigs, and 10 to 15 small sticks to get the fire started and as many larger pieces you need to keep the fire going for as long as you need it.
2. BOTTOM BRANCHES. If the ground is covered with snow you can break dry branches off the bottom of a tree.
3. STARTER MATERIAL. You will need some material that ignites very easily to start the fire. There are a number of things you can use for this. Dry leaves, dry grass, bark, or chips from a dry semi-decomposed dead tree. Paper works fine too if you have some with you.
4. FIRE RING. Find a good location for your fire, there should be nothing nearby that could catch fire such as dry vegetation. Make a ring on the ground with rocks.
5. STARTER MATERIAL. Place the starter material in the center of the fire ring. Make sure there's plenty of air around each piece of material.
6. TWIGS. Make a teepee around the starter material using the thin twigs you collected earlier.
7. STICKS. Put the larger sticks around your twig teepee. Finish off with some more massive pieces.
8. LIGHT. Light the starter material.
9. WAIT. In about a minute the starter material has started to ignite the small twigs.
10. FIRE. After a few minutes your fire will be in full flame. Soon the
teepee will collapse into a shapeless collection of burning wood, don't worry
this is all normal and good. By now you fire is stable and will keep burning for
as long as you feed it wood.
Glen Jean, WV
A rugged, white water river, flowing northward through deep canyons, the New River is among the oldest rivers on the continent.
Located in southern West Virginia, New River Gorge National River was established in 1978 to conserve and protect 53 miles of the New River as a free-flowing waterway.
This unit of the National Park System encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along the New River between the towns of Hinton and Fayetteville. The park and surrounding area are rich in cultural and natural history, with an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.
CONTACTS
Email - katy_miller@nps.gov
Fax- 304-465-0591
Write to
P. O. Box 246
Glen Jean, WV 25846-0246
Phone
Headquarters - 304-465-0508
Visitor Information -
304-574-2115
Visitor Information - 304-763-3145
TRAVEL BASICS
Operating Hours,
Seasons
The park is open year-round. Canyon Rim Visitor Center is
open daily (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's) from 9:00 AM
to 5:00 PM, with extended hours in the summer. Visitor centers in
Thurmond, Grandview, and Hinton are open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
during the summer.
Getting There
PLANE - Charleston WV, approximately 70 miles
northwest of the park, is the closest major airport. Some flights are also
available nearby at Beckley WV.
CAR - Highway access is from Route 19, between Beckley and Hico, and from I-64, between Mossy and Sandstone.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Amtrak service is available to three locations in the park, three days a week. The Cardinal, traveling between Chicago and Washington DC, makes scheduled stops at Hinton and Prince, with Thurmond as a flag stop for passengers with reservations.
Greyhound has a bus terminal in Beckley.
Taxi services are based in Oak Hill and Beckley.
Weather & Climate
In general, winters are variable,
ranging from mild to frigid. Expect 50 degrees and mild, or - 10 degrees
and blizzard conditions. Spring is very unpredictable - generally mild and
wet, it alternates between beautiful and questionable conditions. Summers
are warm and humid, with thunderstorms occasionally. Fall is generally the
driest and most stable season, with cool mornings and mild days.
Accessibility
All four visitor centers are accessible.
Boardwalks with views of the New River at Canyon Rim, and at Sandstone
Falls are also available. Three campgrounds (Army Camp, Grandview Sandbar,
and Glade Creek) offer accessible sites. Braille park brochures are
provided at all visitor centers. With advance notice, outfitters can
accomodate many different types of disabilities on whitewater rafting
trips. The beauty of the gorge appeals to all, regardless of their ability
to experience every activity.
Getting Around
The four visitor centers, primitive
campgrounds, and several dozen trailheads, and river access points are
located along narrow and winding roads. Allow plenty of time to travel
between locations, and use safe speeds and courtesy on one lane roads.
FEES/PERMITS
Special Use
Permits
PERMITS
$ Varies for One Time
Permits are
required for certain business operations, collecting research specimins,
commercial photography, film making, display of commercial notices or
advertisements, distribution or sale of printed matter, reservation of
Grandview, Dunglen, or Burnwood shelters, special events, public
assemblies, and use of Burnwood or Dunglen group camping areas.
CAMPING
Army Camp
Open All
Year
Primitive Camping Only! Campground has 11 sites, in an open area
near the river, with some sites having partial shade. Sites have picnic
tables, lantern hooks and grills, and nearby toilet. facilities. Drinking
water is NOT provided, so bring your own water. No fees. One site is
handicapped accessible. This campground can accomodate self-contained
RV's.
Glade Creek
Open All Year
Primitive camping on
five sites in a wooded area. Sites have picnic tables, lantern hooks, and
grills, and nearby toilet facilities. Drinking water is NOT provided, so
bring your own water. No fees. One site is handicapped accessible. This
campground cannot accomodate large RV's.
Grandview
Sandbar
Open All Year
Primitive camping on 16 sites in a wooded
area. Sites have picnic tables, lantern hooks, and grills, with nearby
toilet facilities. Ten sites can accomodate medium sized RV's, 2 sites are
handicapped accessible, and there are 4 walk-in sites. Drinking water is
NOT provided, so bring your own water. No fees.
Stone
Cliff
Open All Year
Very primitive camping on 10 sites in a
sandy area with partial shade. Sites do NOT have picnic tables, lantern
hooks, or grills. Two or three of the sites can accomodate small pop-ups,
pickup campers, or vans. Scout the campground on foot before driving in,
to assess water level and sand conditions, as the area is subject to
flooding. Drinking water is NOT provided, so bring your own water. No
Fees.
FACILITIES
Visitor
Centers
CANYON RIM VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year 9:00 -
5:00
Phone - 304-574-2115
Location - Located off U. S.
Route 19, just north of the New River Gorge Bridge. It is approximately 30
minutes north of Beckley, 30 minutes south of Summersville, and 70 minutes
southeast of Charleston.
Closures - Thanksgiving, Christmas, New
Years Day
Special Programs - Orientation Slide
Program.
Exhibits - Exhibits on the natural and cultural history
of the area.
Available Facilities - Boardwalk, overlooks, picnic
tables.
GRANDVIEW
Phone - 304-763-3715
Location -
Take the Grandview exit (129-B) on I-64, east of Beckley. Follow Route
9 north for six miles to the park.
Closures - Recreational
climbing and hunting are prohibited at Grandview.
Special Programs -
Ranger on a Rock informal programs, hikes, walks
Available
Facilities - Overlooks, hiking trails, picnic tables, picnic shelters,
playgrounds, and summer outdoor drama presentations. For shelter
reservations, call 304-465-8064. For theatre schedule and ticket
information, call 800-666-9142.
HINTON VISITOR
CENTER
Phone - 304-466-0417
Location - Hinton Visitor
Center is on Route 20, west of Hinton.
Special Programs - Hikes
and walks at nearby Sandstone Falls, and Bluestone National Scenic
River
Exhibits - Scenic views, video
presentation
Available Facilities - Three trails, and a
boardwalk leading to river-level views of Sandstone Falls are within ten
miles of the visitor center. Fishing and river-watching are available from
the visitor center's deck.
THURMOND DEPOT
Phone -
304-465-8550
Location - From the Glen Jean exit on Route 19, go
left for .5 miles on Route 16/61 to Glen Jean. Turn right, cross bridge,
then take next two left turns, following signs to Thurmond. In 6.5 miles,
at a three way intersection, bear slightly left and up hill to the bridge.
Cross the bridge and park in front of Thurmond Depot, the yellow
building.
Closures - Flood damage repairs are still underway on
area roads and railroad lines, so visitors should use extra caution and
expect short delays.
Special Programs - Walking tours,
hikes
Exhibits - Restored passenger depot, historic furnishings,
exhibits of interaction between coal mining and
railroading.
Available Facilities - Across the river are hiking
and mountain biking trails. Nearby Dunglen Day Use Area has picnic tables,
picnic shelter, and river access.
Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service