A Visitors Guide to Bridge Day: The Largest Single Day Festival In West Virginia
Nestled in the heart of West Virginia is the New River Gorge Bridge. This bridge spans 3,030 feet across the New River gorge with a height of 876 feet above the New River, making it the longest single-span steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere and the third-highest bridge in the United States. The bridge was completed on October 22, 1977, and reduced a 45-minute drive to less than a minute. Since then, The New River Gorge Bridge has become a staple of the state, it was even featured on the West Virginia state quarter! Once a year, the bridge is closed to vehicles and plays host to the largest single-day festival in West Virginia. Bridge Day.
You might already be familiar with Bridge Day. It usually takes place on the 3rd Saturday of every October, and is one of the largest extreme sports events in the World! Each year for one day, the bridge is closed to vehicles and thousands of people gather to watch as daredevils from all over take a leap off the bridge and let their parachutes deploy and take them to the bottom of the gorge. These daredevils are also known as BASE Jumpers, and they come out in the hundreds to take the leap off the bridge. In addition to these base jumpers, you might also see people rappelling under the bridge, whitewater rafting on the New River, or taking a zipline from under the bridge to the bottom of the Gorge. Whether you're an extreme sports seeker or a spectator, Bridge Day is a West Virginia staple that you can't miss.
Know Before You Go
The New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia is easily accessible from major interstates. It is within a day's drive of 2/3 of America’s population.
There is a detour away from Rt. 19 on I-79 and I-64/77 and goes into place at 5:30 a.m. on the third Saturday in October. So, make sure you're on the side of the bridge you want to be on before this time.
There are several designated parking areas with shuttles to take you to and from the festival. These are $3 per person so bring cash.
Entry for the festival itself is free but there are different vendors so bring cash in case you want to make any purchases while you're there.
The festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, so 2022 is going to be a big year make sure to arrive early!
Make Sure to check the official rules before heading to the bridge so you won't get turned away at the entrance.
Be considerate of other visitors, the jump site on the bridge can get crowded.
It can be windy on the bridge so bring some extra layers just in case.
Where to stay
Hotel or AirBNB - I would recommend looking in the towns of Fayetteville, Summersville, or Beckley.
Camping- Camping can be found in the local state parks like Babcock and Hawks Nest and even the New River Gorge National Park
Where to Eat
Pies and Pints- Fayetteville (I would highly recommend their Grape and Gorgonzola pizza)
Cathedral Caffe- Fayetteville (Great for breakfast and Lunch)
The Station - Fayetteville
Smokey's- Fayetteville
Appalachian Coffee House- Mount Nebo
Tudor's Biscuit World- Fayetteville ( No trip to WV is complete without a biscuit from Tudor's
Things to do on Bridge Day
Bridge Day 5K
Kick-off Bridge Day the festival with the annual Bridge Day 5K hosted by Active- Southern West Virginia. The run has two check-in points, one on the south side of the bridge meeting in downtown Fayetteville and the other on the North side of the Bridge at the Canyon Rim Visitor's Center. The North side of the Bridge is where the official start line for the race is, and those checking in on the South Side will be shuttled over to the start point. The route takes you across the New River Gorge Bridge, through the town of Fayetteville, and finishes at the Fayetteville County Courthouse. If you would like to sign up or find out more about the Annual Bridge Day 5K you can check out the Active- Southern West Virginia website.
BASE JUMPING
Are you interested in taking the jump off the 876 ft high bridge? In 2019, the last time bridge day was held before the pandemic, 303 BASE jumpers from 41 different states made 790 jumps (Official Bridge Day). You must have made at least 50 prior independent jumps/skydives and be a registered jumper to participate. The jump passes cost $75 and the jumper must provide their own equipment. If you are interested in BASE jumping off the bridge, check out the FAQ section on the Official Bridge Day website.
Rappelling and Ziplining
Bridge Day isn't just a Base-Jumping festival. Each year adventure seekers from all over come to the festival to rappel and ride the highline from the bridge's catwalk. In 2019 over 900 rappels from the bridge were completed on Bridge Day. Several teams are chosen each year from a lottery to be able to rappel on a fixed rope from the Catwalk underneath the bridge. To qualify the participant "must be a seasoned rappeller with proper rack training who has successfully completed at least a 250’ rappel." and much have a team with a leader who submits their application for the lottery drawing (Official Bridge Day). The Bridge Day highline is another thrill for adventure seekers. This zipline will slide you 700 feet from the catwalk of the bridge to the Fayette Station Road below. This activity doesn't require experience but does fill up fast for more information visit the Official Bridge Day website.
Whitewater Rafting and The Bridge Walk
While these events aren't specific to Bridge Day, they definitely add to the thrill of the day! West Virginia is known to have some of the best Whitewater rafting on the East Coast, and bridge day tends to occur right after the famed Gauley Season. Many of the local outfitters will do trips down the New on Bridge Day and offer packages that allow you to raft and spend some time under the bridge to watch the BASE Jumpers and Rappelers while having your own outdoor adventure! Another unique way to experience bridge day is by walking on the catwalk on the underside of the bridge. Bridge Walk is the only official outfitter that takes people out on the two-foot-wide graded catwalk under the bridge, and they offer a special walk on Bridge Day. The Bridge Day walk is approximately 90 minutes and allows guests the opportunity to walk to the middle of the bridge for an up-close view of the highline, rappellers, and BASE Jumpers. I would highly recommend both of these activities, not only on Bridge Day but throughout the year when they're offered.
Spectate
If your friends BASE jump off the New River Gorge Bridge, would you? Participating in these extreme sports isn't for everyone, but luckily Bridge Day is just as much for the spectators as it is for the jumpers! It's estimated that in 2019 there were over 100,000 spectators at the festival! As you approach the bridge, you'll see long rows of different West Virginia vendors. Selling everything from Local WV crafts, goods, and businesses to funnel cakes and fresh squeezed lemonade. Once you have your favorite festival snacks, make your way to the bridge where you'll be able to take in the scenes of the New River Gorge National Park below and watch as the BASE jumpers leap and deploy their parachutes. The bridge isn't the only place to watch the events of the day though. You can also make your way "into the gorge" and watch below, this gives you a great opportunity to not only watch the BASE jumpers but to also watch those rappelling, ziplining, and rafting! There are several different ways to get to the bottom of the Gorge on Bridge Day. You can either walk or ride your bike the 4 miles one way, or you can sign up for the "into the Gorge" shuttle ride. Tickets for the shuttle are $25 per person and can be purchased through the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, but tickets are limited for this special viewing area.
What to do the rest of the weekend:
The festivities begin before Bridge Day commences and extend the rest of the weekend after it concludes.
Taste of Bridge Day
Each year on the Friday before Bridge Day, Adventures On The Gorge hosts "Taste of Bridge Day". This pre-festival activity is a great way to enjoy some of the area's best restaurants and caterers. You can listen to live music and shop for local arts and crafts while enjoying some of the best Southern WV has to offer. Taste of bridge day starts at 5:00 pm and ends at 9:00 PM that Friday. Food is purchased with food tickets. Each ticket is $1 and most menu items will range between 1 to 8 tickets, and proceeds benefit the Canyon Rim Rotary Club. For more information visit the Official Bridge day Website.
New River Gorge National Park
While in the area make sure to explore West Virginia's only National Park! The New River Gorge was designated as a National Park in 2021 and is a staple of West Virginia tourism and nature. Take a scenic drive under the bridge or through the historic mining town of Thurmond. Take a hike on one of the many trails in the park. Many of these trails are also ADA accessible with boardwalk paths, like the Sandstone Falls boardwalk! You can also get a more extreme experience by whitewater rafting, rock climbing, or mountain biking. So swing by one of the Parks Visitor centers, grab a map, and talk to a ranger to plan out your perfect National Park trip.
Visit the local State Parks
Located right down the road on the North Side of the New River Gorge are Babcock and Hawks Nest State Parks. Babcock is home to the famous Grist Mill, one of the most photographed places in West Virginia. while in the park you can go hiking, fishing, boating, biking, and camping. Take your trip to the neighboring Hawk's Nest State Park, known for its scenic overlook which provides panoramic views of the New River Gorge National Park. This park offers a lodge for visitors to stay in, hiking, boating, and an Ariel tramway.
Shop at the Tamarack
Located right off I-77 near Beckley, the Tamarack is hard to miss. For 25 years the Tamarack has played host for many West Virginia artists to showcase their craft. With over 2,800 artisans all from West Virginia, you can shop everything from jewelry to jams, and quilts to sculptures. The Tamarack is also home to an art museum with rotating curated exhibits featuring West Virginia artists. There is also a restaurant in the Tamarack where you can try Appalachian cousin! The Tamarack makes for a fantastic space to visit or host an event like a gala or wedding, make sure to add it to your list when in the area for Bridge Day.
When people ask me about West Virginia, Bridge Day is one of the first things I mention. I'll never forget going as a child and seeing a group from Australia dressed up as "flying pigs" jump from the bridge. I thought it was so neat that people from the other side of the planet came to our little slice of West Virginia just to participate in the Festival. Bridge day is such a unique event, and truly showcases some of the best things West Virginia has to offer. This year, I'm looking forward to traveling back to West Virginia and taking my partner to his first Bridge Day, and returning with my grandmother who took me to my first so many years ago. If you haven't made it down to Bridge Day before, I hope this guide inspires you to make the most of your trip and encourages you to take note of all the little things that make our state "Almost Heaven.