About
West Virginia is home to one of the longest bridges in the world. Spanning over 3,000 feet long and rising 876 feet high, the New River Gorge Bridge was built out of pure steel. Finalized in 1977 after four years of construction, the feat’s final cost came to $37 million.
The privately owned Bridge Walk offers tours for those who are brave enough to cross the 24-inch wide maintenance catwalk. For the ultra brave, grab your headlamp and go at night. The reward? Jaw-dropping panoramic views of the tree-lined gorge below, and bragging rights that you’ve traversed the longest steel structure in the Western Hemisphere.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013, the bridge also appears on the West Virginia commemorative quarter. Every year on the third Sunday in October, the site hosts a celebratory Bridge Day to commemorate the bridge’s completion.
Since 2011, the bridge has also served as a breeding ground for a pair of peregrine falcons, a federally protected species known for its incredible speed.
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Know Before You Go
Bridge Walk tours range from two to three hours and start at $60. Participants must be at least 48 inches tall, at least eight years old, and have a waist size less than 52 inches. A light jacket and comfortable walking shoes are recommended (no sandals). All participants are secured into a safety cable before crossing the catwalk.
Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism.
Published
May 8, 2025
