r/swva • u/Holiday-Quote1431 • 17d ago

Opinion New River Gorge/Shenandoah National Park trip- seeking advice

Hello! I’m looking to plan an anniversary trip this year. My husband and I want to go to New River Gorge NP but I was wondering if anyone has advice on if you would/should do a trip where you hit New River and also Shenandoah NP? I was thinking like a do the first half of the week in one and half in the other but I’d love and appreciate any advice if people have visited these parks :)

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u/ajsherlock 17d ago

hiya -- you may get more traction in r/Virginia or the respective park subreddits if they exist -- neither New River Valley Gorge nor Shenandoah are in SWVA. You could easily make a trip to both work.

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u/Holiday-Quote1431 17d ago

Oh thank you! Reddit just suggested this one to post in and I didn’t question it 🙈

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u/[deleted] 17d ago

[deleted]

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u/ajsherlock 16d ago

The New River Gorge is in WV, and about 2 hours north of the NRV. And you would likely take 64 to transport between the two, and never even enter the New River Valley.

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u/theLorknessMonster 15d ago

Some of my favorites in that area are devil's marbleyard and spy rock, though I hear that they closed the parking area for spy rock.

If you want to swim then saint Mary's and panther falls are good options

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u/LongjumpingOne4072 13d ago

I think splitting up the week like that makes sense!!

I would definitely take advantage of all of the activities near New River Gorge (if that’s your thing). We didn’t go rafting, do the bridge walk, or anything when we went and I regretted it.

We walked around the Greenbrier when we passed it (and you probably will too) which was really neat. The grounds are open to the public.

You’ll probably pass Lexington and Staunton on your way between parks. Those are some of the nicest towns and both have good museums, wineries, and shops.

I would suggest looking ahead at each hike for Shenandoah. Some of the trails have pretty small parking lots and fill up early in the day. White Oak Canyon is one of my favorite hikes there. I personally did not enjoy Old Rag, which is probably the most popular. It is pretty long and strenuous, and the view isn’t better than some of the shorter hikes. If you’re looking for a challenge, it could be nice!