With the wind rushing around you and one of the world’s oldest rivers coursing 876 feet below, the new Bridge Walk in Fayette County offers a secure way to feel the thrill of the New River Gorge.
“The guided tour will be the only one of its kind in North America,” said Benjy Simpson, managing partner for Bridge Walk.
Bridge Walk tours, a cooperative venture between the West Virginia Division of Highways, the National Park Service and Bridge Walk, LLC, begins in the spring of 2010.
“This latest adventure is something that most people can do regardless of age, as long as they are healthy, willing and able to walk,” said Simpson.
The tour starts at the Canyon Rim Visitor’s Center where a short pathway on the north side of the gorge leads to the bridge. Participants will be able to see videos about how the bridge was built and how the New River Gorge was formed many years ago. From there, they enter the walkway to be surrounded by the immense steel structure of the bridge. They then journey on a 24-inch wide walkway underneath the entire 3,030 foot length of the New River Gorge Bridge while being harnessed to a safety system.
During the interpretive tour, participants will learn about the construction of the bridge as well as the area’s coal mining industry, history and geology – all while enjoying magnificent panoramic views.
“The bridge, river and mountains are icons of ‘Wild, Wonderful West Virginia,’” said Simpson.
In fact, the New River Gorge Bridge is the largest single span steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere. “This bridge is an engineering marvel,” said Simpson. “Bridge Walk guests will have the opportunity to see and try to comprehend how exceptional this bridge really is. Each time I walk out on the catwalk it amazes me that the state Department of Highways was able to build this bridge.” Constructed in the 1970s, the bridge comprises 22,000 tons of COR-TEN steel. The steel forms a durable, protective layer that turns a russet color when exposed to the weather for long periods of time.
During the third Saturday of October, the New River Gorge Bridge also is the site of West Virginia’s largest single-day event, Bridge Day. Hundreds of BASE jumpers, rappellers and more than 100,000 spectators attend the event as the bridge serves as the launch point for six hours of BASE jumps. This is the only day of the year that traffic is shut down and spectators can safely and legally walk across the bridge.
The New River – generally flowing in a south to north direction – provides some of the best whitewater rafting in the East. In addition, the New River Gorge, estimated to be about 345-million-years-old, averages between 700 to 1,300 feet in depth. The area, as a whole, offers plenty of scenic and recreational opportunities, ranging from boating and biking to bird watching and fishing.
Visitors to the New River Gorge area are able to see firsthand why residents chose the bridge, river and gorge to represent West Virginia in the United States Mint's 50 State Quarters Program.
After its spring grand opening, the Bridge Walk tours will be available year round. We are very excited about this opportunity to develop the New River Gorge Bridge as a world-class adventure for people of all ages and abilities,” said Simpson. “As an exclusive and distinctive attraction, Bridge Walk will be a major draw for visitors to the area.
For more information about Bridge Walk, visit www.bridgewalk.com or call 304-574-1037. For more information about area attractions, visit www.newrivergorgecvb.com.