New River Gorge: Paving Work Disrupts Access to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center

If you're planning a visit to New River Gorge right now, there's a logistical detail worth knowing before you hit the road. The West Virginia Department of Highways is running a paving project right outside the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, the big welcome center perched at the edge of the canyon. The work started September 15 and keeps going over several days.

Here's what that means on the ground. The entrance to the center from Route 19 may be closed off and on. Nothing alarming, but if you show up at the wrong moment, you might find the direct access blocked and lose a few minutes figuring out how to get around it.

The good news is that there's a backup route, and it's easy to follow. From Route 19, keep going to the next road north, Lansing Edmond Road. Turn right, then right again at the next intersection onto Fayette Station Road. Bear right at the fork right away, then stay right at the intersection after that. That gets you to the visitor center without relying on its main entrance.

Here's a bit of advice. Build a little cushion into your morning plans, especially if you're aiming for the view of the New River Gorge Bridge early in the day, when the light is at its best. The center stays open and reachable. Only the way in changes for now.

To place this welcome center within the park as a whole and plan the rest of your trip, keep the New River Gorge park guide handy, since it puts the trails, overlooks, and access points in context.

These closures don't have an announced end date, so it's worth checking traffic conditions the day you go. The work is moving fast, and direct access should be back to normal once the new pavement is down.