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The Atlas/West Virginia/Canyon Rim Visitor Center

Canyon Rim Visitor Center

The NPS Canyon Rim Visitor Center (162 Visitor Center Rd, Lansing) is the premier above-deck vantage point for the New River Gorge Bridge — the longest single-arch steel bridge in the Western Hemisphere at 3,030 ft and 876 ft above the river. Two overlook tiers: a panoramic upper platform and an arch-level lower boardwalk. The visitor center has ranger exhibits, restrooms, and a bookshop. Open 9 am–5 pm. Bridge Day, held every third Saturday in October, draws 100,000+ visitors including a huge motorcycle contingent.

West Virginia
Region
Viewpoint
Stop type
Standalone stop
Atlas
// Why riders stop

The definitive photo stop for the New River Gorge Bridge. Wide paved lot accommodates large groups; the lower boardwalk puts you at the steel arch's eye level. Bridge Day in October is one of the largest one-day outdoor events in the US.

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// Nearby & related
StopWest Virginia
Harper's Old Country Store
West Virginia
West Virginia's oldest continuously operated store in its original building (est. 1902, fifth-generation Harper family) sits at the junction of Routes 28, 33, and 55 directly in front of Seneca Rocks. The oiled hardwood floors and pressed-tin ceiling are unchanged; upstairs the Front Porch Restaurant serves hand-tossed pizzas, calzones, sandwiches, and local WV beers. The store owner describes motorcyclists as 'probably the fastest growing part of the tourism business.' Open Wednesday–Sunday.
StopWest Virginia
Hawks Nest State Park Overlook
West Virginia
Built by the CCC in the mid-1930s from local sandstone, the Hawks Nest clifftop overlook sits directly on US-60 in Ansted and delivers a 750-foot vertical drop to the New River below. The horseshoe-shaped paved walkway is 80 yards with a handicap-accessible viewing station aimed at the dam and the New River's dry gorge. The park lodge, aerial tramway to the gorge floor, and small gift shop are all steps away. Easy roadside pull-off with no hiking required.
RouteWest Virginia
6.1/10
Highland Scenic Highway
West Virginia
A 43-mile National Scenic Byway on WV-39 and WV-150 from Richwood to US-219 north of Marlinton, climbing to 4,545 feet through the Monongahela National Forest — long sweepers, excellent pavement, four developed overlooks, and almost no traffic, often called a "mini Cherohala," with Cranberry Glades and the Falls of Hills Creek along the way. WV-150 is not maintained in winter and riding is discouraged November through March.
48
miles