New River Gorge National Park & Preserve guide · 2 min read
Grandview's Main Overlook and Rim Trails
Grandview Main Overlook is a short walk from the Grandview Visitor Center parking lot. Its large, mostly flat rock sits about 1,400 feet above the New River and looks down on a horseshoe bend.
A paved sidewalk leads from the lot, though the rock can be slippery in wet or snowy weather. In late spring and summer, you may catch sight of white water rafters on the river far below, and many visitors come for the sunrise.
The Grandview Rim Trail is a moderate hike of 1.6 miles one way along the ridge, passing through forest with views into the gorge. It connects the Main Overlook with North Overlook and Turkey Spur Overlook. The Turkey Spur Overlook is reached by climbing a series of wooden steps, which can be slippery in wet or snowy weather. If you want to save your energy, you can drive Turkey Spur Road to its end and park in the lot there. Look for rhododendron blooms in spring.
Castle Rock Trail starts just to the left of the Main Overlook and is rated strenuous. The path mixes dirt and rock, with spots where you scramble over large boulders and climb uneven steps. It runs about six tenths of a mile and meets the Grandview Rim Trail at that point. The Tunnel Trail is a shorter, easy option of about half a mile, a loop that also begins at the Main Overlook and passes rock formations and an overhang.
Wildlife watching is a good reason to linger. The area offers chances to see deer, foxes, bats, box turtles, wild turkeys, several kinds of raptors, songbirds, and ravens. The openness at the Main Overlook lets you look down on birds below the tree line. The six miles of trails range from easy to strenuous, and you can hike them in full or in shorter pieces.
