New River/Greenbriar Valley

The New River and Greenbrier Valley region is the southern mountain heart of West Virginia — eight counties (Fayette, Greenbrier, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Wyoming) running from the New River Gorge south through the coalfields to the Virginia line. The terrain is the most dramatic in the state: the New River Gorge cuts a 1,000-foot-deep canyon, the Greenbrier River flows through a long limestone valley, and the southern coalfields fold sharply toward the Tug Fork. Beckley anchors Raleigh County with the Exhibition Coal Mine; Fayetteville sits on the rim of the New River Gorge — now a national park — with the Bridge Day jump weekend each October; Lewisburg in Greenbrier County holds the historic district, Carnegie Hall, and the Greenbrier Valley Theatre; White Sulphur Springs holds The Greenbrier resort; Hinton sits at the New-Greenbrier confluence; Bluefield runs the Mercer County coal-history corridor. Trips here split between adrenaline and resort. The Gorge handles the rafting, climbing, and bridge itinerary; The Greenbrier covers the high-end stay; Lewisburg works as the slow-pace base. Late spring through October is the prime season; fall in the Gorge is when the river runs the busiest.