Landscape, Wildlife, and Travel Photography
New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWest Virginia
Tunney Hunsaker Bridge on the New River. This crossing was the original crossing before the New River Gorge Bridge was built across the top of the gorge, saving miles of driving up and down the narrow road that traverses the gorge's walls.

New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWest Virginia

Anyone who has followed this newsletter for a few years knows that fall is my favorite season, and my most productive from a photography standpoint. Between September and November, I typically take more photographs than during the rest of the year combined.

Autumn transforms familiar landscapes into something special, even if only for a few fleeting days. While we’re fortunate to enjoy stunning fall colors in Colorado, the diversity and intensity of the colors back east create an extraordinary display as well.

That was certainly evident during a long weekend trip last fall to New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. The forests of West Virginia were at their peak, and every winding road, overlook, and trail seemed painted in vibrant shades of gold, crimson, and amber.

New River Gorge is one of America’s newest national parks, having received its national park designation in 2020 after many years as a National River. Today, the area is known for its world-class whitewater rafting and kayaking, while the annual Bridge Day celebration draws visitors from around the world to watch BASE jumpers leap from the iconic bridge. I missed it by just a few days… darn 😉 

If you’re wondering about the “preserve” designation, it allows certain traditional uses, such as hunting, to continue in designated areas under established regulations—activities that generally would not be permitted in a traditional national park.

Whether you’ve visited New River Gorge before or are discovering it for the first time, I hope these photographs convey at least a small part of the beauty that makes this corner of West Virginia so special, especially during autumn.


All photos from October, 2025.

New River Gorge Bridge, before sunrise from the New River below.
New River Gorge Bridge.
Sunset at Beauty Mountain Overlook.
Glade Creek Grist Mill at Babcock State Park.
What’s left of Keeneys Creek Railroad Bridge.
Tunney Hunsaker Bridge on the New River. This crossing was the original crossing before the New River Gorge Bridge was built across the top of the gorge, saving miles of driving up and down the narrow road that traverses the gorge’s walls.
Road near Keeneys Creek.
Dunlop Falls.
Fall colors along the New River.
A coal train from Long Point Overlook.

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