Ed Goody/Digital Relativity
The shores of the winding New River Gorge serve as the landing place for hundreds of Bridge Day adventurers.
Not only is it an engineering masterpiece, connecting the high gorge walls of the New River and coming in at 3,030 feet long, 876 feet tall and 70 feet wide, the New River Gorge Bridge is home to Fayette County, W.Va’s Bridge Day where you can find crafts, taste delicious food and satisfy your adrenaline kick.
Every third Saturday in October, thrill-seekers with parachutes prepare for the six-hour jumping free-for-all into the New River. The festival has grown significantly since the first Bridge Day in 1980, when only five parachutists took the plunge. These days, hundreds of certified BASE jumpers, rappellers and highliners take on the heights of the Gorge Bridge and a crowd of 80,000 comes to watch.
Bridge Day is the only day when it’s legal to walk the length of the bridge, the second longest single-arch bridge in the world. It’s so tall the clouds seem right next to it rather than above it, and on a clear day you can see the New River snaking through the valley for miles. Spend some time in the skies overlooking what’s likely the oldest river in North America and the autumn colors of the valley at this year’s 33rd Annual Bridge Day, October 20th.
For more information, call 800-927-0263 or visit officialbridgeday.com
