Parking
Use the small parking area at the Gwinn Ridge Trailhead, about 2.5 miles along Brooks Mountain Road from Route 20. The access road is steep and narrow, with local traffic.
Overview
About Gwinn Ridge Trail
Why go
- A complete ridge-top loop in three miles, with occasional winter views through the trees.
Heads up
- The trail can be difficult to follow in places; most views remain filtered by the forest.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the New River Gorge map
Full mapElevation2,254–2,500 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active New River Gorge alerts
- ClosureRend and Church Loop trails closedRend Trail is closed from both trailheads through approximately December 2027; Church Loop Trail is also closed because its only access is from Rend.Official details
- ClosureKaymoor Miners Trail weekday closureThe upper Kaymoor Miners Trail is closed Monday–Thursday through November 19 for trail rehabilitation.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
New River Gorge Tour Guide
Your drive to Gwinn Ridge Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for New River Gorge National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the New River Gorge audio tourRecorded for this area
Sandstone Falls from Above0:00 / 0:25
“You're approaching Sandstone Falls Overlook on Route twenty, a quick stop for a high, distant view of the river.”
Plays on the road 0.8 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf New River Gorge Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Sandstone Falls and the Islands
- Where the New River Goes
- Brooks Island and the Eagles
- When Berry Holler Was a Farm
- 92 audio storiesacross New River Gorge’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, White-tailed Deer, Pileated Woodpecker, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 49 trails, 55 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Gwinn Ridge Trail
The loopGwinn Ridge is a three-mile loop through ridge-top forest on the east side of the New River,…
Gwinn Ridge is a three-mile loop through ridge-top forest on the east side of the New River, south of Sandstone Visitor Center. The south branch follows the edge of the ridge; the route then descends off the north side, climbs back up, and returns to its starting point. Three miles is the full loop, not a one-way distance.
Effort and wayfindingThe loop is short, but it includes a descent and climb. Plan about 1.5 to 2 hours.
The loop is short, but it includes a descent and climb. Plan about 1.5 to 2 hours. The park calls it strenuous in its trail facts and describes the south branch as moderately strenuous. The trail can be difficult to follow in places, so keep a map handy and pay attention where the tread becomes less clear.
Ridge-top forestMost of the walk is a forest route.
Most of the walk is a forest route. The south branch runs along the ridge edge, where leaf-off can open occasional views through the trees in winter. Choose this for a wooded circuit and a little seasonal outlook, rather than a succession of open overlooks.
Trailhead and dogsFrom Route 20, follow Brooks Mountain Road about 2.5 miles to the small trailhead parking area.
From Route 20, follow Brooks Mountain Road about 2.5 miles to the small trailhead parking area. The road is steep and narrow, carries local traffic, and is not regularly plowed in winter. Dogs may join hikers on park trails, but must stay on a physical leash no longer than six feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in New River Gorge
18 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
126 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
25 sightingsPileated WoodpeckerMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
15 sightingsBarred OwlMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
14 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
58 sightingsCopperheadMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across New River Gorge. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
