Parking
From Court Street (WV 16), turn onto Fayette Avenue, then Park Drive. At the Town Park stop sign, continue 0.2 mile and turn right into the trailhead parking driveway.
Overview
About Park Loop Trail
Why go
- An easy, short loop from Fayetteville Town Park.
- Connects to Fayetteville Trail for a longer walk.
Heads up
- Short if you want a substantial gorge hike.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the New River Gorge map
Full mapElevation1,785–1,890 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 Park Loop 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
Why the Bridge Is Brown0:00 / 0:28
“The New River Gorge Bridge's reddish-brown color was part of the design. Its builders used a special steel called Cor-ten, which forms a protective outer layer as it weathers.”
Plays on the road 0.5 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf New River Gorge Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Wolf Creek and Kaymoor Mine Falls
- The Yellow Behind the Green
- Fayette Station and the Boxer's Bridge
- Bridge Trail Beneath the Span
- 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 Park Loop Trail
An easy loop at Town ParkPark Loop Trail is an easy 1.
Park Loop Trail is an easy 1.1-mile loop from Fayetteville Town Park, with a short shared stretch on the Fayetteville Trail. It follows a dirt path through hardwood forest. Give it about 30 to 45 minutes at a relaxed pace. This is a good low-commitment walk if you’re already at the park, rather than a big gorge hike.
Follow the Park Loop markersStart at the trailhead parking driveway off Park Drive.
Start at the trailhead parking driveway off Park Drive. At the junction with Fayetteville Trail, follow either Park Loop marker to stay on the short circuit; the longer trail continues beyond the junction. The route is open to hikers and bicyclists, so watch for other trail users.
Make a longer Town Park stopThe town park has a playground, splash pad, basketball courts, a skatepark and a paved pump…
The town park has a playground, splash pad, basketball courts, a skatepark and a paved pump track, all separate from the trail itself. Dogs are allowed on a leash.
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.
