Parking
Use the Main Overlook parking area by the Grandview Visitor Center. Follow the paved walkway toward the Main Overlook to reach the trail start; it ends near the baseball diamond and playground beside the parking area.
Overview
About Tunnel Trail
Why go
- A short, cool walk through close-up sandstone scenery.
- The boardwalk and overhang make the route feel varied for its length.
Heads up
- Most views into the gorge are screened by trees.
- Steep stairs and rough rock make it tougher than the mileage suggests.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the New River Gorge map
Full mapElevation2,461–2,526 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 Tunnel 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 trailhead
Grandview Main Overlook0:00 / 0:31
“Up ahead is Grandview, where a short walk from the main parking area reaches a broad horseshoe bend in the New River. The overlook stands about fourteen hundred feet above the water.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf New River Gorge Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Grandview Picnic Grounds
- The Beaver’s Orange Teeth
- The Insect in a Pebble Case
- Why Fog Fills the Valley
- 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 Tunnel Trail
What this walk isTunnel Trail is a half-mile one-way walk in Grandview, from the Main Overlook walkway to the…
Tunnel Trail is a half-mile one-way walk in Grandview, from the Main Overlook walkway to the baseball diamond and playground area by the parking lot. It drops down stone steps, winds among sandstone boulders and the base of a cliff, then climbs back toward the rim by a boardwalk. It’s a good short choice if you want to get close to the rock; the gorge views are mostly screened by trees.
The footing and effortThe route starts with a steep stone stairway and a narrow rock cut.
The route starts with a steep stone stairway and a narrow rock cut. Farther along, the tread turns uneven and rocky, with more stone and wooden steps on the climbs. Allow about 30 minutes. The park rates the trail moderate, which fits its short distance and stair-heavy terrain. Wet rock can be slick, so take the steeper sections slowly.
The sandstone overhangThe trail passes beneath a broad, layered sandstone overhang, one of its best stops.
The trail passes beneath a broad, layered sandstone overhang, one of its best stops. Much of the walk stays close to the cliff face; there are a few glimpses toward the gorge, but they’re not open overlooks. Look for the moss and plants along the shaded rock, especially when the surrounding woods are leafy.
Start, facilities and dogsBegin from the paved walkway to the Main Overlook; the trail finishes near the baseball diamond…
Begin from the paved walkway to the Main Overlook; the trail finishes near the baseball diamond and playground beside the Main Overlook parking area. The nearby visitor-center area has restrooms, drinking water and picnic areas, but there’s no water along the trail. Dogs are allowed on park trails 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.
