Hawks Nest Overlook

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve


An 80yd paved trail leads to a lofty view of the New River. The photogenic rock wall surrounding the overlook was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. It's worth the short walk from the parking lot to get there. The viewpoint is a quarter-mile south of the main lodge at Hawks Nest State Park.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby New River Gorge National Park and Preserve attractions

1. Hawks Nest State Park

0.38 MILES

There are hiking trails, a nature center and an aerial tram, which runs from the lodge down to the river's edge for jet boat tours of the river and views…

2. Mystery Hole

0.92 MILES

See gravity and the known limits of tackiness defied at the Mystery Hole, one of the great attractions of roadside America. Everything inside this…

3. New River Gorge Bridge

4.42 MILES

Completed in 1977, the New River Gorge Bridge is the third-highest bridge in the US and the longest single-arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere. Made…

4. Babcock State Park

12.76 MILES

Babcock State Park has hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, and camping and cabin accommodations. The park's highlight is its photogenic Glade Creek Grist…

5. Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine

23.6 MILES

This mine in Beckley, 22 miles south of Fayetteville, is a museum about the region's coal heritage. Visitors can ride a train 1500ft into a former coal…