new river trail state park

Any day you can walk on the trail and it is beautiful!! We've ridden our bikes and walked on the trail. Beside the river, nice and level and peaceful!! If you geocache, there's quite a few opportunities there too!!

a beautiful old rail trail that runs beside new river. flat, so easy walking or biking.over fifty miles in length.

This place is pretty flat and road is mostly natural rocks and dirt. Very easy to ride. And offer many scenic views and resting areas.

Loved this trail. We parked at Draper and rode south. Scenery was great. It was awesome biking on a leaf covered trail while watching the river. The Hiwassee Trestle is something else. After 20+ miles we decided to turn around and return to the car. Yes, we met horses, 3 in fact, and their riders were very friendly. Nothing unusual or disappointing happened and it was that kind of day when you make a mental decision to return for another ride.

super easy trail that runs along the river you can walk,ride your bicycle or ride horses. no vehicles are allowed on the trail. The trail is an old railroad track that has been turned into a 52 mile trail,so the steep grade is no more than 2%.we chose to ride our bicycles I really enjoyed the bridges and the peacefulness. we will definitely make another trip to do again.

We spent two days on the New River Trail. Day one, we rented kayaks from Foster Falls Livery. They shuttled us to a put in at Austinville and we had a 2.5 hour kayak trip back to Foster Falls. Easy trip on flat water. Pretty scenery. Day two, we rented bikes from Foster Falls Livery. They shuttled us to Galax and we biked 28 miles back to Foster Falls. Easy ride. Very mild incline (>2%) most of the way. Be prepared with sufficient food and water. There are almost no places for either. Plenty of bathroom stops though.

My wife and I (both 67 years old) biked the trail the last week of July. We had previously biked on the Creeper Trail three times and loved it. During our last time on the Creeper trail we asked our shuttle driver about other trails in the area and he told us about the New River Trail. After reading reviews and maps we made hotel reservations in Wytheville Va, for two nights. Our shuttle was provided by the park service in Foster Falls ($25/person). The first day the shuttle took us to Galax. We found the path took us gradually downhill (for the most part) with tree coverage across the path providing a great deal of shade, The path surface varied with light-small gravel, dirt and sand (all quite easily negotiated). There were several rest stops along the 28 mile stretch (some with picnic tables) and several places accessible to the river. But, the path is usually elevated above the river about 20 feet.The second day we took the shuttle north to Pulaski. The first 3 miles are slightly uphill and then several miles slightly downhill. The route is 22 miles long and nearly all 20 feet above the river with no accessibility which was a disappointment. We did see two deer along the way. Overall, I would rate the New River Trail as a very good experience but rate it second to the Creeper Trail.

Enjoyable day trip. Trail can be hiked, biked, or ridden on horse back. Distances from 2 miles to 56 miles one way. Several locations to get on trail. Most trails are close to rivers/ streams. Easy to moderate difficulty level. I saw people of all ages on the trail. Parking at most spots cost $4 during the week and $5 on weekends/ holidays.

Very nice park. We biked along the trail which was very easy since it was pretty level. The scenery was beautiful along the trail. They park offers biking/hiking trails, horseback riding, canoe and kayaking. They also offer primitive camping. Parking was $4 for the day. It is a great place to have a fun time outside.

We just returned from camping at the Foster Falls, Campground in the NR Trail State Park. Beautiful site. Camping is primitive, sites are right on the river, so you can walk out your tent and go for a swim. We had 2 deer come down to drink on the other side of the river each evening. They have kayaks, canoes, tubes for rent to take on the river, 57 miles of bike paths (former tracks of Norfolk/Southern Railway) from Fries to Pulaski, Horseback riding, and the nicest, most helpful staff you'll find!

we found the park by chance in Galax Va, there was an electronical information station that we checked out. we hiked the Trail in Galax, then followed the directions the next day and found there was a stable and Bike and boat rentals. so day 2 we went horse back riding for the long trip, was a nice and mellow trail, we enjoyed it so much that we went back the next day and rented kyacks. we had a blast! we went over 4 small rapids, just enough to get your heart racing a little, it was a beautiful 6 hour trip down river. saw a lot of large muske, and we are planning on going back to do a little kyack fishing. very relaxing and place to visit.

We love the New River Trail--it is one of the country's premier rail-trails. However, the portion we rode over Memorial Day was very unpleasantly bumpy and needs to be improved. After riding from Ivanhoe to Byllesby Dam, we turned around, very disappointed. We have never experienced this in the past.

We've come up here a few times, mainly for the biking. The bike trail runs for 50+ miles, but there are several points where you can get access to start your trip. Parking is free at some spots, but a $5 fee at others, but well worth it.The area is just beautiful with the river, cliffs, rolling farmland and wildlife. The bike trial is kept in great shape, and is pretty dang level with only maybe a 10% grade in some spots. The New River also offers great kayaking and fishing, as well as some horseback riding opportunities. They are working on the completion of a bed & breakfast at Foster Falls, but we usually stay in Hillsville or Galax. There are also cabin rentals available. One thing you need to remember when you bike is that if you are planning on going 20+ miles like we do, is to take at least a couple of bottles of water with you,as the only places to get something to drink that we've found so far are at the Foster Falls Park and the low water bridge close to the town of Fries, where there is a small store. The first time we hit this trail was on a humid 85+ degree day and I took 1 bottle of water. After about 25 miles of a 30 mile trip, I became dehydrated was cramping badly for the last 5 miles.

Great place for biking, walking or jogging. Beautiful former railroad bed which winds along the banks of the New River. Lots of wildlife and beautiful scenery .

Wow! What a great afternoon adventure! While staying at Bear's Lair, a beautiful and cozy cabin on The New River, our family hopped on our bikes for a ride along the river. The trail was easy enough for my 10 year old but enough of a challenge for my 13 year old son and husband. Several scenic stops along the way gave my daughter and me a chance to catch up and read about a tidbits of history about the river! My kids didn't want to stop until I reminded them that dinner was going to be hot dogs and s'mores cooked along the river bank in front of the cabin! A great activity for a relaxing afternoon bike ride through the cool trees along the river!