The Endless Wall Trail – Anne's Travels

Cliffs of the Endless Wall in New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Cliffs of the Endless Wall

The Endless Wall Trail is the premier hike in New River Gorge National Park. I personally didn’t find it to be the most scenic trail (that award goes to Long Point), but it does have several advantages: It’s near the visitor center, it’s a loop, and it has several viewpoints (instead of just one). It also has very limited views of New River Gorge Bridge (take that as a positive or a negative) and great views of nearby cliffs (the “Endless Wall”) since the path travels on the rim of the wall of rock.

Quick Stats

Round Trip Length: 3.2 miles Trail Type: Loop Elevation Gain: 684ft. Pets: Leashed Fees: None

Views up New River Gorge from Diamond Point along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Views up New River Gorge from Diamond Point

The Endless Wall Trail is a semi-loop – as in it goes between two parking areas. You’re welcome to hike along the road half a mile back to your original trailhead (there are signs, etc., as well as a gravel pathway beside the narrow road) or you can do it as a shuttle.

The woods were fairly wet after the torrential rain the night before around the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — The woods were fairly wet after the torrential rain the night before

It doesn’t really matter which trailhead you start at. I began my hike at the Endless Wall Trailhead (closer to the visitor center – it’s also called the Fern Trailhead), but the Nuttall Trailhead is better for larger vehicles (I had trouble with my Ford E150, though a pickup of similar size squeezed in next to me). It also doesn’t matter which direction you hike the loop, but I’ll describe it as though you started at the Endless Wall Trailhead and hiked counter-clockwise.

A mossy log along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — A mossy log

From the Endless Wall Trailhead, the trail immediately enters the trees. It’s a lush forest, made lusher by torrential rains the night before. The path works its way through mossy pines and rhododendrons to cross a small stream (Fern Creek) after 0.5 miles. There is a bridge. The stream was especially full due to the rain.

Cascades on Fern Creek along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Cascades on Fern Creek

A Climber’s Trail goes off on the right a quarter mile later, but the real excitement begins 0.3 miles after this at the junction: The spur trail (on the right) that will take you out to Diamond Point. Turn right here.

Cliffs of the Endless Wall from Diamond Point, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Cliffs of the Endless Wall

Diamond Point is rightly considered the gem of the Endless Wall Trail. Because it sticks so far out into the canyon, you can see the cliffs of the Endless Wall as well as a good distance upcanyon. Views downcanyon are somewhat limited by another outcrop of rock (that looks like it has a large nose IMO).

Closeup of the nose-like outcrop of rock from Diamond Point along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Closeup of the nose-like outcrop of rock

You can also see Grayhound Rapids down on the New River. Use care as you wander around to see the various views, as there are no guardrails.

Closer-up of the rapids in the New River from Diamond Point, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Closer-up of the rapids in the New River from Diamond Point

Back on the main trail, another climber’s trail goes off on the right about a tenth of a mile later. A third climber’s trail is 0.9 miles beyond this – the third one was my favorite, as there are places where you can stand right next to the edge and look down, down, down. Also, it has some good views through the trees to the gorge and gives a very different perspective than Diamond Point.

Views from the third Climber's Trail along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Views from the third Climber’s Trail

After this, the trail (which has been working its way along the top of the Endless Wall) swings left-ish to make its way back toward the road. We passed a small stream (a branch of Fern Creek) before arriving at the Nutall Trailhead, 2.6 miles from the Endless Wall Trailhead.

Downy Yellow False Foxglove near the branch of Fern Creek along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Downy Yellow False Foxglove near the branch of Fern Creek

From here, I turned left on the road. The Nuttall Trailhead is much larger and with fewer tight curves, so I’d recommend it if you have a vehicle like a pickup truck, van, or RV. The road walk is pleasant enough if you realize that it is, indeed, a road walk. There isn’t much of a shoulder, but the NPS has put down a gravel “sidewalk” that makes it much safer than if you were trying to walk on the road, itself.

Hiking along the road back to the Endless Wall Trailhead, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Hiking along the road back to the Endless Wall Trailhead

I returned to the Endless Wall Trailhead at almost mile 3.2. It was still mostly full, so I was glad to be able to pull out and give others a chance to park!

Closeup of Diamond Point from the third Climber's Trail along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Closeup of Diamond Point from the third Climber’s Trail

Round Trip Trail Length: I went 3.2 miles – you can cut off 0.5 miles with a shuttle vehicle.

Elevation Gain: 684ft. (1,746ft. to 1,965ft.) (I expect that the gain isn’t quite that much… I got too close to the edge at one point (or more), and that made an extra low dip as the GPS thought I’d just stepped over a cliff.)

Facilities: Primitive restroom at the Endless Wall Trailhead

Fees: None

Hiking through the rhododendrons on the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Hiking through the rhododendrons

Trail Notes: It looks like the parking areas were ample enough until the area became a national park – and like many areas of the park, these aren’t made for the increased traffic. Please be mindful of others and of “no parking” signs as you try to find a parking space. The Nuttall Trailhead is less popular and has more parking spaces, so that may be your best bet. The Endless Wall Trailhead is sometimes called the “Fern Trailhead.”

Trail

Road

Signs

Scenery

Would I go 100 miles out of my way for this?

Overall Rating:

Looking downstream from Diamond Point along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Looking downstream from Diamond Point

GPS Coordinates for the Endless Wall Trail

Endless Wall (Fern) Trailhead: 38.0630730°, -081.0568370° (38°03.78438′, -081°03.41022′ / 38°03’47.0628″, -081°03’24.6132″) (1,771ft.) (0.0)

Cross stream: 38.0579340°, -081.0609270° (38°03.47604′, -081°03.65562′ / 38°03’28.5624″, -081°03’39.3372″) (1,750ft.) (0.55)

Climbers Trail: 38.0563900°, -081.0629060° (38°03.38340′, -081°03.77436′ / 38°03’23.0040″, -081°03’46.4616″) (1,826ft.) (0.78)

Closeup of a waterfall tumbling into the New River from Diamond Point along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Closeup of a waterfall tumbling into the New River

Diamond Viewpoint Junction: 38.0537270°, -081.0595550° (38°03.22362′, -081°03.57330′ / 38°03’13.4172″, -081°03’34.3980″) (1,876ft.) (1.13)

Diamond Point: 38.0533250°, -081.0594420° (38°03.19950′, -081°03.56652′ / 38°03’11.9700″, -081°03’33.9912″) (1,811ft.) (1.16)

Climbers Trail: 38.0544670°, -081.0585440° (38°03.26802′, -081°03.51264′ / 38°03’16.0812″, -081°03’30.7584″) (1,854ft.) (1.27)

The Grayhound Rapids in the New River from Diamond Point along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — The Grayhound Rapids

Climbers Trail: 38.0568370°, -081.0452460° (38°03.41022′, -081°02.71476′ / 38°03’24.6132″, -081°02’42.8856″) (1,961ft.) (2.16)

Nuttal Trailhead: 38.0596080°, -081.0490550° (38°03.57648′, -081°02.94330′ / 38°03’34.5888″, -081°02’56.5980″) (1,886ft.) (2.62)

End: 38.0629120°, -081.0563610° (38°03.77472′, -081°03.38166′ / 38°03’46.4832″, -081°03’22.8996″) (1,766ft.) (3.16)

Looking down, down, down from the third Climber's Overlook (I think - it might be the second) along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Looking down, down, down from the third Climber’s Overlook (I think – it might be the second)

The gpx file for Endless Wall Trail can be downloaded – please note that this and the GPS Coordinates are for reference only and should not be used as a sole resource when hiking this trail.

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(Note: I do my best to ensure that all downloads, the webpage, etc. are virus-free and accurate; however, I cannot be held responsible for any damage that might result, including but not limited to loss of data, damages to hardware, harm to users, from use of files, information, etc. from this website. Thanks!)

Looking back at Diamond Point from the third Climber's Trail along the Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia — Looking back at Diamond Point from the third Climber’s Trail

Getting to the Endless Wall Trail

From the New River Gorge Visitor Center, turn left to drive back out to the main highway. Turn right for 0.3 miles, then take the first right onto Lansing-Edmond Road (signs on the highway mark that this junction is coming). Drive for 1.3 miles to the Endless Wall Trailhead on the right. Or continue 0.5 miles (a total of 1.8 miles) to the Nuttall Trailhead, also on the right.

Visual trail map and elevation profile for my hike around the Endless Wall Trail

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