New River Trail State Park

General Information

New River Trail is a 57-mile linear park that follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The park parallels the scenic and historic New River for 39 miles and passes through four counties and the city of Galax. The trail's gentle slope makes it great for visitors of all ages to hike, bike and ride horseback. The park's Foster Falls area offers guided horseback trips; canoe and bike rentals; boat launches; gift shops; and a horse arena. Fishing is popular, and primitive campsites dot the trail. There are access points to the trail at Allisonia, Chestnut Yard, Cliffview, Dannelly Park (near Galax), Draper, Dora Junction (near Pulaski), Foster Falls, Fries, Galax, Gambetta, Hiwassee and Ivanhoe. Horse trailer parking is available at Allisonia, Austinville, Cliffview, Dora Junction, Draper, Fries, Ivanhoe and the Mark E. Hufeisen Horse Complex.

• Two tunnels: 135 feet and 193 feet long
• Three major bridges: Hiwassee - 951 feet; Ivanhoe - 670 feet; Fries Junction - 1,089 feet
• Nearly 30 smaller bridges and trestles
• A historic shot tower used more than 200 years ago to make ammunition
• Potable water is available only at Galax, Cliffview Campground (Dannelly Park) and Foster Falls as well as at the horse trailer lots at Ivanhoe, Draper and Dora Junction.
• Five non-flush toilets are available along the trail.

Hours

Trails and the day-use area are open daily from dawn to dusk. Call the park for livery and gift shop hours.

Location

There are several entrances into this park. The park meanders through Grayson, Carroll, Wythe and Pulaski counties and Galax in southwestern Virginia and parallels the scenic and historic New River for 39 miles.

Its address is 116 Orphanage Dr., Max Meadows, VA 24360.
Foster Falls: Latitude, 36.530512. Longitude, -80.512931.
Shot Tower: Latitude, 36.522000. Longitude, -80.522033.
Cliffview: Latitude, 36.408613. Longitude, -80.550665.

Jurisdictions:

Counties: Carroll, Grayson, Pulaski and Wythe
Cities: Galax
Towns: Allisonia, Austinville, Draper, Fries, Hiwassee, Ivanhoe and Pulaski

Here's a list of entrances and directions to each.

Drive Times: Charlotte, N.C., 2 hours; Knoxville, Tenn., 3 hours; Winston-Salem, N.C., 1 hour.

Park Size

1,668 acres.

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Cabins, camping

OVERNIGHT FACILITIES

Camping; no cabins. The park has four campgrounds in different locations with different types of sites. Please read the following information carefully and follow instructions specific to the campground of interest. Other locations are for day-use only.

For information on availability of overnight accommodations, particular park amenities or to make a reservation at a campground, you can reserve online or call 1-800-933-PARK. Rental rates for cabins and camping vary by season, dwelling, site type and park. First, determine the appropriate season, which can vary by park, then the relevant rate. You also may want to learn about cancellation and transfer policies.

Camping

New River Trail State Park has four primitive campgrounds: Cliffview, Millrace, Baker Island and Double Shoals. There's no vehicular access to the campsites and no showers or bathhouses.

Cliffview Campground (Carroll County near Galax) is a trailside campground with primitive tent camping only. It overlooks Chestnut Creek. Access is from the Dannelly Fitness Complex parking lot and across a footbridge (no direct vehicle access). Ten primitive campsites are available. Three horse campsites are available with an enclosed area for the horses. There are no covered stalls. Horse campers must park trailers at the Cliffview Ranger Station, which is about one mile from the campground. Horses may not cross the Dannelly Complex footbridge. Note: This campground is 24 miles from the Millrace Campground.

All sites are timbered and marked. Each site has a fire ring, lantern post, picnic table, access to the New River Trail and non-flush toilet. Drinking water is available. One site, CV001, is universally accessible and is reserved last if not required for a disabled camper.

Reservations are required. Same day reservations are permitted. Campers must leave their confirmation letter on their car's dashboard for overnight parking. Campers will need access to a fax machine or will need to pick up the letter at the Cliffview office if there is insufficient time to receive the letter by mail.

Note: Running water at Cliffview Campground is shut off November through March. Customers must bring water during that time.

Directions: Take State Route 58 to Galax. Go north on SR 887 to Cliffview Road (SR 721). Take SR 721 one-quarter of a mile and turn right onto Creekview Road. Go one mile to the Dannelly Complex. Cliffview Campground parking is on the right. Cross the footbridge into the campground. Horse campers may not use the footbridge. Horse campers will take SR 58 to Galax, then go north on SR 887 to Cliffview Road (SR721); trailer parking is available at the Cliffview ranger station.

Number of sites of each type: Primitive Tent, 10; Primitive Horse, 3

Site types:

CV001-CV010: Site CV001 is universally accessible and is the last to be rented if not required by a disabled guest.

CVH011-CVH013: Horse sites - There is an enclosed area for the horses. The area is available at no additional charge.

• Campground map

Millrace Campground (Wythe County at Foster Falls). This campground overlooks the New River. There is no vehicular access to the campground. There is a short hike to the sites from the parking lot. There are 12 primitive tent camping sites and nine group primitive tent camping sites. Group sites must be rented in groups of three or more until all other Millrace sites are reserved. Once all of the Millrace sites are reserved, the group sites may be reserved individually. Note: This campground is 24 miles from Cliffview Campground.

All sites are timbered and marked. Each has a fire ring, lantern post, picnic table, access to the New River Trail and non-flush toilet. Drinking water is available. One site, MR012, is universally accessible and is reserved last if not required for a disabled camper. There is no life-guarded swimming. The New River's current is unpredictable and potentially dangerous; underwater hazards are possible.

Reservations are required. Same day reservations are permitted. Campers must leave their confirmation letter on their dashboard for overnight parking. Campers will need access to a fax machine or need to pick up the letter at the Foster Falls office if there is insufficient time to receive the letter by mail.

Directions: From I-77, take Exit 24. Go east on State Route 69 to SR 52. Go north to SR 608. Go east and follow signs.

Number of sites of each type: Primitive Tent, 12; Group Primitive Tent, 9

Site Type:

MR001-MR012: Site MR012 is ADA (universally accessible). This site is reserved last if not required by disabled citizen.

MRG013-MRG021: There are nine group sites. These should be rented in groups of three or more unless all other Millrace sites are taken, in which case the group sites may be reserved individually.

• Campground map

Baker Island Campground (Foster Falls) has seven very primitive sites. Before making a reservation, carefully read the entire description for this campground and this document that describes this campground's particular regulations. The sites are on an island accessed only by boat and are available year-round. Reservations are strongly encouraged because prior registration of a site on Baker Island is required, even for walk-ins.

Campers must park their vehicles at the lower boat launch since access to Baker Island is only by kayak or canoe. Visitors must display their confirmation letter on the dash to prevent their vehicle from being towed. Same-day reservations are acceptable, but campers must have access to a fax machine or pick up the confirmation letter from the park's Foster Falls office if there is insufficient time to receive the letter by mail.

Number of sites: 7

Types:

Bak = code for Baker Island Campground at Foster Falls for Area of park.
BakBud= code for Group Buddy sites and they are primitive buddy sites.

Sites 1 and 2 (BakBud 001 & BakBud 002) are Group Buddy sites for a maximum of 24 people per site. These are BakBud sites.

Sites 3-7 (Bak 003 through Bak 007) are very primitive sites only for tents; maximum of six people per site.

Directions to Baker Island campsites from the water: Follow directions to Foster Falls listed under Millrace Campground. Proceed to the parking area at the lower boat launch. Heading downstream, sites 1, 2 (Group Buddy sites BakBud 001 and BakBud 002) and 3 (Bak 003) are accessible from the river by going to the left - the south side - of Baker Island; the sites are on the right.

Sites 4 and 5, Bak 004 and Bak 005, are accessible by landing at the upstream tip of the island. From there you'll take a short hike to the sites (there is no direct access from the river for these two sites).

Traveling downstream, sites 6 and 7, Bak 006 and Bak 007, are accessible from the river by going to the right - the north side - of the Baker Island; the sites are on the left.

All sites can be accessed from the upstream tip of the island, but from there you'll need to take a short hike to sites Bak 003 through Bak 007 and a longer hike to sites 1 and 2 (the Group Buddy BakBud 001 and BakBud 002).

All sites are marked with a campsite marker.

• Campground map

Double Shoals Campground is an honor system campground. First-come, first-served and no reservations. Two primitive sites only. Campers must bring their own water. It is part of the New River Canoe Trail and is accessible only by river or trail. The Town of Fries is the closest access. Location is mile marker P-40 on the Fries branch of New River Trail State Park.

Recreation

TRAILS

Hiking, bicycle trails, bridle trails.

SWIMMING

There are no designated swimming areas, but tubing the New River is popular here. Call the Foster Falls Boat and Bike Livery at 276-699-1034 to rent tubes.

FISHING, BOATING

This linear park parallels a 39-mile stretch of the New River. Boat ramps are available at Allisonia, Foster Falls and Austinville. The river supports outstanding populations of just about every major freshwater game fish in the state. You’ll find smallmouth bass, spotted bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, striped bass, white bass, hybrid striped bass, muskellunge, walleye, black crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, yellow perch, redbreast sunfish and bluegill. State records caught in the New River include muskellunge (45 pounds, 8 ounces), smallmouth bass (8 pounds, 1 ounce) and yellow perch (2 pounds, 7 ounces). The state record spotted bass came (3 pounds, 10 ounces) from nearby Claytor Lake. The New River is bound to yield many more record-setting catches in the future.

The park also rents kayaks and canoes at the Foster Falls Boat and Bike Livery, opened seasonally Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from April to Memorial Day, open seven days a week Memorial Day to Labor Day and Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays again from Labor Day through October. For more information please call  276-699-1034.

HORSES

Guided trail rides are available April through October (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Call Foster Falls Horse Livery, 276-699-2460, for rates and reservations. Bringing your own horse? Except for a two-mile section from Galax to Cliffview, the trail is available for horseback riding. Equestrian campsites are available at the Cliffview campground. No stalls or covered area for horses but there are hitching posts. Horse trailers for day-use access must be parked at the Austinville, Cliffview, Draper, Fries, Ivanhoe, Pulaski (Dora Junction) and Mark E. Hufeisen Horse Complex (Foster Falls) entrances only. State law requires that visitors carry a copy of a negative Coggins report with each horse brought to the park.

Horse complex

The Mark E. Hufeisen Horse Complex, which opened in 2008, is one of two such state-owned facilities in Virginia. It's the only rentable arena in Wythe County.

The complex sits on 16.5 acres and has a 170 by 250 foot arena with a calf-roping shoot box and back pins, bleacher seating for 600 spectators, and spectator and participant parking.

Click here for a diagram of the arena

The complex can be rented for special events for a full day or half a day. Amenities included in the rental are the grounds, gate fee, concession building (which includes a refrigerator and microwave), announcer’s booth, tractor and drag, barrels and poles. The arena has seven 4,500-watt light poles around it.

Visitors may also bring their own horse and ride in the arena for $5 a day.

The Mark E. Hufeisen Horse Complex is easily accessible off of Interstate 77. Take exit 24, Poplar Camp, to Rt. 69 Lead Mines Road to Highway 52 north. About 2 miles later, turn right onto Foster Falls Road and take the first left.

Park Trail Guide

Click here for the park's trail guide.

Nearby Attractions

Pulaski County
Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, Claytor Lake State Park, Draper Mercantile, Gatewood Park, Jefferson National Forest, Calfee Park, home to the Pulaski Yankees, Motor Mile Speedway, Wilderness Road Regional Museum, Randolph Park, The New River Valley Fairgrounds has many events and activities year-round; shopping and dining.  

Wythe County
Wythe County Chamber of Commerce, Big Walker Lookout, Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre, wineries, shopping, The Fort Chiswell Mansion, Wolf Creek Indian Village and  Museum, Fishing Tours, Hungry Mother State Park  is within an hour's drive, hiking and biking trails,

Carroll County
Twin County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Blue Ridge Parkway, Beaver Dam Creek Trail, Blue Ridge Country Club, Carter Pines Community Park, Crooked Creek Wildlife Management Area, Devil’s Den Nature Preserve.

Galax
The city of Galax, Take an art, craft or music class at the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, Barr’s Fiddle Shop, Blue Ridge Music Center, Old Fiddler’s Convention, Galax Recreation Center, The Crooked Road, shopping, dining,

Grayson County
Visit Grayson County,Grayson Highlands State Park, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Matthews Living History Farm Museum, Virginia Creeper Trail, horseback riding, Fries Recreation Center, shopping, dining, the town of Fries.

Itineraries

Sentimental Skeeterdogs
Camping, Captains and Camels
Eats, Beats and More

Picnic Shelters

Shelter 1: This shelter accommodates up to 75. It's 30 x 70 feet and is universally accessible. A portable toilet is nearby. Vehicles must be parked in the nearby parking lot. The shelter has a charcoal grill. Shelter guests must still pay the daily parking fee.

This shelter is at the Foster Falls playground and picnic area and is available for rent year-round. It may be rented all day (8 a.m. - 10 p.m.). Call (800) 933-PARK to reserve this shelter. Parking fees are not included in shelter or amphitheater rental (see above for details).

Shelter 2: This enclosed shelter accommodates up to 50. No vehicular access - a short hike is required to reach it. Vehicles must be parked at the Depot or amphitheater. Call 276-699-6778 to rent. Rental does not include the daily parking fee.

Click here for park fees.

Cancellation policy for amphitheater and shelter: No refunds within 14 days before reserved date. Before then, there's a cancellation fee. Transfers may be made but only during the reservation center's normal operating hours Monday through Friday, prior to arrival date. Refunds will not be given on the reservation date to customers who have not transferred their reservation ahead of time or cancelled their reservation at least 14 days beforehand.

New River Amphitheater at Foster Falls-Millrace: The amphitheater is open year-round and rents for the entire day. Customers must contact the park for a Special Use Permit after reserving the amphitheater. It helps the park prepare for the given event - wedding, music, organized event, etc.). Also, customers should call the park, (276) 699-6778, the day before their event takes place to discuss payment of their guests' parking fees. (The park's normal parking fee is charged for guests attending amphitheater functions. The reservation covers only rental of the amphitheater.) Picnicking isn't allowed in the amphitheater. Because no vehicles are allowed in Historic Foster Falls Village, there's no vehicular access directly to the facility. The closest vehicular access is about 35 feet away.

The amphitheater seats up to 300 with standing room for about 100 more. There are six 110-volt outlets for the stage area. The stage is 24 by 40 feet. There are two dressing rooms, each 12 by 20 feet, behind the stage. There are no restrooms here. The nearest restrooms, which are closed during winter, are at the Foster Falls Depot Gift Shop. Portable toilets are available year-round.

Meeting Space and Facilities

MEETING FACILITIES

None at this park.

VISITOR CENTER, GIFT SHOP

This park has a gift shop in Cliffview and Foster Falls.

RESTAURANT

None at this park.

LAUNDRY

None at the park.

Laundromats nearby

• Galax: Launderama, 276-236-2175
• Max Meadows: Worldwide Laundry, 877-953-9433
• Wytheville: Wytheville Coin Laundry, 276-228-2275

Restaurants nearby

• Galax: Applebee’s, 276-236-2905; Macados, 276-236-0399; Smokehouse, 276-236-1000
• Fries: The Café, 276-744-0137; New River Side Deli, 276-744-3001
• Max Meadows; Judy’s Family Diner, 276-637-1239; Happy 5 de Mayo, 276-637-1100
• Wytheville: Log Cabin, 276-228-4139; Applebee’s, 276-223-4404; Cracker Barrel, 276-228-1046
• Draper: Blue Door Café, 540-994-5659
• Pulaski: Steer House, 540-980-5321; Compadres Mexican, 540-994-3557; Chang Hua Chinese, 540-980-6363

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER

The Discovery Center at Foster Falls has a small indoor theater, aquariums, terrariums, and mounted fish and wildlife. Educational programs and activities, including crafts, touch tables, critters in the creek, film viewing and more, are held here throughout the year. A wet lab is being built. See park events for details.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Shot Tower, tunnels, trestles, Chestnut Creek and the New River.

Other Info

ACCESSIBILITY

• Trail: The entire length of the trail is accessible with all trailside picnic/rest areas including accessible tables. Five trailside non-flush restroom facilities are accessible.
• Camping: One accessible site each at Millrace and Cliffview campgrounds, and these campgrounds include accessible non-flush restroom facilities.
• Cliffview office, Foster Falls depot, Foster Falls concession building, Foster Falls stables, Foster Falls picnic shelter are all accessible. Two non-flush restroom facilities at the Foster Falls access are accessible and one restroom facility at the Cliffview access is accessible.
• Shot Tower accessibility: The Shot Tower grounds and restroom facilities are accessible. Although climbing the Shot Tower is not an accessible feature, the park does provide a picture showcase that allows those unable to climb the tower the opportunity to see the views at the top of the tower.

NATURE, HISTORY PROGRAMS

Click here to view all parks' events, festivals, workshops and interpretive programs.

CONCESSIONS

The Foster Falls Boat and Bike Livery is open on weekends from the first Saturday in April through Memorial Day, then open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day, and open on weekends again Labor Day through the last Sunday in October. The livery rents canoes, kayaks, tubes, bikes and safety equipment, and it offers shuttle service, snacks and drinks. Call 276-699-1034 for details. Here are the livery's basic fees.

The Foster Falls Horse Livery provides guided horse rides Thursday through Monday from April 1 through Oct. 31. Call 276-699-2460 for details.

HISTORY

In December 1986, Norfolk Southern Corporation donated a 57-mile tract of abandoned railroad right-of-way to the Commonwealth of Virginia for the establishment of a new state park. Because railroad tracks had previously been on the strip of land, the cinder roadbed needed very little grading. With the help and support of volunteer groups and chambers of commerce in the region, the park was able to open in May 1987 with four miles of trail. Since then approximately 57 miles of the park are open to the public.

FRIENDS GROUP

None.

MASTER PLAN

Master plans must be written for parks before they're built. The plans are updated at least once every 10 years thereafter. The plans cover the size, types, infrastructure and locations of facilities as well as the site's special features and resources. Three public meetings are held during the initial development of each plan. Click here for this park's master plan.