New River Gorge National Park: Canyon Rim and Bridge

We visited the Canyon Rim area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Canyon Rim section has a visitor center that overlooks the iconic New River Gorge bridge, plus has a winding scenic drive down into the canyon, that passes under the bridge three times.

The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:

An interactive map of our route for visiting Canyon Rim etc:

Going over the New River Gorge Bridge:

New River Gorge Bridge

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Gorge viewpoint:

Gorge viewpoint

Bridge viewpoint:

Bridge viewpoint

We did the scenic Fayette Station Road driving tour, that goes down into the gorge:

Fayette Station Road driving tour

Narrow road

Bridge virw from road

One way bridge:

One way bridge

A view of the New River Gorge Bridge from the one-way bridge:

New River Gorge Bridge

Bridge view

New River Gorge Bridge

New River Gorge National Park: Sandstone Falls

We visited the Sandstone Falls area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Sandstone Falls section features a 1500 feet wide waterfall on the New River.

The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:

An interactive map of our route for visiting Sandstone Falls:

Sign

Boat

Path

“Masks are optional”; haven’t seen any mention of COVID-19 for a while:

Masks are optional

Visitor center exhibits:

Visitor center

Viewpoint overlooking Sandstone Falls:

Viewpoint

Sandstone Falls boardwalk:

Sandstone Falls

New River Gorge National Park: Grandview

We visited the Grandview area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Grandview section overlooks a bend in the New River.

The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:

An interactive map of our route for visiting Grandview:

Grandview sign

A small visitor center:

Visitor center

Grand Canyon of the East:

Grand Canyon of the East

Path to the main viewpoint:

Path

View

Road to the Turkey Spur Overlook:

Road

View:

View

The Other Grand View

Path with 150 steps to upper viewpoints:

Path

Steps

Train:

Steps

View

Antietam National Battlefield

We visited Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland, where “23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862”.

Sign

Visitor Center:

Visitor Center

Map

Visitor Center

Sign

Monuments

Old church:

Old church

Cannons:

Cannons

House

Stone bridge:

Stone bridge

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

We visited Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia.

Sign

Relief map:

Relief map

Bus from the visitor center to the town:

Bus from the visitor center to the town

Exploring the old town of Harpers Ferry:

Harpers Ferry

Gettysburg National Military Park: memorials and cemetery

The second post about Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, including the battlefield memorials and Gettysburg National Cemetery.

The interactive map again:

The battlefield has a bunch of roads, dotted with monuments from the various states and military divisions that participated in the battle:

Battlefield monument

GIF:

Battlefield monument

Building

Battlefield monument

Gettysburg National Cemetery:

Gettysburg National Cemetery

Lincoln address memorial, where he gave his famous speech:

Lincoln address memorial

Gettysburg National Cemetery

Gettysburg National Military Park: museum and visitor center

We visited Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania, including a third-party museum and visitor center.

An interactive map:

Gettysburg National Military Park

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Gift store:

Visitor center

“Now we are engaged in a great civil war”:

Exhibits

Exhibits:

Exhibits

Theater:

Theater

The Gettysburg Cyclorama, a 360° painting by the French artist Paul Philippoteaux depicting Pickett’s Charge, the climactic Confederate attack on the Union forces during the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. It was painted in 1883, and measures 42 feet by 377 feet. The viewing of it started with a dramatization of the battle with light effects:

Cyclorama

After the light show, it was shown without light effects. The foreground in front of the painting is a natural-looking landscape, blending into the painting:

Cyclorama

An easter egg: a wounded President Lincoln is in this part, representing a wounded nation:

Cyclorama

Impressive stuff.

Cyclorama

Exhibits

The Gettysburg address:

Exhibits

Tomorrow, the battlefield and cemetery.

Manassas National Battlefield Park

We visited Manassas National Battlefield Park in Manassas, Virginia, where the first major battle of the American Civil War took place on July 21, 1861 (plus a second battle later).

The NPS map; click or tap to interact:

An interactive map:

Manassas National Battlefield Park

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Henry Hill Loop Trail:

Henry Hill Loop Trail

Stonewall Jackson:

Henry Hill Loop Trail

Blue Ridge Parkway north end

After leaving Shenandoah National Park, we continued south for a few miles on the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

This park, barely wider than the highway, is 469 miles long, between Shenandoah National Park in Virginia at the north end and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina at the south end. We certainly didn’t have time to drive the whole way, but we went to the northernmost visitor center before turning around. We’ll probably visit the southernmost visitor center in the parkway in a few weeks time.

Blue Ridge Parkway