Island Loop Trail

The Island Loop Trail is one of those rare walks where you get a disproportionate reward for almost no effort. This half-mile loop threads through a hardwood forest on a narrow island formed by the New River, giving you the strange and lovely sensation of being surrounded by moving water on all sides. The path is mostly flat and well-trodden, winding beneath sycamores and rhododendrons with the river gurgling just steps away. You'll catch glimpses of the gorge walls rising above the canopy, and in spring the wildflowers carpet the forest floor. It's not a trail that will test your legs — it's a trail that will slow your breathing down. Perfect for families with small kids, anyone recovering from a bigger hike in the gorge, or visitors who just want a quiet twenty minutes beside one of Appalachia's great rivers.