Southside Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
Several sections skirt unfenced cliff edges with steep drop-offs into the gorge — the exposure is real, especially when the trail is wet or covered in fallen leaves, which makes the rocky footing dangerously slick.
The historic mining ruins include unstable structures, open mine portals, and rusting metal — stay on established paths and resist the urge to explore collapsing buildings or dark openings.
Cell service is nonexistent through most of the gorge corridor, so let someone know your plan and expected return time before heading out.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Plan this as a shuttle hike rather than an out-and-back — stash a car at each end or arrange a pickup, because twenty-eight miles round trip is a brutally long day even for strong hikers.
The historic sites along the route have minimal signage, so download the NPS New River Gorge trail map ahead of time and mark the mining town ruins — Kaymoor, Craig, and Southside — so you don't walk right past them.
Carry a water filter or purification tablets; the small creek crossings along the route are your best refill points, and there are no reliable water sources near the trailheads.
