Trail run at Endless Wall
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
The trail runs along unguarded cliff edges with sheer drops of several hundred feet. There are no railings at most overlooks, and the sandstone can be slippery when wet — one stumble in the wrong spot is not recoverable. Stay on the trail and slow down near the rim.
If you complete the loop via the road connecting the two parking areas, there is no shoulder and traffic moves fast. Run facing oncoming traffic, wear visible clothing, and stay as far to the edge as possible.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Hit this trail before 7:30 AM — Endless Wall is one of the most popular trails in the park, and by mid-morning you'll be dodging hikers, rock climbers hauling gear, and photographers camped out at every overlook. Early morning means you own the trail and the light is better anyway.
Park at the Fern Creek Trailhead and run the loop counterclockwise so you finish with the road section rather than starting with it — ending on pavement after forest single-track feels like a cooldown, but starting on asphalt when your legs are fresh feels like a waste.
Do not skip the Diamond Point spur. It adds only a few minutes to your run and delivers the single best gorge overlook on the entire trail — a vertigo-inducing promontory where you can see both upstream and downstream bends of the New River.
Photos
NPS/Sheila Malone