Dawn's first light casts its subtle hues of lavender over the New River Gorge and a CSX railroad bridge. CSX Transportation owns 70 miles of track that weaves alongside the New River. The New River Gorge remained almost inaccessible until 1873, when the railroad opened up this isolated part of West Virginia. A closer look may reveal a long line of rail-cars beginning a bridge crossing, off to the mines for another load of West Virginia coal.
     From a mountain top vantage point at the Hawks Nest State Park overlook, looking down at a seemingly quiet river, gives no clue as to the nature of this wild river. The New River, strangely enough, may be the second oldest river in the world, and to many visitors, it's all about whitewater! Class I to Class V rapids appeal to all levels of rafting expertise. Here, the river drops 750 in a relatively short distance, from the Bluestone Dam to the Gauley Bridge. The New River Gorge National River park wraps the river from Hawks Nest to the Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, covering 70,000 acres.