Endless Wall Trail Hiking Guide
Endless Wall follows the rim of the New River Gorge along a line of sandstone cliffs, with the river almost 1,000 feet below. Most people walk from the Fern Creek Trailhead to Diamond Point and back, about two miles. The full trail runs 2.4 miles to the Nuttall Trailhead, and a half-mile road walk closes the loop.
Distance and Route
The park lists the trail at 2.4 miles one way, rated easy to moderate, with 427 feet of total gain and 545 feet of loss. From Fern Creek it passes through forest, crosses Fern Creek, then zigzags along the cliff edge. Diamond Point is the usual turnaround and makes a roughly two-mile out-and-back. If you go on to the Nuttall end, the park says you will walk about half a mile back along the road to your car, so plan on about 2.9 miles for the loop plus the climb on that road section, which the 427-foot figure does not include.
Parking at Fern Creek
Turn off US 19 onto Lansing-Edmond Road just north of the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Fern Creek Trailhead is 1.3 miles down that narrow road, just before the creek, and the Nuttall Trailhead is at 1.8 miles. The Fern Creek lot is small and the park says it often fills. Do not park on the road shoulder; cars left on Lansing-Edmond Road can be towed. If Fern Creek is full, start from Nuttall and hike the trail in reverse. There is a vault toilet at Fern Creek but no drinking water at any park trailhead.
What You See From the Rim
The cliffs along this stretch are some of the most climbed in the park, which has more than 1,600 routes, so you will often see ropes and hear climbers below the edge. On summer days the voices of rafters on the lower New carry up from the rapids. The trail also passes above Nuttallburg, which the park describes as the largest mine in the New River coalfields in the late 1800s. Diamond Point is a bare rock outcrop with an open view up and down the gorge.
Edges, Footing and Dogs
There are no railings at Diamond Point or along the zigzag section, and the park asks hikers to use caution near the edges. Roots and rock steps make the cliff stretch slower than the forest part. Leashed dogs are welcome on every trail in this park; the rule is a physical leash of six feet or less, and you pack out waste. Keep a dog close on the overlooks, where a pull on the leash near a drop is the real hazard.
When to Go
Weekday mornings are the easiest time to find a space at Fern Creek; summer and fall weekends fill it early. The park warns that sudden thunderstorms can roll in at any time, and an exposed rock point is a bad place to sit one out, so check the forecast and carry a rain layer.
Hiking tips for Endless Wall Trail
- Arrive early or start from the Nuttall Trailhead if the Fern Creek lot is full.
- Never park on the shoulder of Lansing-Edmond Road; cars get towed.
- Fill water bottles at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center before you drive down.
- Turn around at Diamond Point if you want a short hike without the road walk.
- Stay back from the unfenced edges, especially with kids or a dog.
Nearby trails to explore
- Long Point Trail (New River Gorge)
- Kaymoor Miners Trail
- Grandview Rim Trail (New River Gorge)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Endless Wall is a short, popular rim walk, and the Fern Creek lot is small enough that sharing a car helps. Use TrailMates to find people hiking the New River Gorge, sort out rides and a start time in the event's group chat, and meet at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Get TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.