Visit West Virginia To Witness One Of The World's Largest And Strangest Extreme Sports Events

Famous for its Appalachian vistas, West Virginia is home to the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Not only can you explore one of the world's oldest rivers at this mountainous national park paradise, but you can also attend a truly one-of-a-kind annual extreme sports event — Bridge Day. While some people might visit West Virginia in fall for the gorgeous foliage, every year on the third Sunday in October, hundreds of BASE (Building, Antenna, Span, and Earth) jumpers throw themselves off the New River Gorge Bridge while rappellers lower themselves from its heights.

The bridge near Fayetteville, West Virginia, is 876 feet above the water in the middle, making it the third-tallest bridge in the country. The appeal of such a tall bridge in such a scenic area makes the location irresistible to BASE jumpers, and it was in 1979 that someone first BASE jumped off the bridge, two years after it was opened for car traffic.

The first official Bridge Day was in November 1980, when a handful of parachutists launched themselves from the bridge, and from there, it has grown into a celebrated extreme sports event that attracts people from around the globe. It's the only time of year that BASE jumping and rappelling off the bridge are legally allowed. The 3,030-foot-long bridge is closed to car traffic for much of the day, and tens of thousands of visitors fill it up — nowhere else on earth can you find a bigger extreme sports event. 

It's the only day of the year that pedestrians can walk across the New River Gorge Bridge, so that in itself is pretty cool. And you can do more than just walk along the bridge and watch the action. If you want to get in on some of the high-adrenaline activities at West Virginia's Bridge Day, but you're not an experienced rappeller or BASE jumper, you can sign up for the Bridge Day High Line. A bit like a zipline, though there's an experienced person in charge of your speed, you'll descend 300 feet over a distance of about 650 feet. You could also go whitewater rafting beneath the bridge with guides giving you time to check out some of the BASE jumpers on the way.

Whatever you do there, expect to enjoy a full-on festival. Vendors lining the road near the bridge serve fair-style food like funnel cake and hot dogs. For those athletes who like to keep their feet on the ground, the Bridge Day 5K starts at 7 a.m. and takes runners from the northern end of the bridge and into the heart of Fayetteville. Also in downtown Fayetteville is the Bridge Day Chili Cook-Off in the afternoon where you can sample and vote for your favorite chili. So when you're making your plans for a road trip to the East Coast's iconic national parks, put Bridge Day and the New River Gorge on your list. It's a surefire way to make some fun memories.