New River Gorge National Park & Preserve · WV
Island Loop Trail
Unpaved loop branching from the Sandstone Falls boardwalk, circling a river island beside the falls through the Appalachian flatrock community with close riverside views of the New River's whitewater.
Live · updated
Today
Marginal conditions for trail running.
Today's best: trail running
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Marginal conditions for hiking.
Trail running
Marginal conditions for trail running.
Dog walking
Marginal conditions for dog walking.
Score breakdown
- − 79°F air — Above trail running's comfort zone (28–78°F)
- − 96% rain — Expect wet feet and slick rock
- ✓ Trail: prime — Paved/boardwalk surface — rainfall does not affect traction.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 0.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 16 ft
- Surface
- boardwalk
- Difficulty
- easy
Trailhead
Coordinates
37.7607, -80.9018 — WV.
Park
Part of New River Gorge National Park & Preserve (official site →).
Park advisories
The Church Loop Trail in the Thurmond area of the park is temporarily closed due to downed trees.
From June 15 through November 19 the upper part of the Kaymoor Miners Trail (from Kaymoor Top down to the mine site at the junction with the Kaymoor Trail) will be closed Monday through Thursday due to a trail rehab project. The trail is expected to be fully open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is Island Loop Trail?
Island Loop Trail is a 0.5-mile route with 16 feet of elevation gain — easy — gentle grades, generally suitable for families and beginners with normal fitness. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Island Loop Trail?
Island Loop Trail is elevated boardwalk over wet ground — stays passable year-round. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Island Loop Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Island Loop Trail is in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, which is managed by the National Park Service. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the live NPS alerts API for this park unit. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.