Hiking the River Run Trail at New River State Park
Park Overview
Situated in the North Carolina Mountains region near Laurel Springs, New River State Park features over 9 miles of hiking trails and 26.5 miles of the New River to explore. This free-flowing river is gentle and shallow, offering a terrific paddling opportunity for beginners, groups, and families. The New River is the centerpiece of the park and is believed to be the second oldest river in the world (the first being the Nile River), stretching 360 miles from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to Kanawha Falls in West Virginia.
Riverview from alongside the River Run Trail
Our Adventure - River Run Trail
A strenuous 1.4-mile loop, the River Run Trail can be accessed from U.S. 221 and offers scenic views of the New River. We hike to the trail via the road from the Visitor Center. Launching from this point allows for a less arduous hike because it is mostly a descent. Trekking the narrow, meandering trail blanketed in leaves, shrubs, and protruding roots, we wander down the mountain, with each segment offering a vast sight of the leg to come.
River Run Trail during the different seasons
The pine forest is barren in the winter months, but migratory birds and squirrels are wild amid the fern and green moss that lines the trail edges. We follow the orange blazes, descending toward the New River, catching glimpses of the gentle waters between rhododendron, dogwood, and blueberry trees. Sunlight trickles through stretched pines, keeping us warm along our hike.
The trail transforms into a run along the riverside. The only barrier is the narrow strip of vegetation, called the “riparian zone” which stabilizes the river banks, traps sediments, and prevents pollutants by slowing down and filtering the runoff into the river. Along the path, there are multiple lookout points for a full view of the river among beds of shrubs and wildflowers.
Sitting at the historic Stump Homestead
The trail leads to a historic Homestead built in 1937 by brothers Quay and Lester Stump. Today, only the Stump family’s chimney, spring house, and cellar remain. The Stump family lived off the land (known as subsistence farming), growing their own crops and enduring many floods, until a fire burned their home down in 1956.
Grassy path on the River Run Trail
Concluding with a grassy, wide path, the trail emerges at the kayak/canoe launch where families enjoy the riverside. Here, there is also a parking lot to access the primitive campsites and a connection to the Hickory Trail.
Hickory Trailhead at the kayak and canoe access parking
We follow the red-blazed Hickory Trail back to the 0.7-mile Campground Spur, then connect to the Track Trail back to the Visitor Center parking lot. You can also walk along the paved road back to the Visitor Center.
Take an adventure this season at New River State Park, with over 2,300 acres to explore.
New River State Park Trail System
From U.S. 221 access:
River Run Trail – 1.4-mile loop
Hickory Trail – 1-mile loop
Campground Spur Trail – 0.7 miles
Dogwood Trail – 0.2 miles
Kayak/canoe launch at river mile 15
From Wagoner:
Fern Nature Trail – 1-mile loop
Running Cedar Trail – 1.25 miles
Blue Bird Path – 0.2 miles
Crab Apple Spur Trail – 0.1 miles, one-way
Riverbend Back Country Trail – 3.5 miles
Kayak/canoe launch at river mile 26
From Alleghany (paddle-in only):
Farm House Loop Trail – 1 mile
Riverview Loop Trail – 1.3 miles
Trail to Nowhere – 1.3 miles
From Kings Creek:
Kayak/canoe launch at river mile 7
From Elk Shoals:
Kayak/canoe launch & swim beach
Things to Do
Hiking – 9+ miles of trails
Fishing – bass & trout
Kayak/Canoe on the river – nearby rentals (available beginning in April)
Swim Beach – Elk Shoals
Museum inside the Visitor Center
Camping – 20 RV & tent sites at U.S. 221 access (some full hookups, some electric only)
Paddle-in Primitive campsites – Alleghany, U.S. 221, & Wagoner
Picnicking – Kings Creek, U.S. 221, Wagoner, & Elk Shoals
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