At the Hawks Nest Overlook, landscape and construction history come together in one specific place. A short paved path leads to panoramic views of the New River, the Hawks Nest Dam, the tunnel area, and the mountains. The overlook was built from local sandstone in the mid-1930s. This lets you pair the landscape views with a tangible historic architectural detail.

Hawks Nest: Views and Nature

Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted is a 270-acre recreation area with a nature museum.

Water and Trails

Seasonal jet boat rides at Hawks Nest State Park offer views of the New River Gorge Bridge and the Hawks Nest Lake Dam. The perspective from the water differs from the view at the overlook; the seasonal schedule is also a specific planning consideration. Check available dates before your trip.

New River Jet Boats offers a scenic tram ride followed by a trip on the New River. The sequence combines a land ride with a river trip. The address of New River Jet Boats is 18399 Midland Trail, Ansted, WV 25812.

Black bass, catfish, muskies, and panfish are found in Hawks Nest Lake. This gives the lake a different focus from the overlooks and rides: here, the emphasis is on fish species in a specific body of water. While the jet boat rides offer views of structures and landscapes, anglers focus on the species in the lake.

The Hawks Nest Rail-Trail is suitable for mountain biking and hiking; its gravel and dirt surfaces set it apart from the short paved path to the Hawks Nest Overlook.

Getting Around Ansted

U.S. Route 60 is a clear reference point for getting around town: it runs through the center of Ansted and is also known as the Midland Trail. The dual name makes it easier to recognize the same road under either name.

Historic Topics

Contentment, also known as the Colonel George Imboden House, is a historic residence in Ansted, Fayette County, West Virginia, built around 1830. The house is furnished with historic antiques. Its construction date and interior offer two different points of connection to its history: when it was built and how it is furnished.

The Contentment Historical Complex serves as a museum and as the headquarters of the Fayette County Historical Society. Westlake Cemetery is among the earliest historic cemeteries identified west of the Allegheny Mountains. Together, these represent different historic topics: the functions of the complex and the early historic classification of a cemetery.

Regional Context

For regional context, the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve stretches along a 53-mile section of the New River, from Bluestone Dam to Hawk's Nest Lake. This river corridor covers a different scale than a single trail or overlook and adds a regional perspective to a visit to Ansted.

Discover more destinations: Mount Hope, Fayetteville, Oak Hill.

For the broader travel overview: Fayette County.