Skyline Spectacle: Chasing Sunset at Beauty Mountain in New River Gorge

Dan Wagner
Jul 27
2 min read

Updated: Jul 31

Hiking the Beauty Mountain Trail in New River Gorge is a short, easy walk that delivers stunning views with minimal effort. Tucked away off a gravel road in Edmond, the unmarked, roughly one-mile out-and-back follows a flat ridgeline through rhododendrons and hardwood forest to a series of dramatic cliffside overlooks. Within minutes, hikers are rewarded with sweeping vistas of the New River far below. Though signage is minimal and cell service spotty, well-worn paths make it easy to navigate. It’s a peaceful, off-the-beaten-path gem perfect for a quick escape into the beauty of the gorge.

Trailhead elevation 1,950

Water none

Don't miss exploring the ledges area

Hiking Beauty Mountain

It's my first night back in the gorge, and I decide to end the day with a visit to Beauty Mountain—one of my favorite places to catch a sunset. The unofficial, unmarked trailhead sits at the intersection of Beauty Mountain Road and Buckhorn Road, near coordinates 38.045978, -81.024368. I show up two hours before sunset to claim one of the three roadside pull-offs and begin my walk.

About a hundred feet in, the trail splits. Left leads to the main cliffs, while the path to the right winds toward a less scenic—but still interesting—set of rocky ledges and overlooks.

With plenty of time to spare, I head right, following a worn trail beneath power lines for about a quarter mile. Just before a short, rocky incline, I spot a narrow spur trail on the left and follow it a few hundred feet to the ledges.

This area is covered in graffiti—usually not my thing—but here it feels oddly charming. Stick-figure climbers, a huge black Sasquatch, and goofy quotes are scattered across the stone.

I wander through the narrow corridors of rock, eventually rounding a bend to find one of the few spots with a partial view of the gorge. Like much of the area, it's heavily graffitied, but still worth a stop.

I spend a little time exploring, looking for an easy route to the top of the ledges but come up short.

The only other decent overlook is in a shaded nook just below the ledges, offering a limited downstream view. Neither spot compares to the view from the main cliffs, so I backtrack to the split near the start of the trail.

From there, I follow the trail left to the main cliffs and settle in at my favorite spot: a broad, flat stone slab that juts out over the edge, tailor-made for sunset. I stretch out, plan my morning, and wait for the sun to sink.

It’s the perfect setup. To my left, the gorge and river stretch into the distance. To my right, the silhouette of Endless Wall fades into the evening glow. Straight ahead, across the gorge, rugged cliffs trace above the route of the Kaymoor Trail toward its junction with the Long Point Trail.

A train rumbles by on the far side, and the sound of the New River drifts up through the trees. I sit and revel at the skyline well beyond sunset, then head back to camp to settle in for the night.