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West Virginia State Parks’ beloved aerial trams are undergoing a well-deserved makeover.
This story was originally published in the October 2024 issue of Wonderful West Virginia. To subscribe, visit wonderfulwv.com.
Written by Dawn Nolan
photographed by West Virginia Department of Commerce
For decades, visitors to Hawks Nest State Park and Pipestem Resort State Parks had the unique opportunity to take scenic rides into the gorges below via aerial tram. “Both parks have beautiful gorges,” says WVDNR Deputy Chief of Parks Paul Redford. “At Hawks Nest, you have the New River, and at Pipestem, the Bluestone.”
The aerial tram experience has been an integral part of park visits almost since the parks’ beginnings: The Hawks Nest tram began operating in 1970, just seven years after the lodge opened in 1963, and the tram at Pipestem opened in 1971, less than a year after the park itself. “They ran seasonally, and they were very well-maintained,” says Redford. “We had staff that were dedicated solely to the operation and upkeep. We had them running like finely oiled machines.”
As time went on, however, the parts needed to keep these iconic attractions in top shape became more difficult to source as, one by one, the companies that constructed the trams went out of business. “We actually had to have machine shops fabricate parts for us, and the parts all had exacting parameters,” Redford explains. “The trams were becoming very expensive to maintain and operate as they were reaching the end of their life.”
Finally, the aerial tram at Hawks Nest closed in 2021 due to infrastructure concerns. The tram at Pipestem managed to operate through the 2023 season before it shut down as well.
But not to worry—both are now being replaced. And, with upgrades, they’ll be better than ever.
At Hawks Nest, when the tram will be operating is the most-asked question, according to Park Superintendent Joe Baughman. “It was a very popular attraction—a park staple. People rode it as children, and now they want to bring their children back to do it. Or they rode it with their grandparents and want to experience it with their grandkids.” The groundbreaking for Hawks Nest’s new aerial tramway took place in July 2024, and it is expected to re-open in the spring of 2025.
The tram at Pipestem was a huge part of the park for more than 50 years, says Assistant Superintendent Kim Hawkins. “People are missing the experience, but they’re excited about the update and getting a new tram.” Construction of Pipestem’s new aerial tramway began immediately after the old one closed, and it is projected to resume operations by the end of the year.
Work on both aerial tramways is being done by Doppelmayr USA, an aerial lift manufacturer that is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, but has a base in Tucker County. The cost of the Hawks Nest project is an estimated $8 million and Pipestem’s is approximately $12.4 million, both part of more than $200 million in investments in West Virginia State Parks over the past seven years.
“The reality is, Hawks Nest or Pipestem without these iconic aerial tramways is almost like losing a piece of your soul,” says Redford. “The old ones were a great piece of history because there were only a few still in operation in the whole world. We did not want to discontinue these attractions and forget their legacy. With the commitment of Governor Justice and the ability to secure funding, we were able to put a tram replacement project out to bid and get them awarded for both locations. And what we are installing is nothing like what we had.”
New and Improved Aerial Trams
Utilizing a pulse gondola system, where groups or pods of cabins are permanently attached to a haul rope and slow down for the loading and unloading of passengers at both the top and bottom terminals at the same time, the new aerial tramways will be more efficient and have a greater capacity. “They will fit up to six individuals,” says Redford. “They’re very close to what you might see out west at those big ski areas. They are big, fully enclosed gondolas that can fit multiple people inside comfortably, and they are fully operated to exact specifications and all monitored closely by computer systems.”
One major improvement comes with them: The trams will be fully ADA accessible. The original gondolas, built and installed in the ’60s and ’70s, lacked this feature, and the change is much welcomed. “These will be fully accessible all the way from the top to the bottom, and while they’re riding inside,” explains Redford. “That’s a really great addition to our fleet for sure.”
There will be freight cars to transport bicycles, kayaks, and other recreational equipment. And weather conditions will affect operations less than before, because the new system offers higher wind stability.
For those who feel a little apprehensive about heights, there isn’t anything to worry about, Hawkins says. “Sometimes, we recommend them sitting with their back to the mountain, so that they’re looking upward rather than downward, but for most people, there’s not a lot of apprehension,” he says. “Heck, we even take their pets down.”
Even for those who have a little anxiety about it, Baughman says, all it takes is that first ride for them to be hooked.
The Aerial Experience at Pipestem
Pipestem’s aerial tram takes riders down into the Bluestone Gorge. It travels 3,410 feet with an elevation change of 1,200 feet, over the course of about 6 minutes. “You really get a bird’s eye view going down the mountain,” Hawkins says.
At the bottom are the Bluestone River and the soon-to-reopen Mountain Creek Lodge—a 30-room lodge with full-service restaurant and gift shop that will be accessible only by the aerial tram. “So any guests who are staying overnight at the park or want to do a day visit, they would have to take the aerial tram down to the bottom of the gorge,” Redford says.
The construction of the aerial tram will affect the Pipestem Peaks Zipline Tours operated by Pipestem Adventures, bringing the number of zips down from nine to seven, though not for long. “Once the tram is open, the zipline will run the full course, and riders will come back to the top of the mountain utilizing the tram,” Hawkins says.
Taking the Tram at Hawks Nest
At Hawks Nest, the aerial tram carries passengers through an 800-foot elevation change across a distance of 1,100 feet from the lodge to the marina in the lower river area, where guests can fish, boat, visit the nature center, hike, or even take a jet boat tour under the New River Gorge Bridge.
Similar by Design
Hawks Nest and Pipestem, along with Twin Falls, were designed back in the 1960s through a Kennedy Administration initiative. According to WVDNR Deputy Chief of Parks Paul Redford, the grants provided by the Area Redevelopment Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce allowed the state to buy property and create parks, attracting visitors and growing the local economies. This opened up recreation—and job opportunities in rural areas throughout the state.
The Architects Collaborative, or TAC, which was founded in 1945 by the famed architect Walter Gropius, designed the parks’ lodges. “He was the father of the Bauhaus movement, known for its modernist approach and collaborative design process,” says Redford. “So, if you go to any of these parks, you’ll notice that the buildings have a lot of concrete, a lot of glass. They have flat roofs and very clean lines and are very mid-century modern–looking.”
To experience the beautiful lodges at Hawks Nest and Pipestem Resort state parks—and enjoy all they have to offer as you eagerly await the triumphant return of the beloved aerial trams—visit WVstateparks.com to book your stay.
“Due to our geography, we don’t really have a lot of recreation outside of the river operations and the tram,” explains Baughman. “As for the tram, people really enjoy the uniqueness of it—the view of the river and the New River Gorge Bridge—and the new tram’s 360-degree view is going to make that even more enjoyable. It’s going to be more comfortable. There’s more safety features—we’re talking 50 years of improvements. It will be a lot better all the way around.”
He’s hopeful that the reopening of the aerial tram will attract even more visitors to Hawks Nest. “Ten years ago, our visitation was about 218,000,” says Baughman. “Since then, we’re well over 500,000, probably closer to 600,000, and we expect a big increase in riders from when we had to shut it down. We’re really excited about bringing this new tram to Hawks Nest and continuing to increase our occupancy and our visitation.”
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