Just because summer is on hiatus doesn’t mean the adventures have to stop. The New River Gorge Bridge is your own personal playground, no matter the season. Here are 5 winter favorites in the gorge:

1. Make some turns at Winterplace

Embrace the fresh air as you plunge down “Nose Dive,” just one of the resort’s 4 black diamond trails. If this sounds tempting, but you’ve never even touched a pair of skis, no worries! The mountain was voted the best place to learn to ski by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine.

While you’re all bundled up, make sure to hit the tube park for an epic upgrade to good ol’ fashioned sledding.

2. Get a unique view at Bridge Walk

The gorge redefines beauty when it’s blanketed in crisp white snow. Luckily, Bridge Walk is open 363 days a year (sorry, even the bridge needs a little rest on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). The iconic steel span will shield you from the elements as you tiptoe along a 24-inch catwalk below. From 851 feet up, you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the frigid New River.

3. Take a walk through the woods on snowshoes

A fresh layer of untouched snow should be enjoyed, not avoided! Snap on a pair of snowshoes and make some tracks in that pristine blanket of wintery goodness. The folks at New and Gauley River Adventures believe that if you can put one foot in front of the other, you can snowshoe. Leave the equipment and expertise to them— they’ll have you amidst a winter wonderland in no time.

4. See the sights on horseback

Hop on a 4-legged friend and clip-clop through a snow-covered dreamland. Autumn Breeze Farms is open year-round and will take you off the beaten path on Pre-Civil War roads, up and down mountainsides and through creeks. They even have winter sleigh rides for 2!

5. Zip among sparkling tree tops

During the winter, ziplining’s magical factor skyrockets. Snow glistening in the treetops makes an already extraordinary experience even more breathtaking. Feel the fresh, crisp air rush against your face as you float through the sparkling forest. Both Adventures on the Gorge and ACE Adventure Resort run ziplining tours year-round.

6. Take a hike!

Bridge Country’s mountaintops and valleys are lined with wonderful hiking trails. Bask in the serene silence of nature’s slumber. If you enjoy a particular trail in the summer, chances are that same trail takes on a whole new level of beauty in the winter. Bundle up and traverse through shimmering rhododendron patches and over icy creeks. Thinned out foliage will give you a better view of historic sites, like the abandoned coal mine structures along Kaymoor Trail.

How do you explore the gorge in winter?