The Nitty-Gritty for Your Trip Planning
Transportation
♦ Arrange your own transportation to and from: your lodging; the breakfast location at Burnwood; and Opossum Creek Retreat headquarters for dinners, presentations, and Birding by Butt.
♦ Field trips depart from and return to the breakfast location at Burnwood.
♦ Field trip transportation is provided, usually by bus.
♦ Go to Where We Are
Lodging
♦ Lodging check-in is the day before your first field trip and check-out is the day after your last field trip.
♦ Additional lodging days may be requested but depend on lodging availability.
♦ All lodging options are on a first-come-first-serve basis. Opossum Creek Retreat cabins are first available to vetran NRBNF goers.
♦ We have special rate deals with our lodging partners that we pass on to you!
♦ Go to Lodging
Packages
♦ Package options are all week, first-half-week, or second-half-week.
♦ Packages are available with lodging (selected on your Registration), or without lodging (you make your own lodging reservation).
♦ Each day includes a field trip, three meals, presentations, field trip transportation (carpool exceptions), and drinks and snacks on field trips and at the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat.
♦ Go to Registration
Meals
♦ Breakfast is hot buffet style at 6 AM sharp, under an outdoor pavilion at Burnwood.
--exceptions: Cranberry and Infinity Loop breakfasts are waiting for you on the bus;
--exception: Birding by Butt has coffee ready at 6 AM, breakfast at 8 AM... roll in when you're ready.
♦ Lunch is picnic style on field trips, prepared by the outdoor adventure centers that own the busses.
--exception: Birding by Butt lunch is ready at 12 PM, or you can adventure to find lunch on your own in the areas of Lansing, Fayetteville and Oak Hill.
♦ Dinner is ready at 6 PM in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat, Monday through Saturday.
♦ An assortment of drinks and snacks are provided throughout the day; bring your own favorites.
♦ Go to Our Culinary Team
Trip Times
♦ Depart Burnwood by 7 AM --exception, Cranberry and Infinity Loop depart earlier, as soon as you're on the bus where your breakfast is waiting for you.
♦ Return times are around 2 PM --exception Cranberry and Infinity Loop return around 5 PM.
♦ Birding by Butt, Thursday, in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat, has coffee ready at 6 AM, breakfast at 8 AM. Roll in when you're ready. Butt outings begin at 9 AM and complete by Noon (banding may continue through early afternoon).
♦ Go to Trip Descriptions
Presentations
♦ Afternoon Presentations are at 4 PM in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat.
♦ Evening Presentations immediately follow dinner (at 7 PM) in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat.
♦ Go to Speaker & Trip Schedule
Festival Check-in
♦ Festival check-in for weeklong and first-half-week birders is Sunday anytime between 6 PM and 8 PM, at Burnwood with a casual cookout under the pavilion. Roll in when you can.
♦ Festival check-in for second-half-week birders is Thursday anytime between 6 AM and 8 AM, in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat. Roll in when you're ready.
♦ Upon check-in you'll be provided a checklist, personal itinerary, name tag and other fun items.
Travel
♦ Yeager Airport (CRW) in Charleston, WV is approximately 60 miles (1.25 hours) from our Opossum Creek Retreat headquarters.
♦ Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) in Beckley, WV is approximately 36 miles (43 minutes) from our Opossum Creek Retreat headquarters.
♦ Car rentals are available at the airports - make arrangements in advance as they're not open 24/7.
♦ Local dining options are plentiful, click here for the New River Gorge Visitors Bureau list of restaurants.
♦ In the mood for shopping local or picking up souvenirs, click for the New River Gorge Visitors Bureau shopping guide.
♦ If you forget something or want something new, we have local gear shops ACE Adventure Gear and Water Stone Outdoors, as well as Wal-Mart nearby.
