Use Your Birding & Nature Vacation to Revitalize Your Mind and Body.

Lodging Packages
Check-in with your selected lodging provider the afternoon before your first trip, and check-out the morning after your last trip. 

Festival Check-in
All-week and first-half-week birders meet us Sunday, anytime between 6 PM and 8 PM, at the Burnwood pavilion for a casual cookout welcome. 
Second-half-week birders, first-time NRBNF folks meet us Thursday for Birding by Butt at Opossum Creek Retreat - coffee is ready at 6 AM; breakfast at 8 AM.
Second-half-week birders, returning NRBNF folks may choose Birding by Butt, or we'll see you at Burnwood for breakfast and other Thursday trip options.
Items provided upon check-in include a printed checklist, personal itinerary/name tag.

To sum up a typical day: 
6am breakfast at Burnwood
6:15-7am field trips depart from Burnwood
11am-12pm picnic-style lunch
2-5pm field trips return to Burnwood
4pm presentation in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat
5pm appetizers and happy hour
6pm dinner
7pm presentation 

Read more: Speaker & Trip Schedule

• Infinity Loop *returns ~5 PM, Monday through Wednesday
• Cranberry *returns ~5 PM, Thursday through Saturday
• Babcock Monday through Friday
• Kanawha Falls Monday through Friday
• Sugar Creek Monday through Friday,*special premium Jeep Tour Thursday
• Fayette Station Two-Point-Oh! Monday through Friday
• Birding by Butt *Thursday. Festival check-in for second-half week first-timers, and option for all week birders
• Muddlety to Carnifex Saturday
• ACE Reptiles & Amphibians Saturday
• The Summit Saturday
• Wolf Creek & Rail Trail Saturday

Cranberry and Infinity Loop trips have breakfast waiting on the bus at 6 AM and depart Burnwood as quickly as possible. Cranberry and Infinity Loop return by 5 PM.
Birding by Butt (Thursday) begins in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat with coffee at 6 AM, breakfast at 8 AM, outings at 9 AM; wraps up with lunch at Noon. 
All other trips begin from Burnwood at 6 AM with hot buffet style breakfast under a pavilion; depart by 7 AM and return by 2 PM. Field Trip transportation is provided by bus. 
After field trips depart from Burnwood, modern restroom facilities are limited - some routes stop at public areas for restroom breaks and some destinations have varying facilities.
In response to weather, road conditions and bird movement, trip routes may be adjusted and some trips may overlap territory.
♦ Detailed location information and maps are provided to registrants in April.

Read more: Trip Descriptions

2025, Apr 28 - May 3: Registration is Closed

2026 Registration Opens in October

1) Log in or create a user account. 2) Read the details below to find "Click Here to Register."

Spend six, or three, days on adventurous daily nature excursions, over meals with longtime and new friends, and presentations packed with knowledge and interest.
Seats are limited. 
All packages include daily field trips, field trip transportation from Burnwood, meals, presentations, happy hour, appetizers, and a t-shirt.
Lodging packages begin the night before your first field trip and include the night of your last field trip. See Lodging descriptions. Additional details are provided in April.
Field trips are limited to ~twelve seats plus guides.

Package options are All week, 6 days of field trips Monday through Saturday, or either Half week, 3 days of field trips Monday to Wednesday or Thursday to Saturday; with or without lodging.

Trips fill on a first-come basis. Registration forms are manually updated. Occasionally, an influx of registrations cause trips to fill faster than site updates can occur, then Rachel communicates adjustments individually. A trip that cannot be selected has been filled and closed.

Skip to FAQ. Skip to Registration. Skip to Deposit & Payments.

Read more: Registration

• FAQ

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

Read more: Trip Planning

A Few Tips to Get You Started...

Bird and nature watching is an outdoor sport - bring your gear and be prepared to have fun! The mornings start outdoors at 6am and the days are spent in the mountains at various elevations and physical environments. Mornings can be quite cool, afternoons quite warm, and a spring shower may pop up. You never know what you're going to get into.

Gear Ideas
- binoculars
- camera
- spotting scope
- field guide(s)
- sunglasses
- hat with a visor**

Read more: What to Pack

Travel Notes

♦ Plan your routes ahead of time; paper maps we provide in April are important because all gps systems are not equal and some will lead you astray.

♦ AT&T seems to have the best coverage in the area, however it is spotty and difficult to find a signal when exploring mountains and valleys. 

♦ Charleston Regional Airport (CRW) in Charleston, WV is approximately 63 miles (~1.25 hours) from Festival headquarters at Opossum Creek Retreat; 61 mi (<1.25 hrs) from Canyon Rim Visitors Center at the New River Gorge National Park.

♦ Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) in Beckley, WV is approximately 38 miles (44 minutes) from Festival headquarters at Opossum Creek Retreat headquarters; 30 mi (39 min) from Canyon Rim Visitors Center at the New River Gorge National Park.

♦ Car rentals are available at both airports, as well as in Beckley and Summersville; make arrangements in advance as they are not open 24/7. 

Read more: Travel Notes