The Nitty-Gritty for Your Trip Planning
Transportation
♦ Arrange your own transportation to/from: your lodging; the breakfast location Burnwood; and Opossum Creek Retreat headquarters 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 veteran NRBNF goers.
♦ We have special rate deals with our lodging partners that we pass on to you!
♦ Go to Lodging
⇓Meals ⇓Trip Times ⇓Presentations ⇓Check-in ⇓Ethics ⇓Travel
Packages
♦ Package options are All week Monday through Saturday, first-Half week Monday through Wednesday, or second-Half week Thursday through Saturday.
♦ 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 breakfasts are waiting for you on the bus;
--exception: Birding by Butt has coffee on 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.
♦ Saturday's Farewell Pizza Party starts at 6 PM with music (for All Week and second-Half week Thursday-Saturday packages).
♦ Go to Our Culinary Team
Trip Times
♦ Cranberry trips depart from Burnwood at 6:05 AM or as quickly as possible, with provided bagged breakfast waiting on the bus; trips return by 5 PM.
♦ Birding by Butt, you roll in to the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat when you're ready - coffee is on at 6, breakfast at 8, outings begin at 9 AM; ends with lunch at noon.
♦ Other trips depart from Brunwood by 7 AM and return by 2 PM.
♦ Historic Excursions depart Burnwood at 8 AM and return after lunch around noon.
♦ Go to Trip Descriptions
Presentations
♦ Afternoon Presentations are at 4 PM in the Meadows at Opossum Creek Retreat; duration 45-60 minutes.
♦ Evening Presentations are at 7 PM, immediately following dinner in the Meadows; duration 60-90 minutes.
♦ Saturday evening Farewell Pizza Party starts at 6 PM with music in the Meadows (for All week and Thursday to Saturday Half week packages).
♦ Go to Speaker & Trip Schedule
Festival Check-in is by Your First Field Trip
If your first field trip is:
♦ Monday (All-week and first-Half week)- meet Sunday at Burnwood for a casual cookout welcome, between 6 PM and 8 PM.
♦ Thursday (newcomer, second-Half week)- meet Thursday for Birding by Butt at Opossum Creek Retreat; coffee is on at 6, breakfast at 8, outings begin at 9 AM.
♦ Thursday (returner, second-Half week)- choose any field trip; by your selection we'll either see you at Birding by Butt, or at Burnwood for any other trip.
♦ Items provided upon check-in include a printed checklist, personal itinerary, name tag, and t-shirt.
eBird
♦ Minimize harm to all species by protecting their locations to reduce disturbance. Refrain from publicly sharing specific locations and our routes. You'll find vague geographic location points available in eBird on most of our field trips.
♦ If you eBird, volunteer to track species and share with other eBirders on your field trip. Guides and Hosts generally don't have the time, and appreciate being included on your list.
Playback (Merlin)
♦ We strongly advise against using playback for sensitive species and breeding birds. If used, do so with restraint, limited duration, low volume, and consideration for species and location, as it can cause stress and disrupt natural behaviors. Avoid using it in heavily birded areas or near nests.
♦ The best use of playback is for human learning, where birds aren't listening.
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.
