"Excellent, knowledgeable guides. Very patient. Excellent presentations of various nature as well as birding topics. Would highly recommend this event to any birder, experienced or not." - Repeat Visitor

NRBNF LogoThe 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

♦ 2024 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.

Recommended from here: Where We Are and What To Pack.

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Crows have the largest cerebral hemispheres relative to their body size of any bird. Be kind to them. They know things, and they tell their friends.