Most travel sites say May through October is the best time to visit New River Gorge — and they're not wrong. But a local breaks down what every season is actually like, including why winter might be the gorge's best-kept secret.

Bridge Day is loud, hot, crowded, chaotic, and one of the best days you can have in West Virginia. Every third Saturday in October, 140,000 people descend on the New River Gorge Bridge for one of the largest extreme sports events in the world. Here's what to actually expect — and why it's worth every bit of the chaos.