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Far Appalachia: Following the New River North
With his sharp eye and gentle wit, Noah Adams doesn't just tell stories, he lets them unfold quietly, powerfully, and eloquently. Now the beloved host of NPR's All Things Considered and bestselling author of Piano Lessons takes us on a river journey through the heart of Appalachia--a journey shared by pioneers and preachers, white-water daredevils, bluegrass musicians, and an unforgettable cast of vivid historical characters.
Noah Adams has Appalachia in his blood. A native of eastern Kentucky, he comes to the headwaters of the New River not just in search of adventure but to better understand his own unique heritage. Following the New River from its mile-high source on North Carolina's Snake Mountain to its West Virginia mouth, Adams travels by Jeep and by bicycle, by foot and, most thrillingly, by white-water raft to explore the history, natural beauty, and fascinating characters waiting around every bend and turn.
Distilling history from legend, Adams tells of men and women whose lives crossed the New River before Daniel Boone, fleeing his farming family in search of wilderness; Cherokee Indians driven west on their Trail of Tears; and the ill-fated men who traveled thousands of miles to work on the Hawk's Nest Tunnel, making a fortune for a company while their lungs filled with deadly silica dust. And along the way Adams follows the echoes of his own distant heritage, interweaving his river journey through Appalachia with yet another voyage, thousands of miles away.
With eloquence and compassion, Noah Adams paints a luminous portrait of a land and a people as richly vital and complex as America itself. At the same time, his quietly personal chronicle captures the sheer magic of the flowing their sound, their eddies, their utter unpredictability. A vibrant and unforgettable read, Far Appalachia mesmerizes and haunts like the bluegrass music that still rings through the mountains and valleys in which it was born.
Noah Adams has Appalachia in his blood. A native of eastern Kentucky, he comes to the headwaters of the New River not just in search of adventure but to better understand his own unique heritage. Following the New River from its mile-high source on North Carolina's Snake Mountain to its West Virginia mouth, Adams travels by Jeep and by bicycle, by foot and, most thrillingly, by white-water raft to explore the history, natural beauty, and fascinating characters waiting around every bend and turn.
Distilling history from legend, Adams tells of men and women whose lives crossed the New River before Daniel Boone, fleeing his farming family in search of wilderness; Cherokee Indians driven west on their Trail of Tears; and the ill-fated men who traveled thousands of miles to work on the Hawk's Nest Tunnel, making a fortune for a company while their lungs filled with deadly silica dust. And along the way Adams follows the echoes of his own distant heritage, interweaving his river journey through Appalachia with yet another voyage, thousands of miles away.
With eloquence and compassion, Noah Adams paints a luminous portrait of a land and a people as richly vital and complex as America itself. At the same time, his quietly personal chronicle captures the sheer magic of the flowing their sound, their eddies, their utter unpredictability. A vibrant and unforgettable read, Far Appalachia mesmerizes and haunts like the bluegrass music that still rings through the mountains and valleys in which it was born.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
June 25, 2025
The linked chapters in this book add up to a gentle and beautiful but low key trip down the New River, from its headwaters in the mountains of North Carolina to its intersection with the Gauley in West Virginia, where the two rivers become the Kanawha. It's a short, fast read, with a close focus on the river and people who live or work by or on it - so it doesn't really provide a window into the broader economics or politics of the region.
I've never lived in the watershed, but I've visited places in it a bunch. That's not usually the case for places I read about in travel books, and it made for an odd experience - the book felt very familiar (and accurate), not foreign or exotic. For readers who have lived in the urban areas of the midAtlantic but traveled to rural Virginia and West Virginia, this book is likely to serve as a lovely reminder of the watershed, and perhaps a spur to another long weekend visit. I'm really curious what it would signify to someone from much further away. As a side note, the title of the book - Far Appalachia - comes from a phrase used by Horace Kephart, who studied and wrote about families living in remote areas of the Great Smoky Mountains, well to the south and west of the New River. But, it works well enough for a title, and does convey the remoteness of the river once it gets deep into West Virginia.
I've never lived in the watershed, but I've visited places in it a bunch. That's not usually the case for places I read about in travel books, and it made for an odd experience - the book felt very familiar (and accurate), not foreign or exotic. For readers who have lived in the urban areas of the midAtlantic but traveled to rural Virginia and West Virginia, this book is likely to serve as a lovely reminder of the watershed, and perhaps a spur to another long weekend visit. I'm really curious what it would signify to someone from much further away. As a side note, the title of the book - Far Appalachia - comes from a phrase used by Horace Kephart, who studied and wrote about families living in remote areas of the Great Smoky Mountains, well to the south and west of the New River. But, it works well enough for a title, and does convey the remoteness of the river once it gets deep into West Virginia.
February 25, 2009
Great book, chapter 2 is an interview with my dad. The interview was done the summer before dad got cancer and the book was published after he lost his battle with cancer.
May 8, 2024
You ever just need a cathartic travel read?
January 21, 2010
Great book describing the New River and the people around it. Growing up in North Carolina and spending a decent amount of time on the New River in West Virginia, I was able to relate to large portions of this book. There was a lot of overlap with things I love as well, bluegrass music, whitewater rafting, canoeing, Fayetteville WV, etc. I recommend it if you have any curosity about the Appalachia region.
September 26, 2025
Picked this book up from a used bookstore in Charleston, WV. Living 20 minutes away from New River Gorge and having a 28 year gap since Noah went on his journey, I didn’t realize how many deep rooted connections I’d have to the places and people. Feels like as if someone wrote a book about your neighbors and backyard.
Crazy Fact: didn’t realize they hung people on the lawns of the Fayette County Courthouse
Crazy Fact: didn’t realize they hung people on the lawns of the Fayette County Courthouse
August 12, 2023
I picked up this book ahead of a camping trip at New River Gorge National Park. It did not disappoint. A very easy read, that reads more like a journal and less like a book.
August 15, 2025
I adore reading about traveling adventures and this one especially because I visited the New River Gorge National Park this past summer.
52 Book Challenge #48. West Virginia
52 Book Challenge #48. West Virginia
December 29, 2022
A lovesong to the New River Valley, Far Appalachia meanders its way north from the headwaters of its namesake river, passing through idle towns and old relics of an oft-forgotten way of life.
Maybe I'm biased, having grown up outside of Boone, NC and having the pleasure of knowing a few of the broad cast of characters that spring up through the story, but I have a hard time believing there's a better telling of this land, even 25 years after its writing.
Far Appalachia is tinged with deep history, hinting at the conflict of settlers and those they displaced. Adams pedals and paddles his way down the river, running into local feuds, finding southern hospitality, and hinting at the rising tide of sport tourism that might buoy this sleepy slice of America through the 21st century.
Some places still stand; a greenway runs along the south and middle forks of the river before they run out of Boone and into Ashe County. The state parks that spring up along the river are thriving in the era of rails-to-trails conversions, with the shot tower still marking its stretch of river. Tangent Outfitters is still in business to this day. Appalachian State and Radford are thriving schools, with students flocking to their respective towns to learn a little more about life in the mountains. Even the quiet stretches on the outskirts are seeing a rekindled interest.
Fayetteville is as proud and rebellious as ever, a little counterculture enclave of rainbow flags and rebels among the hills. The whitewater outfitters and camps are still offering trips through the Gauley and the New, but now under a more watchful eye of the recently-designated New River Gorge Narional Park.
Climbers and bikers and river rats of all manner flock to the valley every year to make new memories. The old Kaymoor mine still rusts and chafes, but few around remember its history.
All that to say, it's been 25 years and while so much of the world has changed, Adams's stories of a journey through the New River Valley have stayed remarkably true, like the river he follows.
Maybe I'm biased, having grown up outside of Boone, NC and having the pleasure of knowing a few of the broad cast of characters that spring up through the story, but I have a hard time believing there's a better telling of this land, even 25 years after its writing.
Far Appalachia is tinged with deep history, hinting at the conflict of settlers and those they displaced. Adams pedals and paddles his way down the river, running into local feuds, finding southern hospitality, and hinting at the rising tide of sport tourism that might buoy this sleepy slice of America through the 21st century.
Some places still stand; a greenway runs along the south and middle forks of the river before they run out of Boone and into Ashe County. The state parks that spring up along the river are thriving in the era of rails-to-trails conversions, with the shot tower still marking its stretch of river. Tangent Outfitters is still in business to this day. Appalachian State and Radford are thriving schools, with students flocking to their respective towns to learn a little more about life in the mountains. Even the quiet stretches on the outskirts are seeing a rekindled interest.
Fayetteville is as proud and rebellious as ever, a little counterculture enclave of rainbow flags and rebels among the hills. The whitewater outfitters and camps are still offering trips through the Gauley and the New, but now under a more watchful eye of the recently-designated New River Gorge Narional Park.
Climbers and bikers and river rats of all manner flock to the valley every year to make new memories. The old Kaymoor mine still rusts and chafes, but few around remember its history.
All that to say, it's been 25 years and while so much of the world has changed, Adams's stories of a journey through the New River Valley have stayed remarkably true, like the river he follows.
July 2, 2013
This book made me want to visit some of the places along the New River that Noah Adams writes about. I've read that the New River Gorge is "the Grand Canyon of the East." That idea alone is one to make a person visit. On my way to cities in the Northeast, I've driven past the exit on I-64 that will take you to the Canyon Rim visitor center, frequently wishing I had allowed myself extra time to explore. Rich in history and culture - some say being settled by American Indians before 8000 B.C., then by Europeans in the late 16th century as a result of the de Soto and Juan Pardo expeditions.
Before the railroads and highways, the New River was an important means of transportation into the mountains enabling hunters, farmers and entrepreneurs to settle towns and cities along its banks. Imagining Mary Draper Ingels trying to get back to her family, the once-bustling lead and coal mining towns, pioneers passing through on their way west and stories of famous floods and river freezings, Noah Adams winds his way down the New River, taking the reader along. I was sorry when the book ended, wanting to know more about the New.
I'll keep Far Appalachia in my car as reference for the day that I get off the highway to see the New River for myself.
Before the railroads and highways, the New River was an important means of transportation into the mountains enabling hunters, farmers and entrepreneurs to settle towns and cities along its banks. Imagining Mary Draper Ingels trying to get back to her family, the once-bustling lead and coal mining towns, pioneers passing through on their way west and stories of famous floods and river freezings, Noah Adams winds his way down the New River, taking the reader along. I was sorry when the book ended, wanting to know more about the New.
I'll keep Far Appalachia in my car as reference for the day that I get off the highway to see the New River for myself.
September 22, 2015
I liked this book in part because, as an NC resident who has spent a good amount of time up in the Appalachians hiking, rafting, biking, etc., I'd actually been to a good number of the places the author visits. It was interesting to see places like the New River Gorge, Snake Mountain, and the New River Trail through his eyes, and I thought the largely unknown/forgotten (to the larger world) history of the area was enlightening. I would have liked the author to have a stronger voice and more personality (a la Bill Bryson) but that's just personal preference.
April 18, 2017
Not a travelogue but reminiscences about canoeing/rafting/Jeeping along the New River, starting in North Carolina > Virginia > West Virginia. I keep forgetting how far west Virginia extends and how mountainous the west end of VA is beyond Asheville, despite having driven through twice. What surprised me is how far -east- the New River turns.
Entertaining, but too choppy for 3 stars.
Entertaining, but too choppy for 3 stars.
August 15, 2017
I've been fortunate enough to see the New River Bridge, the Gorge, the abandoned Kaymoor coal camp, Fayetteville WV, and the Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley. All these things are documented in Noah Adams' engaging travelogue and much, much more. It makes me want to dive back into the amazing wilderness of a state comprised entirely of mountains. A perfect vacation read.
December 17, 2022
A read a bunch of words but failed to discover a story. The chapters were very cursory observations that were neither interesting nor informative. I finished the book no better off than when I started.
February 3, 2009
A meandering travel story that captures the scenery and the history of this unique and underappreciated part of the country.
Read
March 8, 2022Book caught my eye at a used book sale . . . maybe because I've been reading a good bit about Appalachia for the past year and this was a term and river I had never heard of.
It's a quick and easy read, perfect to pick up and put down during busy life times but still thoughtful and enjoyable. It had a map but I still got out my own big atlas to follow along. Author starts in North Carolina, at the headwaters of the river and winds up in spectacular scenery in West Virginia where the river joins another to soon reach the Ohio. It's an area I have not visited but I would like to.
Chapters could easily stand on their own but altogether they form a travelogue, following author as he kayaks, whitewater rafts (with a guide), and sometimes just bikes or hikes along the river's edge. He interacts some with the people living along the river but we are spared deep analysis of region's problems and economics. He also has stories of the early settlers of the region and muses about what their lives must have been like.
My favorite chapter was "Galax Town" where author encounters the local bluegrass music makers. Each chapter starts with the latitude and longitude but I would have liked some dates, too . . . I tried to guess the month from his description of temperature and blooms but was often left wondering. Book left me hoping I can see the New River Gorge one of these days.
It's a quick and easy read, perfect to pick up and put down during busy life times but still thoughtful and enjoyable. It had a map but I still got out my own big atlas to follow along. Author starts in North Carolina, at the headwaters of the river and winds up in spectacular scenery in West Virginia where the river joins another to soon reach the Ohio. It's an area I have not visited but I would like to.
Chapters could easily stand on their own but altogether they form a travelogue, following author as he kayaks, whitewater rafts (with a guide), and sometimes just bikes or hikes along the river's edge. He interacts some with the people living along the river but we are spared deep analysis of region's problems and economics. He also has stories of the early settlers of the region and muses about what their lives must have been like.
My favorite chapter was "Galax Town" where author encounters the local bluegrass music makers. Each chapter starts with the latitude and longitude but I would have liked some dates, too . . . I tried to guess the month from his description of temperature and blooms but was often left wondering. Book left me hoping I can see the New River Gorge one of these days.
January 2, 2023
I found the narrative nature of this book to be a gentler way to receive the vast variety of information Noah Adams explains about the NC/VA/WV Appalchian region. If you are someone who has lived or traveled near any of this region, it will help add relevancy of course. However, Adams does describe his landscape in a way that may help you bridge the gap of the unknown. He explores via bike, paddling, driving, hiking, and rafting so if there’s a part you don’t relate to as well then know it will pass relatively quickly. The River itself is also like that. I found myself taking time at the beginning of each chapter to look up on a map the locations of where he was which would have been a nice add to the book itself in my opinion. He also calls many plants, especially trees, by name with minimal description which drew me to look up images of what it was he was describing. As Noah points out about himself, maybe this says more about me as an imbecile outdoorsman than his writing. However, some field sketches here or there would have been a nice addition as well if not actual images.
I purchased this book after a trip to the New River Gorge NP in WV with the goal of learning more about the New River. That goal was definitely achieved. I only wish the writing could have been expanded on with more images or graphics.
I purchased this book after a trip to the New River Gorge NP in WV with the goal of learning more about the New River. That goal was definitely achieved. I only wish the writing could have been expanded on with more images or graphics.
August 8, 2021
Far Appalachia is a nicely written travelogue tracing the New River from its source in the mountains of Western NC to its destination in the Kanawha River in West Virginia. In the tradition of a great travelogue, the authors journey describes many interesting places along the way, talking to people, recounting history, giving context, and relating personal experiences. In reading, i found many connections that our family has to the New River that we didn't even know about. For one, a branch of the headwaters runs literally through the campus of the university where one of our children did their undergrad degree. Another connection is that we have driven along side it countless times going to our favorite camping location in SW Virginia. After reading, we want to make a point of exploring more of the New River, especially New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in WV. Far Appalachia is an enlightening and enjoyable tale, in the good company of books by William Least Heat-Moon (the Blue Highways trilogy), Bill Bryson (A Walk in the Woods and others) and of course Steinbeck's Travels with Charley.
November 23, 2025
Noah Adams spent nearly a year exploring the New River from Snake Mountain in North Carolina, through a section of Virginia into West Virginia where it eventually pours into the Kanawha River prior to meeting the Ohio River.
This book is written like an enhanced travelogue. He successfully correlates the history and culture of the region, with his experiences, stories from the people he meets, and his background research. He further adds a touch of his own genealogical interest to the story. All of these make for interesting, meaningful, and easy reading, and aids the reader in better understanding the people, the economics, and the challenges in this section of Appalachia.
My husband and I recently visited New River Gorge National Park, where I purchased this book. After reading Adams' book, we now know we need to return to see many things we did not know about during our initial visit.
This book is written like an enhanced travelogue. He successfully correlates the history and culture of the region, with his experiences, stories from the people he meets, and his background research. He further adds a touch of his own genealogical interest to the story. All of these make for interesting, meaningful, and easy reading, and aids the reader in better understanding the people, the economics, and the challenges in this section of Appalachia.
My husband and I recently visited New River Gorge National Park, where I purchased this book. After reading Adams' book, we now know we need to return to see many things we did not know about during our initial visit.
October 29, 2024
A beautiful recounting of travels along the New River - biking, rafting, canoeing - from source at Snake Mountain in NC to confluence with the Gauley & Kanawha in WV. I have been to many of the places described in the book but I came away with a feeling for how landscape & history are mingled that I didn’t have before. Even the horrific Gauley mine disaster, which I knew about, feels more situated and “placed” in my mind than it previously was.
Such an interesting book - part memoir, part travelogue, part history lesson, part sociological story-telling. Everything that one loves and that breaks one’s heart about this region is touched on here.
Such an interesting book - part memoir, part travelogue, part history lesson, part sociological story-telling. Everything that one loves and that breaks one’s heart about this region is touched on here.
February 9, 2019
I always feel like I have to caveat my 2-star ratings with the note that I mean it in the goodreads sense of "it was ok". It wasn't terrible, I didn't dislike it, but it was only "ok."
It took me almost a year to finish this ~200 page book because I was never that into it. This is a series of basically unconnected anecdotes ostensibly tied together by the fact that all the anecdotes are related to the New River. It kinda seemed like a stunt non-fiction book before stunt non-fiction was officially a thing. Some of the anecdotes were interesting or funny or sad, but probably because the author has a journalism background, there never felt like there was a deeper connection. It was just reported as "this happened" or "this person said this thing" or "a historical note about this site is..."
So, it was fine, ok, but not great.
It took me almost a year to finish this ~200 page book because I was never that into it. This is a series of basically unconnected anecdotes ostensibly tied together by the fact that all the anecdotes are related to the New River. It kinda seemed like a stunt non-fiction book before stunt non-fiction was officially a thing. Some of the anecdotes were interesting or funny or sad, but probably because the author has a journalism background, there never felt like there was a deeper connection. It was just reported as "this happened" or "this person said this thing" or "a historical note about this site is..."
So, it was fine, ok, but not great.
March 4, 2019
Loved THIS Read. It’s easy to pick up & read a chapter, then put it down until another chance to read.
Noah Adams, a familiar voice from years of listening to NPR radio programming, is the writer. I could hear his voice as I read his accounts of “Far Appalachia” from his Journey along the New River.
This book contains glimpses into the History, Settlers, Immigrants, Corporations & Nature of the Appalachian Region. It’s a personal story with insight into life in Appalachia.
Noah Adams, a familiar voice from years of listening to NPR radio programming, is the writer. I could hear his voice as I read his accounts of “Far Appalachia” from his Journey along the New River.
This book contains glimpses into the History, Settlers, Immigrants, Corporations & Nature of the Appalachian Region. It’s a personal story with insight into life in Appalachia.
March 17, 2019
This was very interesting, when the author talked about the civil war & the coal miners. The history of the river was influenced by events like the depression & floods to be the unique heritage site that it is. While white water rafting, very good imagery. From North Carolina to West Virginia, the New River has something for everyone and I think the way this book was described details that perfectly. I've never been there, however now I feel like I have.
September 18, 2019
Vignettes capturing the oral history of the New River. Plus, sprinkle in some racism and homophobia like it’s 1997.
I get it though. We gotta shatter stereotypes about Appalachia somehow. Right?? But Adams doesn’t offer up critical thinking and analysis. It’s just: “Today I took my canoe out on the river. Picked some flowers on someone’s farm. The end.”
I get it though. We gotta shatter stereotypes about Appalachia somehow. Right?? But Adams doesn’t offer up critical thinking and analysis. It’s just: “Today I took my canoe out on the river. Picked some flowers on someone’s farm. The end.”
July 27, 2022
One of the reviews on the back of the book captures the author’s style, “modesty, economy and grace”. I have spent some time in the places in the book and that helped with visualization. The author does well in describing the people and geography. His retelling of rafting the New was so excellent. I felt like I was there.
April 8, 2023
I am not sure what it is about this book but I sure do love it. This book combines my love for nature and history. The short stories told while Adams travels the river make for an easy book to pick up intermittently. The descriptive writing used reminds me of stories my Dad would tell but reads as poetry.
June 5, 2025
This was always gonna be above 3 stars just because of the subject matter but I think the author did a great job of capturing the natural community and hospitality that comes with being in the Appalachian area. I also had some flashbacks to the last time I ran the New at the end and that made me happy
November 20, 2018
A good gift for someone connected to the region. Each entry stands alone. It can be read out of order, in parts, or in full. It’s the kind of book that you keep on the side table to thumb through when the mood is right. Buy it rather than borrow.
December 26, 2018
This would be a very pleasant book to read when you are an old retired loafer living in a small Mexican fishing village with no problems in the world. So when I get old, I may read it again, it was a bit boring for me right now.
July 4, 2019
Separate segments about his experiences. Not a story that flows. Writing is a little dry for me, but based on reviews I read, some people really love this book because it takes them to another place.
October 16, 2025
Following the River alongside the read, via Google Earth, taught me a lot. And having run some of the parts of the river he talks about felt like having a brush with celebrity. But there is something very off-putting about his voice — how much he stresses his authenticity, his being Of the People.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews