A river runs through it and an expansive bridge crosses over it. Originally established by President Jimmy Carter as a national river in 1978 and now a national park as of 2020, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia is home to one of the oldest rivers on the continent.
New River flows through 70,000 acres of ancient, gentled mountains and a landscape rich in mixed mesophytic forest habitat. Within this landscape of river, rock, and forest, you can hike, climb, boat, fish, and hunt. You can also learn the rich history of natives, pioneers, coal miners, and loggers.
Over 10,000 years ago, natives traveled through and lived within the lower New River region, practicing subsistence living. They gathered nuts, berries, and plants. They fished the river and hunted for animals now extinct within the area (mastodon, bison, caribou).
Fast forward thousands of years to the coal miners and loggers who exploited the land for its resources, and the railroad builders and river batteaux who transported those resources to a populace clamoring for these raw materials.
These logging and mining residents of New River Gorge built homes and settled their families within the hollows (protected valleys lined by mountains or hills through which ran a creek, stream, or branch of the river). Here, they farmed, grazed livestock, and foraged while the children attended nearby schools.
Fast forward again to establishment of this national park and preserve. Here, you can spend your time outdoors hiking 40 trails with distances ranging from one-fourth to seven miles (0.4-11.3 kilometers) one-way, scale the rocky hillsides of what happens to be one of the key climbing destinations of the East, boat, paddle, whitewater raft, and fish New River and various waterways where you might see or catch any of 89 species of fish (including 46 natives and eight endemics). You can hunt for deer, wild turkey, black bear, and small game here in this national park and preserve.
Historic and scenic roads run through the park and you can explore beautiful vistas incorporating park history from the comfort of your vehicle – history such as the African American Heritage Auto Tour created by park staff and partners “to uncover and tell the stories of the many black coal miners, railroad workers, and other community members that helped shape this region.”
How many of you enjoy viewing and photographing sunrises, sunsets, and the Milky Way? The park offers recommendations on where to do all three.
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve serves as a crossroads for wildlife from both northern and southern portions of the eastern United States, so bring your binoculars and telephoto lenses with you during your visit to spot any of almost 200 documented bird species, 65 mammal species, 40 species of reptiles, 50 species of amphibians (including 34 species of salamanders), and a diverse variety of invertebrates including insects.
According to park staff:
Animals more commonly found much farther south may reach the northern extent of their range in the New River Gorge area. Likewise, animals more commonly associated with the northern forests may reach the southern extent of their range in this area. Other animals are found only in the New River area. These species, called endemics, were isolated from similar populations by the steep, rugged terrain of New River Gorge and/or the tumultuous rapids and waterfalls of New River. Thus isolated, these animals evolved to be adapted to the unique circumstances of New River Gorge.
White-tailed deer, squirrels, coyotes and foxes are some of the more commonly spotted wildlife, but it’s not impossible to spot beaver, mink, river otters, or black bears.
There is plenty to do at this national park and preserve – enough that you might wish to spend at least another day if not more. While there are no lodging facilities within the park, surrounding towns as well as nearby state parks have a variety of choices including hotel/motel-style lodging and cabins.
If you’d rather pitch a tent or park your RV directly beneath the night sky, you’ll have a choice from eight primitive campgrounds, plus one primitive campground at nearby Gauley River National Recreation Area.
If New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is on your bucket list of parks to visit, the pages below will help you plan and prepare for your adventure.
Traveler’s Choice For: History, scenic drives, climbing, hiking, boating
- By Rebecca Latson - May 4th, 2026 7:55am
