First established in 1978, New River Gorge National River has been redesignated as New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in 2020. The park encompasses a swath of land along 53 miles of West Virginia's New River from Bluestone Dam to Hawk's Nest Lake. A rugged, whitewater river, the New River is actually among the oldest rivers in the world. Its relentless stream has carved the deepest and longest gorge in the Appalachian Mountains.
   The park, covering about 73,000 acres along the New River, provides many ways to explore its scenic wonders. Park-goers may enjoy much of the park's natural history, take part in plenty of recreational opportunities or relive centuries of cultural heritage. Recreational activities include hiking, world class river rafting, 13 miles of biking paths, the best rock climbing at the Endlass Wall, birding in an unfragmented forest, fishing, canoeing, and camping. The area's rich history offers examples of subsistence farms, former community sites, homesteads, mining sites, and railroad operations. This huge park is natural haven for sightseeeing and photography. It's deep gorges, swift cascading rapids, waterfalls (with Sandstone Falls the largest), scenic overlooks and miles of forestland offer a myriad of sites to explore. For the history buff, old coal mining towns, historic train depots and railyards, early pioneer communities, timber towns, and the construction story of New River Gorge Bridge add many points of interest throughout the gorge.
   As America's 63rd, and newest national park, the New River Gorge National Park isn't really that new at all. But its new designation as a national park reaches out to those who never enjoyed this section of the country. With such a large diversity of attractions, this parkland will bring in many new vistors who have yet to enjoy the New River Gorge and the wonders of West Virginia.

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