West Virginia Recreation Staple Designated America’s 63rd National park

The New River Gorge area of West Virginia is a well-known adventure hotspot. It holds coveted climbing crags, world-class whitewater, winding singletrack, a range of hiking trails, and the iconic New River Bridge. Regional outdoor enthusiasts have long known how special this place is, and now it’s getting the broader recognition it deserves. The New River Gorge National River is being upgraded to a national park and preserve.

Commonly referred to as the “New,” the 73,000 acres of rugged canyon terrain was designated as a national river in 1978, making it one of four of America’s national rivers. The area will be managed as a national park in a similar way as it’s currently being managed as a national river. The biggest difference will be an upgraded gold standard of land protection, which will help river advocates when fighting for clean