National Park · West Virginia, United States
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a national park in West Virginia, United States, covering 72,405 acres (29,301 ha), established in 2020; it recorded 1,958,440 visits in 2025.
Photo: Aparkswv via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | West Virginia, United States |
| Area | 72,405 acres (29,301 ha) |
| Established | 2020 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 1,958,440 |
| Highest point | Swell Mountain — 1,003 m (3,291 ft) |
| Coordinates | 38.0700° N, 81.0800° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a United States national park and preserve designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains. Established in 1978 as a national river and redesignated in 2020, the park and preserve stretches for 53 miles (85 km) from just downstream of Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted. The park is rich in cultural and natural history and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
April to October — mild weather; winters are cold
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Fayetteville, West Virginia |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Yeager Airport |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | Yes |
|---|
Famous trails
- Endless Wall Trail — 2.4 miles (3.9 km) — Moderate
- Long Point Trail — 3.2 miles (5.2 km) — Moderate
Like New River Gorge National Park and Preserve? Visit New River Gorge National Park and Preserve’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) · Beaver, United States · 19.7 miles away
- Yeager Airport (CRW) · Charleston, United States · 34.9 miles away
- Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB) · Lewisburg, United States · 39.8 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in West Virginia
Frequently asked questions
Where is New River Gorge National Park and Preserve?
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is in West Virginia, United States (38.0700° N, 81.0800° W).
When was New River Gorge National Park and Preserve established?
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve was established in 2020, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is New River Gorge National Park and Preserve?
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve covers 72,405 acres (29,301 ha).
How many people visit New River Gorge National Park and Preserve each year?
It recorded 1,958,440 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
What is the highest point in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve?
The highest point is Swell Mountain, at 1,003 metres (3,291 ft).
When is the best time to visit New River Gorge National Park and Preserve?
April to October — mild weather; winters are cold.
Does New River Gorge National Park and Preserve have campgrounds?
Yes — New River Gorge National Park and Preserve has campgrounds.
How do I get to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve?
The nearest town is Fayetteville, West Virginia. The nearest airport is Yeager Airport.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_River_Gorge_National_Park_and_Preserve — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/neri/ — Official park page.
- https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/directions.htm — Getting there — nearest town and airport, as stated by the source.
- https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/hiking.htm — Named trails, as stated by the source.