Where is New River Gorge?
Learn More about
New River Gorge
Learn More about
New River Gorge
Learn a bit about New River Gorge National Park through these fun and interesting facts
Origin
The “New” River is among the oldest in the world—geologists estimate it to be 260–360 million years old, older even than the Appalachian Mountains it cuts through.
Origin
The “New” River is among the oldest in the world—geologists estimate it to be 260–360 million years old, older even than the Appalachian Mountains it cuts through.
Topography
The river slices a canyon up to 1,000 feet deep, flanked by sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, and heavily forested slopes. The gorge is a dramatic reminder of the power of slow erosion over immense spans of time.
Topography
The river slices a canyon up to 1,000 feet deep, flanked by sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, and heavily forested slopes. The gorge is a dramatic reminder of the power of slow erosion over immense spans of time.
Wildlife
Over 1,400 plant species and 65 mammal species call this gorge home, including black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, river otters, and more than 60 species of migratory birds that thrive in the mixed mesophytic forest.
Wildlife
Over 1,400 plant species and 65 mammal species call this gorge home, including black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, river otters, and more than 60 species of migratory birds that thrive in the mixed mesophytic forest.
Climate
New River Gorge experiences four distinct seasons. Warm summers bring rafting and climbing, while autumn paints the forest in fiery hues of red and gold. Winters are cool and misty, with occasional snowfall dusting the cliffs.
Climate
New River Gorge experiences four distinct seasons. Warm summers bring rafting and climbing, while autumn paints the forest in fiery hues of red and gold. Winters are cool and misty, with occasional snowfall dusting the cliffs.
Recreation
Known as one of America’s top adventure destinations, visitors come for rafting, kayaking, hiking, and climbing. The New River Gorge Bridge—3,030 feet long and 876 feet high—is also the site of “Bridge Day,” when BASE jumpers legally leap from its deck each October.
Recreation
Known as one of America’s top adventure destinations, visitors come for rafting, kayaking, hiking, and climbing. The New River Gorge Bridge—3,030 feet long and 876 feet high—is also the site of “Bridge Day,” when BASE jumpers legally leap from its deck each October.
History
Coal mining and railroads once dominated the gorge, fueling America’s industrial growth in the late 1800s. Today, remnants of those boomtowns remain—crumbling coke ovens, rusted rail lines, and ghost towns reclaimed by the forest.
History
Coal mining and railroads once dominated the gorge, fueling America’s industrial growth in the late 1800s. Today, remnants of those boomtowns remain—crumbling coke ovens, rusted rail lines, and ghost towns reclaimed by the forest.
