The New River Gorge Bridge by Cristina Opdahl

The river has exposed four seams of coal, considered among the best bituminous coal in the world. On display in the gorge, a variety of unique geologic features and processes exemplify the geology of the Appalachian Plateau, including the exposure of over 1,000 feet (300 m) of sandstone and shale, house-sized boulders scattered from rim to river, plant and invertebrate fossils, and steep channel drop-offs. Geologic features įlowing water is the creative force shaping the geologic features of the New River Gorge, as the river continues to sculpt the longest and deepest river gorge in the Appalachian Mountains. Less than 10% of the original national river was redesignated as a national park, where hunting is no longer permitted, while the remainder is a national preserve with little change. The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve Designation Act was incorporated into the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, and signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020, changing the designation to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

As stated in the legislation, the park was established as a unit of the national park system 'for the purpose of conserving and interpreting outstanding natural, scenic, and historic values and objects in and around the New River Gorge, and preserving as a free-flowing stream an important segment of the New River in West Virginia for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.' President Jimmy Carter signed legislation establishing New River Gorge National River on Novem( Pub.

The New River itself originates in North Carolina, flowing north through Virginia into the West Virginia mountains to the Kanawha River which continues to the Ohio River. New River Gorge is home to some of the country's best whitewater rafting, mainly from the Cunard put-in to the Fayette Station take-out, and is also one of the most popular climbing areas on the East Coast. The park is rich in cultural and natural history and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities. 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 New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a unit of the United States National Park Service (NPS) designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve New River Gorge National Park and Preserve (the United States) Show map of the United Statesįayette, and Summers counties, West Virginia, United Statesģ7★7′39″N 81☄′54″W / 37.96083°N 81.08167°W / 37.96083 -81.08167

The New River Gorge Bridge by Cristina Opdahl