There's a New National Park in West Virginia? And We Barely Even Noticed?

At 3,000 feet, The New River Gorge Bridge was once the longest of its kind in the world (Photo: nationalparks.org)

With everything going on in the world these days, you could be forgiven for missing a bit of news here and there, but what does it say when just about everyone under the sun misses the same thing? Well, in these pandemic-ravaged times, I suppose it’s understandable; however, it’s still kind of odd that the U.S. added a new national park to the club toward the end of 2020, and almost no one noticed.

West Virginia, as John Denver would tell you, is a state containing loads of natural beauty. As of Dec. 21 — the day Congress passed a second COVID-19 stimulus relief bill — West Virginians can now also lay claim to a national park: the New River National Park & Preserve.

The United States’ newest national park covers approximately 70,000 acres of land in southern West Virginia found along the banks of the New River, between the towns of Hinton and Fayetteville. The park was previously classified as a “national river”, but thanks to senators Joe Manchin (D) and Shelley Moore Capito (R), who managed to sneak a little provision into the aforementioned relief bill, it’s been promoted to full-blown national park status.

It may not seem like a huge deal, but there are some actual advantages that come with the upgrade. According to Outside contributor Graham Averill, New River will still be managed in much the same way, BUT: “The most noticeable difference the status brings is the gold standard of land protection. It could help river advocates fight for cleaner water running through the gorge and should ensure access to the world-class climbing inside the new park boundaries for generations to come.”

Senator Moore Capito is also convinced, based on a study of previous monuments that have been upgraded to national-park status, that the new designation will bump tourism in the area by about 20-percent.

Of the 70,000+ acres contained in the new federally-protected area, 7,021 have been designated as the “park” portion of the New River National Park & Preserve, where trailheads and a visitor center can be found, while the remaining 65,165 acres make up the “preserve” portion, which allows for backcountry hunting.

The New River cuts through southern West Virginia (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

The provision in the December relief bill that paved the way for the upgrade also gives the National Park Service the opportunity to buy up to 100 acres of neighboring private land to increase parking in some areas, if deemed necessary, along with the chance to bid on 4,000 additional acres to potentially add to the preserve, according to Averill.

But let’s get to answering the all-important question, that being: why should you pay a visit to New River National Park & Preserve? Well, friends, the area that Thrillist Travel describes as the former “wild west (Virginia) of coal mining” is today home to plenty of undisturbed wildlife, as well as Class IV and V whitewater rapids; ghost towns that now serve as open-air museums; and plenty of hiking and biking trails, waterfalls, and the New River Gorge Bridge, which, at 3,000 feet, was once the longest bridge of its kind in the world. Rock climbing on the hard sandstone trails above the river is another favorite for adventure-hungry travelers.

It’s not every day that the U.S. designates a new national park; there are only 63 of these suckers, after all, and that’s saying something when you consider that the National Park Service is more than 100 years old. But hey, if you missed the news initially, at least you’re up to speed now.

-LTH