As the gateway to the New River Gorge, Fayetteville has the distinction of being the town “on the edge of the park”. Over 70,000 acres are protected within the park, in environments from plateaus to cliff bands to the river itself.
Contact information for the park
- National Park Service
- P.O. Box 246 Glen Jean, WV 25846 (304) 465-0591
Here are some facts about the park…
- The correct name for the park is The New River Gorge National River Area.
- The park was established in 1978 with the help of many people in the community. Leading the effort was West Virginia’s 3rd district congressman Nick Joe Rahall.
- The protected area of river corridor runs for 53 miles from Fayetteville upstream to the town of Hinton.
- You can ride AMTRAK through the park on the Cardinal Route from New York to Chicago, and make two stops within the park at the towns of Thurmond and Prince.
- The specific purpose for the park is stated as “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.” (whew.)
