Bluestone National Scenic River

Autumn on the Bluestone National Scenic River near Pipestem Resort State Park. (Photo courtesy Rick Burgess)

The Bluestone National Scenic River protects a 10.5-mile section of the lower Bluestone River and its gorge in eastern Summers County, in southern West Virginia (WV), south of Hinton, WV, and north of Athens, WV. The area is best known as a destination for hiking, hunting, fishing, and swimming, though the ruins of the village of Lilly attract visitors to the mouth of the Little Bluestone River in the heart of the scenic river area.

The recreational focus of the scenic river area, the Bluestone Turnpike Trail follows the Bluestone River along its course from Pipestem Resort State Park, upstream, to Bluestone State Park, at the mouth of the Bluestone River on the New River. Kayakers and canoeists run the river in spring and early summer, though by mid-summer the Bluestone is often too shallow to be paddled through shoals.

The Bluestone National Scenic River is managed by the National Park Service in concert with the nearby New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and the Gauley River National Recreation Area.

Bluestone National Scenic River
BNSR Park Service Information

Bluestone National Scenic River Regional Information

Further information on lodging, dining, and recreation near the Bluestone National Scenic River may be found in our guide to travel in the Bluestone Region of southern West Virginia, in which the scenic river area is located.