The New River Gorge Region extends through south-central West Virginia and is one of the premier outdoor recreation destinations in the eastern United States. It includes the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, world-famous for its whitewater rafting, hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, and Appalachian communities, making it one of the state’s most diverse travel destinations.
Although many visitors arrive to experience the national park, the gorge-influenced region extends well beyond its boundaries. It includes the surrounding tablelands, tributary gorges, and rural communities that have grown together around the New River valley, making it one of West Virginia’s most important tourism and recreation regions. The city of Beckley is the largest municipality in the region with a population of 17,286.
The New River Gorge region is also one of the state’s fastest-evolving centers for outdoor recreation, heritage tourism, entrepreneurship, and community development in the state.
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, a family vacation, or an extended Appalachian road trip, the New River Gorge Region offers enough attractions to fill an entire week.
- Attractions
- Cabins & Lodges
- Camping & Campgrounds
- Hotels & Motels
- Specialty Lodging
- Dining & Restaurants (Coming Soon)
- Antiques Shops
Where is the New River Gorge Region?
The New River Gorge Region occupies the mountainous tablelands and gorges of south-central West Virginia. Today the region generally includes four principal counties:
These counties are closely connected by geography, recreation, tourism, and economic development through the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, which promotes the region as a unified destination while supporting business growth throughout southern West Virginia.
Within these counties are some of West Virginia’s best-known communities, including:
Why the New River Gorge Region is famous
The region has become internationally known for outdoor adventure.
Visitors travel here each year to experience:
- Whitewater rafting on the New River
- Whitewater rafting on the Gauley River
- Rock climbing on thousands of established routes
- Hiking more than 100 miles of trails
- Mountain biking
- Fishing
- Zip-lining
- Camping
- Scenic photography
- Bridge Day
- Fall foliage
The centerpiece remains the iconic New River Gorge Bridge, whose soaring steel arch has become one of the defining images of West Virginia. Each October, the bridge hosts Bridge Day, the world’s largest single-day BASE jumping event.
More than a national park
Many visitors assume the New River Gorge Region and the national park are the same place, though they are not.
The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve protects more than 50 miles of the New River corridor, but the surrounding region encompasses more than 100 square miles. It includes state parks, national parks, and recreation areas that together create one of Appalachia’s largest outdoor recreation destinations.
For many travelers, the region offers a richer experience than the national park alone.
Best places to visit in the New River Gorge Region
Among the region’s highlights are:
- New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
- Summersville Lake
- Gauley River National Recreation Area
- Babcock State Park
- Hawks Nest State Park
- Grandview
- Sandstone Falls
- Thurmond Historic District
Together, these destinations offer everything from quiet scenic overlooks to some of the East Coast’s most challenging outdoor adventures.
History of the New River Gorge Region
Long before it became a tourism destination, the New River Gorge Region was home to Indigenous peoples who traveled the river valleys for thousands of years.
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the region became one of America’s leading coal-producing districts. Railroad towns sprang up along the New River, bringing miners from across the United States and Europe. Many of those historic communities—including Thurmond, Nuttallburg, and Prince—remain among the region’s most fascinating places to explore.
The creation of the national river in 1978 and redesignation as a national park and preserve in 2020 transformed the region once again, helping shift its economy toward outdoor recreation, heritage tourism, hospitality, and entrepreneurship.
Planning your visit
The New River Gorge Region is accessible year-round.
- Spring brings waterfalls and wildflowers.
- Summer is peak rafting season.
- Autumn offers spectacular fall color throughout the mountains.
- Winter attracts photographers, hikers, and travelers seeking quiet mountain landscapes.
- Major highways—including Interstate 64, Interstate 77, and U.S. Route 19—place nearly every major attraction within easy driving distance.
Communities of the New River Gorge Region
The New River Gorge Region includes dozens of historic towns and communities, each offering a different perspective on Appalachian life. A New River Gorge towns cooperative has been organized to help support sustainable growth in New River Gorge towns and gateway communities.
Explore:
- Fayetteville
- Beckley
- Oak Hill
- Hinton
- Summersville
- Richwood
- Ansted
- Glen Jean
- Prince
- Thurmond
Together, these communities preserve the heritage, hospitality, and outdoor traditions that define southern West Virginia.
Why visit the New River Gorge Region?
The New River Gorge Region combines national park landscapes with authentic Appalachian communities in a way few destinations can match. Visitors can raft world-class whitewater in the morning, hike to panoramic overlooks in the afternoon, explore historic coal towns in the evening, and end the day dining in locally owned restaurants beneath some of the darkest skies in the eastern United States.
It is more than a national park. It is one of Appalachia’s great travel regions—and one of the best places to experience the landscapes, history, culture, and adventure that have made West Virginia famous.
The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority
The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority is the regional economic development organization serving Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh, and Summers counties. Rather than promoting tourism alone, the authority works to strengthen the region’s economy by helping existing businesses grow, attracting new employers, supporting entrepreneurs, and coordinating long-term community development efforts across southern West Virginia.
The organization provides business financing, technical assistance, site selection services, workforce and infrastructure support, and serves as a central point of contact for companies considering investment in the New River Gorge region. It also administers initiatives such as the WV Hive business incubator, which helps entrepreneurs launch and expand locally owned businesses.
Since the designation of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, the authority has also played an increasingly important role in helping communities manage the opportunities that accompany growing visitation. Working alongside local governments, tourism organizations, nonprofits, and private businesses, it seeks to ensure that economic growth benefits residents while preserving the natural landscapes and small-town character that make the New River Gorge unique.
Map showing the New River Gorge Region