West Virginia’s New River Gorge is America’s newest National Park and offers a variety of activities for visitors.
The area around West Virginia’s New River Gorge area has recently become America’s newest national park which has been fittingly named New River Gorge National Park& Preserve. The park offers gorgeous views, with the New River winding through the Appalachians and providing dramatic scenery across the lush region. There is also an incredible feat in engineering in the park as the New River Gorge Bridge, the longest single-span arch bridge in the world, is within the confines of the park. This bridge can be walked and offers some of the best views within the park.
Visitors can also be treated to various activities throughout the park, including a variety of hiking trails and guided whitewater rafting and bridge tours. If you have a limited amount of time in the park, it is recommended that you hike some of the park’s shorter, yet equally impressive trails such as Burnwood Trail and walking the Canyon Rim Boardwalk. If you are into history, then going out to the abandoned railroad town of Thurmond within the park is also a must. This park is unique among US National Parks in that it is the only park that displays this area of Central Appalachia which is a unique region with one-of-a-kind scenery and fascinating history.
