New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

Visitor Centers:
Hours of operation for certain visitor centers vary by season. To see current hours of operation, visit the park's website.

• Canyon Rim Visitor Center: Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
• Sandstone Visitor Center: Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
• Thurmond Depot Visitor Center: Open daily June through August from 10 am to 5 pm.
• Grandview Visitor Center: Open daily June through August from 12 pm to 5 pm.

New River Gorge National River is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The weather in the Appalachian Mountains can be unpredictable, and visitors are advised to be prepared for the possibility of sudden storms. The mountains are typically wetter and cooler than the surrounding area.

Fees & Passes:
There is no entrance fee for New River Gorge National River.

Camping:
The park offers a choice of seven primitive campgrounds, most of which are located near the river. All sites are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and reservations are not accepted. There are no fees for camping and stays are limited to 14 days in the same campground. For more information on camping in the park, click here.

• Stone Cliff Beach: Six walk-in and one vehicle site.
• Army Camp: Eleven drive-in tent and RV sites.
• Grandview Sandbar: Ten sites for tents and small-medium sized RVs, six walk-in tents sites, and two accessible sites (with handicapped permit displayed).
• Glade Creek: Six walk-in tent sites and five drive-in sites for tents or small-medium RVs. One accessible site (with handicapped permit displayed).
• War Ridge/Backus Mountain: Eight drive-in sites for tents or small RVs.
• Brooklyn: Four walk-in sites and one drive-in site for tents only.
• Thayer: Tent sites only.

Backcountry Camping:
Backcountry camping is permitted in areas adjacent to trails such as Glade Creek, Brooklyn-Southside Junction, and Stone Cliff trails. Other sites are along the river, accessible by boat. Camping is prohibited within 100 feet of developed trails and at Grandview, Brookside Island, day-use areas, and within Bluestone National Scenic River.

Lodging:
There is no lodging within the park, but visitors looking to extend their stay nearby have their choice of cabins, motels, and bed and breakfasts in the nearby towns of Hawk's Nest, Pipestem Resort State Parks, Babcock, and Bluestone. For a listing of accommodations, call the West Virginia Division of Tourism at 1-800-CALLWVA, the Southern West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-VISITWV, or the New River CVB at 1-800-927-0263.

There are no restaurants or food vendors located within the park. Visitors should come prepared with the necessary food and drink for their stay. A variety of dining options can be found in the nearby towns outside of the park.

New River Gorge National River offers a variety of ranger-led programs that vary by season. All programs, unless otherwise specified, are free and open to the public. To learn more about these ranger-led programs and to see the current events calendar, click here.

New River Gorge National River is renowned for its excellent variety of recreational opportunities. Whether you are interested in hiking, biking, fishing, whitewater rafting, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, hunting, bird watching, camping, picnicking, or just taking in the stunning scenery, the park has something for everyone to enjoy. Commercial outfitters conduct trips down the river from April through October. The upper part of the river offers somewhat less challenging Class I to Class III rapids for whitewater canoeing. The Lower Gorge of the New River is a premier whitewater rafting location with rugged rapids ranging in difficulty from Class III to Class V. Also be sure to check out the great opportunities for rock climbing and mountain biking in the area.

To download a variety of free brochures to help plan your visit, click here.

If you're interested in purchasing a guidebook that encompasses NRG as well as its surrounds, look no further than Hiking and Biking in the New River Gorge, A Trail User's Guide. It includes elevation charts and maps for hikes, as well as historical context for the area.