April 21-23, 2024
This was my first visit to this "new" national park: New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. Let's clear things up, it's not a new river, it's one of the oldest. "A rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep and spectacular canyons, the New River is actually among the oldest rivers on Earth. Here in southern West Virginia, the New River has carved and continues to carve the deepest and longest river gorge in the Appalachian Mountains." (Description from the NPS website)
The park has about 70,000 acres along the river gorge. At it's deepest level, it is 1,600 feet from the topmost land down to the river. The bridge that crossed the gorge on RT 19 is 876 feet above the river.
More from the website:
"... the significance of this place goes well beyond the beautiful scenery. When looking out from Grandview, Diamond Point, Long Point, or one of the many other viewpoints in the park, we are actually looking at a globally significant forest containing the most diverse flora of any river gorge in the south and central Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Mountain forests are some of the oldest and most diverse ecosystems in the world. Here in southern West Virginia, the New River has sliced through the mountains, creating a mosaic of habitats: unfragmented forest, cliff and rimrock habitats, forest seeps and wetlands, and mature bottomland forests."
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is renowned for its excellent recreational opportunities: whitewater rafting, canoeing, hiking, rock climbing, fishing, hunting, bird watching, camping, picnicking, biking, and just enjoying the solitude the natural world. The Lower Gorge of the New River is a premier whitewater rafting location with imposing rapids ranging in difficulty from Class III to Class V, many of them obstructed by large boulders which necessitate maneuvering in very powerful currents, crosscurrents, and hydraulics."
I stayed at Babcock State Park, which was about twenty miles from the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. I did a hike near there to Diamond Point. The view there is wonderful. One can look across the forest for miles, down at the rapids in the river, and watch climbers on an area called The Endless Wall.
"Within New River Gorge National Park and Preserve are over 1,400 established rock climbs. "The New" has become one of the most popular climbing areas in the country. The cliffs at New River Gorge are made up of a very hard sandstone, and range from 30 to 120 feet in height. The rock is very featured, and an abundance of crack and face routes are available. Most of the routes in the gorge favor the advanced and expert climber. The majority of routes are 5.9 and harder, and most sport routes fall in the 5.10 - 5.12 range. A guidebook is an essential tool for locating climbs, and local climbing shops can offer information and specific recommendations."
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