Surrounding Parks

Our Quality-Of-Place Runs Deep

A National Park is a special place. The New River Gorge Preserve offers the opportunity to call it home. The New River Gorge National Park wraps itself around the Preserve, ensuring a lifestyle that's connected to nature in every way.

These 70,000 acres cut through the center of a high West Virginia plateau. On all sides, the planned Preserve community is ringed by other parks, as well; each one with its own unique character.

Babcock State Park

Just down the road, off the scenic and historic Midland Trail highway, is another New River jewel- Babcock State Park. Babcock Park follows the contours of Glade Creek down to the New River itself.

The old Grist Mill at Babcock is one of the most photographed sites in the world. Fishing, hunting, and horseback rides make it a popular destination all year long. The park is home to the Appalachian String Band Festival each summer, the oldest music festival in North America. Babcock State Park is a twenty minute drive from the Preserve.

Hawks Nest State Park

Across the New River from the Preserve is Hawks Nest State Park. Hawks Nest is home of the famous Lover's Leap overlook that borders the Preserve, as well as the Hawks Nest Lake that lies just below it.

Major attractions at Hawks Nest (in addition to the scenery) are the areal tramway and the New River Jetboat tour. The outstanding Hawks Nest lodge offers nature programs, dinner theatre, and other activities.

Gauley River National Park

The New River's wilder sister, the Gauley, is just minutes up the road from the New River Gorge Preserve. Site of the largest earthen dam east of the Mississippi, the Gauley has Summersville Lake on one side and one of the country's wildest rivers on the other- there's something for everybody.

The Gauley's cool waters are perfect year round for trout fishing, even in the middle of summer. Once a year, starting on the weekend after labor day, whitewater season on the Gauley goes into full swing. Don't miss September's Gauley Fest if you want to get a glimpse of one of the biggest events in the world of whitewater.