With the announcement of the country’s newest national park – to be called the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve – a new and exciting chapter begins at Adventures on the Gorge (AOTG). Located in Southern West Virginia, AOTG is an adventure resort overlooking the newly established 70,000-acre national park and preserve
Part of the multi-faceted omnibus bill passed by Congress, the new federal designation is the result of a years-long bipartisan initiative advanced by West Virginia’s U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) and Representative Carol Miller (R-WV) and supported by outdoor recreation-focused business such as Adventures on the Gorge, the largest and one of the oldest tour operators in the region.
When announcing the New River Gorge National Park and Preservation Act in September 2019, Senators Manchin and Capito noted that the outdoor recreation industry in West Virginia is a $9 billion industry that supports more than 91,000 jobs. The initiative specifically protects hunting, fishing and trapping as well as supporting the growing outdoor recreation industry.
The region began emerging as an outdoor recreation area in the 1970s with the establishment of small river-rafting companies and the completion of the New River Gorge Bridge and Route 19, which offers easy passage through the rugged region. The outdoor adventure industry has continued to thrive in the region, with rafting on both the New and Gauley Rivers and a variety of other outdoor adventures such as rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, ziplining and stand-up paddleboarding.
About the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
One of three national park units in the region – which also includes the Gauley River National Recreation Area and Bluestone National Scenic River – the New River Gorge was established as a National River in 1978. It encompasses more than 70,000 acres of land along 53 miles of the New River from Bluestone Dam to Hawk’s Nest Lake. The rugged whitewater river flows northward through deep and spectacular canyons, and it is the deepest and longest river gorge in the Appalachian Mountains.
The Canyon Rim Visitor Center located approximately two miles from Adventures on the Gorge showcases the history, culture and natural bounties of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve as well as the Gauley River National Recreation Area and Bluestone National Scenic River.
The New River Gorge National Park & Preserve is within 500 miles of about 60 percent of the U.S. population. Two major interstates – I-77 and I-64 – cross through the heart of the region. The area is served by two regional airports – Raleigh County Memorial Airport in Beckley and Greenbrier Valley Airport in Lewisburg - as well as Amtrak train stations and Yeager Airport in Charleston.
Named one of the top six adventure resorts in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Adventures on the Gorge is located on more than 250 acres along the rim of the majestic New River Gorge near Fayetteville, W.Va. The resort provides an array of outdoor experiences including whitewater rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers, aerial adventures, rock climbing, rappelling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, mountain biking and hiking. There are also restaurants, bars and shops as well as a small-group conference center. Visitors can choose from a variety of accommodations and vacation packages.
photo courtesy of Adventures on the Gorge
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