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West Virginia · 1 national park · 7 other NPS sites

National parks in West Virginia

Last verified Sources ↓
West Virginia has one national park, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. 7 more National Park Service sites round out the map, from Appalachian National Scenic Trail to Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail.
1Charleston
Numbered by 2025 visits. ★ Charleston, West Virginia's largest city.

At a glance

West Virginia, by the numbers

National parks in West Virginia at a glance
National parks1: New River Gorge
Other NPS sites7 see nps.gov
Most visited park, 2025New River Gorge 1,958,440 visits (#17 of 63)
Entrance feesFree
EstablishedDecember 27, 2020
Nearest to CharlestonNew River Gorge 48 mi straight-line, ≈ 1 h 10 min drive (est.)

1 national park

West Virginia's national park

Busiest first, by 2025 recreation visits.

  1. Photo: NPS photo/Louise McLaughlin

    Est. 2020

    New River Gorge National Park & Preserve

    2025 visits
    1,958,440
    Entrance
    Free entry
    Busiest month
    July
    Quiet month
    September

    “Among the oldest rivers on the continent…” (NPS)

From Charleston

The closest national parks to Charleston

Measured from Charleston, West Virginia's largest city (46,117 people, Census 2025 estimate). Straight-line miles; drive times are our rough estimate.
Nearest national parks to Charleston
ParkStraight lineDrive (estimate)
New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV48 mi≈ 1 h 10 min
Shenandoah National ParkVA172 mi≈ 4 h 10 min
Cuyahoga Valley National ParkOH201 mi≈ 4 h 50 min
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN216 mi≈ 5 h 10 min

7 other NPS sites

Beyond the national parks

Monuments, historic sites, trails and more: every other place the National Park Service lists for West Virginia, grouped by type. Links go to nps.gov.
2 National Historical Park · 1 National Historic Trail · 1 National Recreation Area · …Show all 7

National Historic Trail · 1

National Recreation Area · 1

National Scenic River · 1

National Scenic Trail · 1

Other NPS site · 1

From the NPS Data API; the same list as West Virginia's page on nps.gov. Trails and other multi-state sites appear under each state they cross.

FAQ

West Virginia, answered

How many national parks are in West Virginia?
1: New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. West Virginia also has 7 other National Park Service sites, such as Appalachian National Scenic Trail and Bluestone National Scenic River.
Do national parks in West Virginia charge an entrance fee?
No: it's free to enter, per the National Park Service. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.
What is the closest national park to Charleston?
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, about 48 miles from Charleston in a straight line, roughly 1 h 10 min by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Charleston is West Virginia's largest city.

Sources · 5

  1. 1.West Virginia: parks and places (nps.gov) · National Park Service
  2. 2.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  3. 3.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program
  4. 4.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
  5. 5.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau

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