Skip to content
My Trips Plan a trip

National Recreation Area

Gauley River National Recreation Area

  • Mid-Atlantic

Plan a Gauley River trip

About Gauley River

The 25 miles of free-flowing Gauley River and the six miles of the Meadow River pass through scenic gorges and valleys containing a wide variety of natural and cultural features. The Gauley River contains several class V+ rapids, making it one of the most adventurous white water boating rivers in the east.

From the National Park Service.

Region
Mid-Atlantic
State
West Virginia
Designation
National Recreation Area
Entrance fee
None listed
  • Trail data for this park is still being added.
  • Places for this park are still being added.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, weather and getting to Gauley River.

Entrance fees

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for this park.

Hours

Open 24 hours a day, every day.

The area is open year round. The official Gauley boating season is from early September through mid October. Boating is occasionally possible at other times, depending on water releases from Summersville Dam. There is no visitor center for Gauley River National Recreation Area. Please visit the Canyon Rim Visitor Center for New River Gorge National Park and Preserve for information.

Weather and when to go

Weather in the Appalachian Mountains can be unpredictable and can change quickly. Always be prepared for the possibility of sudden storms. Weather in the mountains is often cooler and wetter than the surrounding area. On average, the warmest month is July. The maximum average precipitation also occurs in July.

Getting there

Plane The largest airport is at Charleston, about 65 miles from Summersville. There are also small airports at Summersville and Beckley. Car The main entrance to Gauley River National Recreation Area is located off US Route 19 south of Summersville and north of Fayetteville, West Virginia. Turn off US Route 19 onto WV Route 129 toward Summersville Dam. Take the second left after you cross over the dam and follow the signs to Gauley River.

Contact the park

Address
Gauley River National Recreation Area, 104 Main Street, Glen Jean, WV 25846-0246
Official site
nps.gov/gari

From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.

Trip planner

A day-by-day plan for Gauley River

Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.

Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.

Campgrounds in Gauley River

Run by the park service. Reservable sites book on Recreation.gov; first-come sites do not.

  • Gauley Tailwaters

    18 first-come sites

    The National Park Service offers primitive camping at Gauley Tailwaters, located just below Summersville Dam. From Route 19 at Mt. Nebo, take Route 129 west ac…

What to pack for Gauley River

Gear & Essentials

Tell us about your trip and we will add what else you will want:

The basics

Worth having in the car whatever the park.

For this trip

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

More parks in the Mid-Atlantic

More park sites in West Virginia

All 8 in West Virginia All National Recreation Areas