“It’s a beautiful place. You can go down to the river, and watch your worries just wash away. Your thoughts get lost in that river and it calms your soul.” My Mamaw is one of my biggest supporters, a proud West Virginian, and Summersville local. When I sent her my last blog on the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, she responded with that quote and I feel like it truly embodies the essence of the Nation's newest national park. The New RIver Gorge is a place where everyone is welcome to wear any old clothes, sit on a rock and let the river calm their soul. 

In my last article I had the privilege of interviewing Dave Bieri, the parks District Supervisor of Interpretation. We got to talking about what being a National Park means, and how that's started to positively affect the area. We were also able to discuss some of the park’s recreational activities, both the extreme and the serene. Everyone should be able to enjoy a place where all their worries can float down the river, and the New River Gorge is the perfect place to start. 

Although, sitting by the river is an activity I would gladly do all day, this National Park has a plethora of activities someone looking to relax can participate in. To begin the day, I would start at any of the park's three visitor centers. Here you can get a map, park information, and the opportunity to speak with a ranger! Sometimes the rangers will host a “Ranger Talk” where they speak on a specific subject that influences the park For all those younger participants (and badge collectors like myself), the visitor center is the perfect place to acquire a Junior Ranger Badge.

After grabbing a map, time to hit the road! If you're like me, nothing is more relaxing than going for a scenic drive. The New River Gorge offers a variety of scenic routes with plenty of pull offs to really take in those views, including the Fayette Station Road which takes you under the New River Gorge Bridge. You can also dive deep through history by driving through the African American American Heritage Auto Tour, or stopping to read the packard boards littering the pullouts. If you’re a major West Virginia history buff you can even stop and explore historic mining towns like Thurmond and Nuttallburg, which is listed on the National Registor of Historic Places. 

Something both Dave Beiri and I have in common is that one of our favorite things to do in the park is hike. One piece of advice Dave shared would be to not limit yourself to only the popular hikes. Although the Longpoint Trail and Endless Wall are popular for a good reason, with over 100 miles of trail system of varying difficulty there are so many opportunities to free yourself in nature. A lot of these trails are also ADA accessible with boardwalk paths, like the Sandstone Falls boardwalk!

End the day by sitting by the New River, letting the sounds of birds and gush of the rapids ease your mind. I want to try and encourage everyone to take that trip down to the New River Gorge to cast off their worries. It truly is a place of serenity. A place that makes your heart happy. A place that feels like home. But most importantly it's just one place that makes West Virginia so special. 

*I’ve included some helpful links in this article to help you plan out a “serene” trip to the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Subscribe to mountaineer media updates and keep a lookout on social media for my next blog on the “extreme” side of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.