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New River Gorge National Park & Preserve: fees, hours, camping and when to visit
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve is a National Park System unit in West Virginia[5]. NPS lists it as fee-free, so there is no entrance fee to pay[1].
Entrance fees and passes
The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for New River Gorge National Park & Preserve[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.
When to visit and hours
NPS says the park grounds stay open 24 hours a day all year[6]. The Canyon Rim and Sandstone visitor centers welcome visitors every day, 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, but close on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day[6]. The Thurmond and Grandview visitor centers are seasonal and NPS says they generally run from Memorial Day to Labor Day[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was August with 270,105 recreation visits, and the quietest was January with 41,661[2]. NPS notes that July is the warmest month on average and also the wettest[7]. Mountain weather can shift fast, so pack for sudden storms[7].
Show visits by month
| Month, 2025 | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 41,661 |
| February | 61,358 |
| March | 114,670 |
| April | 61,918 |
| May | 251,666 |
| June | 263,425 |
| July | 259,769 |
| August | 270,105 |
| September | 198,638 |
| October | 268,526 |
| November | 85,212 |
| December | 81,492 |
Camping
NPS and Recreation.gov list 9 campgrounds in the park[4]. The largest is Meadow Creek Campground with 17 sites, followed by Grandview Sandbar with 16[4]. Smaller options include Thayer Campground with 4 sites and the Burnwood Group Campsite with 1 site[4].
- Meadow Creek Campground, 17 sites[4]
- Grandview Sandbar, 16 sites
- Glade Creek Campground, 11 sites
- Army Camp, 11 sites
- War Ridge/Backus Mountain Campground, 8 sites
- Stone Cliff, 7 sites
- Brooklyn Campground, 5 sites
- Thayer Campground, 4 sites
- Burnwood Group Campsite, 1 sites
Pets and dogs
Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be crated, caged or kept on a leash of six feet or less wherever they are allowed[8]. Pets cannot enter public buildings, and the park may close extra areas to them[8]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 15 of the 16 things to do it lists here, such as the Castle Rock Hike[9].
Before you go
Questions people ask
- Is there an entrance fee at New River Gorge?
- No. NPS lists New River Gorge National Park & Preserve as a fee-free park with no entrance fee[1].
- What are the hours at New River Gorge National Park?
- NPS says the park is open 24 hours a day, year round[6]. The Canyon Rim and Sandstone visitor centers are open every day, 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day[6].
- When is the best time to visit New River Gorge?
- It depends on your goals. In 2025 August had the most recreation visits at 270,105 and January the fewest at 41,661[2]. July is on average the warmest month and also brings the most rain[7].
- Are dogs allowed at New River Gorge?
- Yes, where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet or crated[8]. NPS lists pets as permitted on 15 of its 16 listed things to do in the park[9].
- Can you camp at New River Gorge?
- Yes. NPS and Recreation.gov list 9 campgrounds, the largest being Meadow Creek Campground with 17 sites[4].
Facts and sources
- NPS lists New River Gorge National Park & Preserve as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
- NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 1,682,720, 2022: 1,593,523, 2023: 1,707,223, 2024: 1,811,937, 2025: 1,958,440. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- Campgrounds in New River Gorge National Park & Preserve (list on this page). National Park Service
- New River Gorge National Park & Preserve is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park & Preserve) in West Virginia. National Park Service
- Operating hours, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve: The park itself is open 24 hour a day, year round. The park's two main visitor centers at Canyon Rim and Sandstone are open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and... National Park Service
- NPS weather and seasons overview for New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. National Park Service
- National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
- NPS lists 16 things to do at New River Gorge National Park & Preserve: Trail Run Grandview Rim Trail, Hunting in the Park, Trail run at Endless Wall, Trail Run or hike the Little Laurel Trail, Castle Rock Hike, Bicycling at New River Gorge, Stroll on the... National Park Service
- Visitor centers listed by NPS: 4 (Grandview Visitor Center, Canyon Rim Visitor Center, Sandstone Visitor Center, Thurmond Depot Visitor Center). National Park Service