Dec 29, 2020
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National parks have been all the rage in 2020. International travel has been decimated due to an ever-changing set of border closures and restrictions and entry requirements that vary from country to country.
And, soon, the United States will get its 63rd national park, and it’s located in West Virginia. The New River National Gorge, commonly known as “The New” has been a national river since the 1970s but plenty of people have been pushing for the area’s recognition as a national park for years.
Ruby hopeful about national park designation for New River Gorge area By
The gorge on a wintry day.(Photo/Adventures on the Gorge)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. State Tourism Commissioner Chelsea Ruby is anticipating a sizable impact on the New River Gorge following its designation to become the nation’s 63rd National Park.
West Virginia Tourism Commissioner Chelsea Ruby
The redesignation language which creates the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve and was in year-end funding legislation that was passed by Congress last week, the legislation was signed by President Donald Trump Sunday night.
“For so many travelers, a national park designation is a stamp of approval, confirmation that that destination is one of the nation’s greatest places and some place you need to see,” Ruby said on a recent MetroNews ‘Talkline’ appearance.
Will a New National Park Provide Pandemic Relief?
A new national park will be included with pandemic-related aid in the second federal stimulus relief package. The New River Gorge in southern West Virginia will go from being a National River to a National Park and Preserve, making it the countryâs 63rd national park and 20th preserve.
The $900 billion bill incorporates a new national park designation, announced by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). Capito, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), and U.S. Representative Carol Miller (R-WV) introduced the proposal in 2019, contending that the designation could boost tourism. Outdoor recreation is a $9 billion industry in the state, and redesignation to national park status could increase the number of visits by 21 percent.
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Fern Buttress, a popular climbing spot on the north rim of the New River Gorge near the NRG Bridge, is home to some of the more than 1600 established climbing routes in the gorge. The New River Gorge National Riverâs designation as the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is expected to draw even more visitors to the area to enjoy all the natural beauty of the park.
Courtesy photo/Adventures on the Gorge Legislation designates New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
By J. Damon Cain
The Register-Herald Dec 24, 2020
Dec 24, 2020
Fern Buttress, a popular climbing spot on the north rim of the New River Gorge near the NRG Bridge, is home to some of the more than 1600 established climbing routes in the gorge. The New River Gorge National Riverâs designation as the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is expected to draw even more visitors to the area to enjoy all the natural beauty of the park.