New River Gorge National River and the American public continue to work on revising the park’s General Management Plan (GMP). The GMP will define a vision for the future of the park and will guide decisions for the next twenty years.

It has been over twenty years since the first park GMP was prepared. Visitation has increased from 231,295 in 1984 to over 1.1 million in 2006. Tourism has become a major industry and employer in the area. Over the years, land ownership within the park boundary, as well as the boundary itself, has changed. Increases in public land have allowed the park to provide new facilities, but it is now time to reassess past accomplishments as well as future needs. Concurrent with the GMP planning process, the National Park Service will prepare an Implementation Plan for the nationally significant historic resources at Nuttallburg.

Throughout 2006 and 2007, the National Park Service invited public comments about the future of their national park. According to Park Deputy Superintendent Debbie Darden, “There was a wonderfully diverse response, but some common themes did emerge. Included were the opportunities for peace and solitude, access to diverse outdoor recreation, historic resources and stories, scenic beauty, the river and clean water, education, and economic development opportunities.”

A variety of management concepts have emerged and formed into five alternatives envisioning the future for New River Gorge and the historic Nuttallburg mining site. The effects of each alternative are assessed and a preferred alternative is identified. A draft plan that describes the alternatives and impacts of implementing each will be available for public input, and after analyzing public comments, a final plan will be completed.

Your concerns, interests, and opinions are crucial to the success of park planning efforts. We will keep you informed via the park website, newsletters, open houses, and public meetings. If you would like to be part of the park mailing list, please call (304) 465-6526, or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/neri and click on “General Management Plan.” We look forward to hearing from you!

For current information and updates on the plan, go to the NPS Park Planning site at New River Gorge National River (NERI) General Management Plan (GMP).