National Scenic Trail
Maine to Georgia, CT,GA,MA,MD,ME,NC,NH,NJ,NY,PA,TN,VA,VT,WV
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,180+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by private citizens, and completed in 1937, today the trail is managed by the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, numerous state agencies and thousands of volunteers.
National Scenic River
Athens, Pipestem, and Hinton, WV
The Bluestone River and the rugged and ancient gorge it has carved is a richly diverse and scenic area of the southern Appalachians. Bluestone National Scenic River is preserved as a living landscape that provides an unspoiled experience for visitors and a haven for a variety of plants and animals. The park protects a 10.5-mile section of the Bluestone River in southern West Virginia.
National Historical Park
Potomac River, DC,MD,WV
Preserving America's early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures.
Chesapeake Bay Watershed, DC,DE,MD,NY,PA,VA,WV
NPS helps you learn about and enjoy the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in North America. Here, you can visit major league cities, colonial towns, American Indian landscapes, farms and fishing villages. You can learn to kayak, pick crabs, go fishing, tour a lighthouse, slurp oysters, and slow down to enjoy the natural beauty of the Chesapeake.
National Recreation Area
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.
National Historical Park
Harpers Ferry, WV,VA,MD
Find yourself at the confluence of history and nature. Experience John Brown's Raid, a flash point that ignited the Civil War. Find your story in the struggle for freedom, education, and civil rights at Storer College. Explore the rolling Blue Ridge mountains and rushing waters of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers that powered industry and the nation's second armory. Find your Harpers Ferry.
National Historic Trail
Sixteen States: IA,ID,IL,IN,KS,KY,MO,MT,NE,ND,OH,OR,PA,SD,WA,WV
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean. Follow the trail to find the people, places, and stories that make up the complex legacy of the expedition.
National Park and Preserve
Hinton, Beckley, Glen Jean, and Fayetteville, WV
A rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep canyons, the New River is among the oldest rivers on the continent. The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along the New River, is rich in cultural and natural history, and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.
By The Numbers
- 6 National Parks
- 1,423,432 Visitors to National Parks
- $76,500,000 Economic Benefit from National Park Tourism »
- $49,853,531 of Land & Water Conservation Fund Appropriated for Projects (since 1965) »
- $2,659,923 in Historic Preservation Grants (since 1969) »
- 54 Certified Local Governments »
- 181,454 Hours Donated by Volunteers »
- 4 National Heritage Areas »
- 1 Wild & Scenic Rivers Managed by NPS »
- 2 National Trails Administered by NPS »
- 1,070 National Register of Historic Places Listings »
- 16 National Historic Landmarks »
- 16 National Natural Landmarks »
- 514 Places Recorded by Heritage Documentation Programs »
- 7,436,856 Objects in National Park Museum Collections »
- 541 Archeological Sites in National Parks »
- 2 Teaching with Historic Places Lesson Plans »
- 6 Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itineraries »
- Print the summary »
These numbers are just a sample of the National Park Service's work. Figures are for the fiscal year that ended 9/30/2020.