West Virginia's New River Gorge National Park & Preserve is the newest national park in the U.S. It was re-designated in 2020 after previously being a national river established in 1978. The park protects one of the oldest rivers in the world (over 300 million years old), which existed long before the Appalachian Mountains rose around it. The river later carved the deepest and longest gorge in the mountains.

This powerful erosion also formed the stunning Sandstone Falls, along with a unique flatrock ecosystem and old-growth forests that house diverse animal and plant species. There are just so many impressive things about the New River Gorge National Park. For instance, it's apparently among the most dangerous national parks in the U.S ., and you can take an Amtrak train right throug

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