Location: 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.
Fees: The Appalachian National Scenic Trail (NST) does not charge an entrance fee for use of the trail on Appalachian NST land.
Hours Info: In general, the Appalachian Trail is open year-round. The northern terminus at Mount Katahdin in Maine is within Baxter State Park, which may be closed in winter months, depending on weather conditions. Particular sections of the Trail, and less-developed roads accessing the Trail, may be closed temporarily for a number of reasons, but otherwise the trail is open.
More Info: https://www.nps.gov/appa/
Location: 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.
Fees: There is no entrance fee for the park. Pipestem Resort State Park charges a small fee to ride the tram to and from the bottom at the entrance in Pipestem.
Hours Info: The park is accessible year-round at two entrance points, Bluestone State Park and the former Lilly townsite, and seasonally at Pipestem Resort State Park. The park is open 24 hours a day.
More Info: https://www.nps.gov/blue/
Location: 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.
Fees: Pass is for one private, non-commercial vehicle — passenger cars, pickup trucks, RVs and vans — and is valid at the Great Falls area of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the Potomac River and the Great Falls Virginia side of the Potomac River.
Hours Info: The towpath is open 365 days a year.
More Info: https://www.nps.gov/choh/
Location: 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.
Fees: There is no fee to visit the Chesapeake Bay Office. Some of the state parks, museums, wildlife refuges and other sites throughout the Chesapeake watershed may charge entrance fees. Visit FindYourChesapeake.com to find complete information about each partner site.
Hours Info: Core hours at the Chesapeake Bay Office are from 9 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday and the office is closed on federal holidays. Quite frequently, the office is open for business at least one hour earlier and one hour later than core hours.
More Info: https://www.nps.gov/cbpo/
Location: Summersville, WV
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.
Fees: There is no fee to enter Gauley River National Recreation Area. Enjoy your visit!
Hours Info: The area is open year round. The official Gauley boating season is from early September through mid October. Boating is occasionally possible at other times, depending on water releases from Summersville Dam.
More Info: https://www.nps.gov/gari/
Location: Harpers Ferry, WV,VA,MD
Find yourself at the confluence of history and nature. Experience a flash point that ignited the Civil War. Find your story in the struggle for freedom, education, and civil rights. Explore the rolling Blue Ridge mountains and rushing waters of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers.
Fees: For a single, private vehicle. Excludes group tours and 7+ passenger vans. Entrance passes are valid for three consecutive days, beginning on date of purchase and are required in all park areas. Fees are payable at the Entrance Station near the park's visitor center, Bolivar Heights, Maryland Heights, Harpers Ferry Train Station, and River Access Parking Lot. Credit cards are accepted only at the Entrance Station.
Hours Info: Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is open year round with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Park museums are open from 9am to 6pm in the summer season, and the information tent located in front of the Visitor Center is open from 9am to 5pm. Park passes may be purchased at the fee collection entrance station daily. Park shuttle bus hours begin at 9am daily, though the end time for buses varies by season.
More Info: https://www.nps.gov/hafe/
Location: 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 is approximately 4,900 miles long, extending from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River, near present day Astoria, Oregon. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the preparatory section from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Wood River, Illinois.
Fees: Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Headquarters Visitor Center in Omaha, NE does not charge an entrance fee, but some of our park partners do. Be sure to check with each visitor and interpretative center to find out their fees.
Hours Info: Lewis and Clark NHT visitor center in Omaha, Neb is open.
More Info: https://www.nps.gov/lecl/
Location: 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.
Fees: New River Gorge National Park and Preserve does not charge an entrance fee.
Hours Info: The park is open 24 hour a day, year round. Park Headquarters in Glen Jean is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. 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 New Years Day).
More Info: https://www.nps.gov/neri/