Best Time to Visit New River Gorge National Park
The best months to visit New River Gorge National Park are March, April, November — computed from official NPS visitation (2021–2025 average), NOAA weather normals and daylight. July is the crowd peak (280,421 monthly visits); January is quietest at 13% of peak.
Monthly crowd curve
Average monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (NPS Visitor Use Statistics). Amber bar = current month.
New River Gorge month by month
| Month | Verdict | Avg visits | % of peak | High / Low | Precip | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Shoulder | 37,071 | 13% | 41°F / 23°F | 3.5″ | 9.8h |
| February | Shoulder | 43,642 | 16% | 44°F / 25°F | 3.3″ | 10.8h |
| March | Best window | 91,441 | 33% | 52°F / 31°F | 4.2″ | 11.9h |
| April | Best window | 113,265 | 40% | 64°F / 41°F | 4.2″ | 13.2h |
| May | Peak crowds | 196,275 | 70% | 72°F / 50°F | 5.1″ | 14.2h |
| June | Peak crowds | 230,992 | 82% | 79°F / 58°F | 5.5″ | 14.8h |
| July | Peak crowds | 280,421 | 100% | 81°F / 61°F | 4.6″ | 14.6h |
| August | Peak crowds | 235,593 | 84% | 81°F / 60°F | 4.1″ | 13.7h |
| September | Shoulder | 185,236 | 66% | 75°F / 54°F | 3.7″ | 12.5h |
| October | Shoulder | 193,526 | 69% | 65°F / 42°F | 2.9″ | 11.3h |
| November | Best window | 92,564 | 33% | 54°F / 33°F | 2.9″ | 10.1h |
| December | Shoulder | 50,744 | 18% | 45°F / 27°F | 3.9″ | 9.6h |
Crowds: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, mean of 2021–2025 (2020 excluded as a COVID-19 anomaly). Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station OAK HILL, WV US (4 mi from park coordinates). Daylight: computed for the 15th of each month at the park's location. Methodology.
Common questions
What is the best month to visit New River Gorge?
March, April, November rank best for New River Gorge on VisitWhen's computed score — the strongest balance of low crowds (NPS data), comfortable weather (NOAA normals) and daylight.
What is the most crowded month at New River Gorge?
July: an average of 280,421 recreation visits (NPS, 2021–2025). The quietest is January, at 13% of the July peak.
How many people visit New River Gorge per year?
New River Gorge National Park averaged 1,750,770 recreation visits per year over 2021–2025, per official NPS Visitor Use Statistics.
Dive into a month
Last verified 2026-07-16 · all parks