Gauley River National Recreation Area

The Gauley River National Recreation Area had an extremely warm year in 2019. In total, it was the 3rd warmest year since 1895. In contrast, precipitation was normal for the year.

2020 was very warm year at Gauley River National Recreation Area. In total, the year also had much more precipitation than normal. The year ended as the 9th warmest and 8th wettest on record.

In all, 2021 was warmer and drier than average at the Gauley River National Recreation Area. The year ended as the 15th warmest and 37th driest on record.

In all, 2022 was an extremely wet year for Gauley River National Recreation Area, and the counties surrounding the park received almost 10 inches more precipitation than is normal. The year ended as the 11th wettest and 41st warmest on record (since 1895).

The Gauley River National Recreation Area had a warm 2023 with total precipitation that was just below normal. In all, the year ended as the 10th warmest and 52nd driest on record (since 1895).

Managing invasive plant species can seem like an endless and insurmountable challenge, but parks are using a new strategic collaborative tool to protect their most valuable resources.

First in a series of three "In Focus" articles that share insights into the near-universal and far-reaching effects of soils on the ecology, management, and enjoyment of our national parks.

Eight Inventory and Monitoring networks have been collaborating on forest health monitoring since 2005. Participants include 61 national parks in the eastern United States. As a result of this collaboration, vegetation data are collected in similar ways, which allows us to compare various parks across the region.