Since the 1960s, West Virginia's New River Gorge has drawn adventure seekers to its rapids and rock walls, and those rafters and climbers have long considered it a hidden gem. But the curtain is being drawn back on the canyon, because part of it has become America's 63rd national park.

Actually, the U.S. National Park System already has 63 designated "National Parks," with New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia having taken that 63rd spot in December 2020. As of 2026, there is ongoing legislative debate regarding potential candidates for the 64th National Park. Strong contenders include Ocmulgee Mounds in Georgia, which would be the first National Park in the U.S. co-managed with a Tribal nation (the Muscogee (Creek) Nation), and Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania/New Jersey, which currently holds "National Recreation Area" status. In 2026, the Department of the Interior is also focusing on modernization, introducing digital "America the Beautiful" passes and new "America-first" pricing for international visitors. While no new park has been officially inaugurated yet this year, the focus remains on sites that offer both ecological significance and cultural representation for Indigenous history.