West Virginia’s New River Gorge, encompassing more than 70,000 acres, became the country’s newest national park and preserve in December. The main artery of the park is New River, which—despite its moniker—is one of the oldest rivers in the world, with 53 miles of free-flowing white water. Towering above the river is New River Gorge Bridge, which hosts its annual BASE jumping “Bridge Day” in October—making this the only national park where that daredevil activity is legal. Climbers come for the sandstone cliffs, some 1,200 ft. high, with 1,400 climbing routes, and there are also more than 21 miles for mountain biking. —Aniesia Williams
More Must-Read Stories From TIME
- How the Biden Administration Lost Its Way
- Hanya Yanagihara Is Never Going to Read Your Mean Tweets
- Inside Finland's Plan to End All Waste by 2050
- Chloe Kim Is Ready to Win Olympic Gold Again—On Her Own Terms
- Asia Has Kept COVID-19 at Bay for 2 Years. Omicron Could Change That
- Investors Are Sinking Real Money Into Virtual Real Estate, With No Guarantees
- The Man Putin Fears
