Updated July 2026
Best Time to Visit West Virginia National Parks
West Virginia has 6 National Park Service units that report visitation. Below, each is ranked by annual visits, with the month our data recommends for the best balance of light crowds, comfortable weather and daylight. Crowds peak in summer almost everywhere — the recommended months show where the quieter shoulder seasons fall.
West Virginia parks on the map
Click a marker for the park page, or use Where to stay in the table.
Ways to pick a West Virginia park
Quietest months
- Bluestone — January
- Harpers Ferry — January
- Gauley River — January
- New River Gorge — January
Most-visited
- Appalachian — 6,215,118 visits
- Chesapeake & Ohio Canal — 4,579,704 visits
- New River Gorge — 1,958,440 visits
- Harpers Ferry — 537,876 visits
Most-visited parks in West Virginia
Appalachian
Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia
View Appalachian →
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
District of Columbia, Maryland, West Virginia
View Chesapeake & Ohio Canal →New River Gorge
West Virginia
View New River Gorge →
Harpers Ferry
West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland
View Harpers Ferry →
Gauley River
West Virginia
View Gauley River →
Bluestone
West Virginia
View Bluestone →| Park | Annual visits | Best time | Busiest | Quietest | Stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppalachianNational Scenic Trail | 6,215,118 | September | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Chesapeake & Ohio CanalNational Historical Park | 4,579,704 | February | Jun | Jan | Where to stay → |
| New River GorgeNational Park & Preserve | 1,958,440 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Harpers FerryNational Historical Park | 537,876 | September | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Gauley RiverNational Recreation Area | 213,596 | May | Sep | Jan | Where to stay → |
| BluestoneNational Scenic River | 12,446 | May | Jul | Jan | Where to stay → |
West Virginia park crowd calendar (6 parks, all 12 months)
Download the full best-months table for all 6 of West Virginia's national parks — each park's month-by-month crowd index (1.0 = its average month), busiest and quietest months, and Best-Time-to-Visit score. Built from NPS visitation data. Enter your email to download. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Where to stay near West Virginia's national parks
Find hotels, cabins and vacation rentals across West Virginia to base your national-park trip — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near West Virginia national parks
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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