GLEN JEAN, WV (LOOTPRESS) – According to data released by the National Park Service, the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve saw a slight decrease in visitation in December compared to 2021.
In December 2022, the NPS recorded a total of 39,730 visitors while December 2021 saw 46,593 visitors making for a 14.7% decrease.
Overnight stays remained virtually unchanged at 924 compared to 925 the previous December.
Each open visitor center also saw a decrease in visitors except for the Sandstone Visitor Center which saw a few more visitors, going from 1,746 to 1,750.
Overall, the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve has recorded 3.4% fewer visitors this fiscal year compared to FY 2021. The NPS has reported a total of 1,625,877 visitors this year to date compared to 1,682,720 last fiscal year.