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Mapping National Park Service Lands in West Virginia

The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) was contracted by the Geologic Resources Division of the National Parks Service (NPS) to map the surficial and bedrock geology of three NPS units in southern West Virginia: Bluestone National Scenic River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and New River Gorge National River. WVGES geologists along with professors and students from Concord University and West Virginia University are producing digital surficial and bedrock geologic maps and geodatabases. Bedrock geology is being mapped for the three park units and the fourteen United States Geological Survey (USGS) 7½-minute topographic quadrangles they are contained within. Surficial geology will be mapped solely within the park boundaries of the three park units. This project will provide NPS with the necessary geologic information to help make scientifically sound resource management decisions. The areas surrounding these park units are relatively accessible to the urban East Coast and Midwest and are developing rapidly. Detailed geologic mapping will also provide new geologic information to local land-use planners and developers to aid in managing future growth in the area.

Please contact Publication Sales if you have any questions about map availability.    Digital data for these maps can be downloaded from the National Park Service web site for FREE.   Please see the links below each map description for the National Park Service's PDF, GIS database, KMZ/KML (Google Earth), and ArcGIS REST services.


Bedrock Geology of the Gauley River National Recreation Area

OF1001 Gauley River Bedrock Map NPS
Gauley River National Recreation Area Bedrock Geologic Map: Ansted and Summersville Dam 7.5' Quadrangles, West Virginia

Paula J. Hunt, Keri L. Wilson, Jane S. McColloch, and Gayle H. McColloch
Digital Cartography and Map Compilation by Sarah E. Gooding
West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
2010
Publication OF-1001

This map and geodatabase of the bedrock geology in and around the National Park Service's Gauley River National Recreation Area covers the Ansted and Summersville Dam 7½-minute United States Geological Survey topographic quadrangles in Nicholas and Fayette counties, West Virginia. This area is located in the relatively horizontal to gently folded rocks of the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province. The Meadow and Gauley Rivers have exposed massive sandstone cliffs in their valley walls. Rock units exposed at the surface in the map area are assigned to the Lower Pennsylvanian New River Formation, Lower and Middle Pennsylvanian Kanawha Formation, and the Middle Pennsylvanian Allegheny Formation. Bedrock consists of interbedded sandstones, siltstones, shales, and coals. Carnifex Ferry State Park and the Army Corps. of Engineers' Summersville Lake and Dam are also located in the map area.

Please check the WVGES Publications Catalog (OF-1001) for ordering information for this Open File Report (OF1001, Gauley River National Recreation Area Bedrock Geologic Map).

FREE digital data for this map are available from the National Park Service.   Click here for FREE data.

Surficial Geology of the Gauley River National Recreation Area

Surficial Geologic Map of the Gauley River National Recreation Area, West Virginia

J. Steven Kite, West Virginia University
Digital Cartography and Map Compilation by Samantha J. McCreery and Sarah E. Gooding,
West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
2016
Publication OF-1601

This map and geodatabase show the surficial geology within the park boundary of the National Park Service's Gauley River National Recreation Area in Nicholas and Fayette counties, West Virginia.

Please check the WVGES Publications Catalog for ordering information for this Open File Report (OF-1601, Surficial Geologic Map of the Gauley River National Recreation Area).


FREE digital data for this map are available from the National Park Service. Click here to access FREE data.

Bedrock Geology of the New River Gorge

National River

OF1301 New River Bedrock Map NPS
Mapsheet 1: Beckwith, Fayetteville, Winona quadrangles

OF1301 New River Bedrock Map NPS
Mapsheet 2: Thurmond, Danese quadrangles

OF1301 New River Bedrock Map NPS
Mapsheet 3: Prince, Meadow Creek, Meadow Bridge quadrangles

OF1301 New River Bedrock Map NPS
Mapsheet 4: Hinton, and Talcott quadrangles
Bedrock Geology of the New River Gorge National River:
Beckwith, Fayetteville, Winona, Thurmond, Danese, Prince, Meadow Creek, Meadow Bridge, Hinton, and Talcott 7.5' Quadrangles, West Virginia

Gayle H. McColloch, Paula J. Hunt, Jane S. McColloch, Robert L. Peck; Bascombe Mitch Blake, Jr., and David L. Matchen
Digital Cartography and Map Compilation by Sarah E. Gooding
West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
2013
Publication OF-1301

These maps, geodatabases, and the accompanying 36-page report on the bedrock geology in and around the National Park Service's New River Gorge National River covers the Beckwith, Fayetteville, Winona, Thurmond, Danese, Prince, Meadow Creek, Meadow Bridge, Hinton, and Talcott 7½-minute United States Geological Survey topographic quadrangles in Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers counties, West Virginia. Four West Virginia State Parks (Hawks Nest, Babcock, Bluestone, Little Beaver), the Army Corps. of Engineers' Bluestone Lake and Dam, and a portion of the Boy Scouts of America's Summit Bechtel Reserve are located in the project area.

Please check the WVGES Publications Catalog (OF1301) for ordering information for this Open File Report (OF1301, Bedrock Geology of the New River Gorge National River).


FREE digital data for this map, including a pdf of the report, are available from the National Park Service. Click here for FREE data.

This map was part of a poster presentation at the annual Geological Society of America (GSA) meeting in 2015.

Surficial Geology of the New River Gorge

National River

Surficial Geologic Map of the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia

Marla K. Yates and J. S. Kite, West Virginia University
Digital Cartography and Map Compilation by Sarah E. Gooding,
West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
2015
Publication OF-1501

This map and geodatabase show the surficial geology within the park boundary of the National Park Service's New River Gorge National River in Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers counties, West Virginia. Four West Virginia State Parks (Hawks Nest, Babcock, Bluestone, Little Beaver) and the Army Corps. of Engineers' Bluestone Lake and Dam are located in the project area.

Please check the WVGES Publications Catalog for ordering information for this Open File Report (OF-1501, Surficial Geology of the New River Gorge National River).


FREE digital data for this map are available from the National Park Service. Click here for the FREE data sets.

Bedrock Geology of the Bluestone National Scenic River

Bedrock Geologic Map of the Bluestone
National Scenic River,
Flat Top and Pipestem 7.5' Quadrangles, West Virginia

David L. Matchen, Joseph L. Allen, Robert L. Peck, and David Mercier
Concord University

Digital Cartography and Map Compilation by Sarah E. Gooding and Paula J. Hunt
West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
2011
Publication OF-1101

This map of the bedrock geology in and around the National Park Service's Bluestone National Scenic River covers the Flat Top and Pipestem 7½-minute United States Geological Survey topographic quadrangles in Summers, Mercer, and Raleigh counties, West Virginia. The spectacular scenery of the Bluestone River Gorge is the result of erosion through the Princeton and Glady Fork Sandstones. Bluestone State Park, Pipestem Resort State Park, and a portion of Camp Creek State Park are also located in the map area.

Please check the WVGES Publications Catalog (OF1101) for ordering information for this Open File Report (OF1101, Bedrock Geologic Map of the Bluestone National Scenic River).


FREE digital data for this map are available from the National Park Service free.  Click here for FREE data.

Surficial Geology of the Bluestone National Scenic River

Surficial Geologic Map of the Bluestone National Scenic River Area, West Virginia

Marla K. Yates and J. S. Kite, West Virginia University
Digital Cartography and Map Compilation by Sarah E. Gooding,
West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
2014
Publication OF-1401

This map and geodatabase show the surficial geology within the park boundary of the National Park Service's Bluestone National Scenic River Area in Summers and Mercer counties, West Virginia.

Please check the WVGES Publications Catalog for ordering information for this Open File Report (OF-1401, Surficial Geology of the Bluestone National Scenic River Area).


FREE digital data for this map are available from the National Park Service. Click here to access FREE data.
Page last revised February 1, 2024.
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