Are you coming the New River Gorge anytime soon? Before you head out on the trails for some hiking or hit the river for some rafting, you should get to know what kinds of animals you might run into.
Because of the diverse ecosystem found in the New River Gorge, the home of the Summit, you’ll see a wide range of wildlife.
Here’s a bit of what you may encounter while hanging out in the NRG.
On the Trails
Of course you’ll have the chance to catch a glimpse of lots of white-tailed deer, raccoons, chipmunks and gray squirrels, but also keep an eye out for black bears, bobcats and southern flying squirrels.
But don’t stare too long at the tree tops, because you’ll get a sore neck and miss out on all kinds of critters on the forest floor.
There are snakes in the region, too, and while some are venomous, like the copperhead and timber rattlesnake, they usually like to keep to themselves.
In the River
Bass (and lots of them), walleye, crappie, bluegill, muskies and more are swimming through the gorge. With so many rivers, streams and creeks there are tons of fish in the area so if you love throwing a line, get excited.
Are you a paddler?
There’s still lots to see while crushing the whitewater. Look at the banks of the river and spot frogs, spring peepers, red-spotted newts and box turtles.
Up in the Air
The New River Gorge has some cool birds, no doubt about it.
Make sure you keep an eye to the sky while you’re rafting or kayaking down the New River. You’ll see lots of commons birds, but better yet, you could spot a great blue heron, bald eagle or a peregrine falcon.
[pullquote]Check out some local peregrine falcons in our post “Falcons in the New River Gorge“ [/pullquote]
The bald eagles and peregrine falcons are making a comeback in the area and there is even a restoration project to reintroduce falcons to the NRG.
Want some good news? This is just a short list of some animals you could see, and there’s plenty more to discover when you make it to the Summit.
What animal are you most excited to see at the Summit?