Rehabilitate and Expand Gauley Tailwaters Campground

The National Park Service (NPS) at Gauley River National Recreation Area is requesting public input on the proposed rehabilitation and expansion of the Gauley Tailwaters Campground in Nicholas County, West Virginia.

Background
Gauley Tailwaters Campground is nestled alongside the headwaters of the world-famous whitewater Gauley River. This rustic campground needs an upgrade since it was established with the park at its inception in 1988. This project will rehabilitate the most popular campground in Gauley River National Recreation Area and ensure its viability and accessibility for many years to come.
The campground is the hub of all activities during the yearly Gauley River rafting season. Gauley Season brings in rafters from around the world for Class V and VI whitewater rafting in the river. The small campground of sixteen sites (intended for 64 campers) swells to over a 100 to 200 campers on these busy days. The NPS is proposing to relocate the sixteen sites to a wooded area just beyond the existing sites. With additional space and vegetation between the campsites the new locations will better accommodate more campers and improve the camping experience.
The park is also proposing to develop a trail system in conjunction with the campground. Three different segments have been identified for potential development; one that runs above the proposed campground, one that runs below the proposed campground, and the third trail would be constructed to address the need for an emergency evacuation route from the river. These three trail segments will help form a loop around the campground and will provide experiences near the river, along the cliff line, and provide a safer and more sustainable evacuation route for emergency responders.
Key Issues
An "issue" describes the relationship between actions and environmental (natural, cultural, and socioeconomic) resources. Issues are usually problems that either the current situation has caused, or that any of the proposed options might cause, but they may be questions, concerns, problems, or other relationships, including beneficial ones. With respect to rehabilitating and expanding the Gauley Tailwaters Campground, the NPS has identified issues related to the following resources:

• Visitor use and experience
• Threatened and endangered species
• Cultural resources
• Non-native invasive plants
• Potential erosion and sediment

Preliminary Alternatives
The NPS has developed two preliminary alternatives for rehabilitation and expansion of the Gauley Tailwaters Campground.
The proposed action includes:
• The 16 campsites would be relocated beyond the current locations within a forested
setting for better user experience.
• There would be 11 RV sites and 5 walk-in tent sites. All campsites would be
constructed to meet federal ABAAS (Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility
Standard) requirements.
• Site furnishings would include a picnic table, durable surface tent pad, fire ring,
lantern pole and campsite marker at each campsite.
• A group camping area would be developed beyond the tent sites at the southern end
of the campground.
• The 16 existing campsites would be removed for the development of a larger day
use parking area.
• The NPS would install new restroom facilities to replace the old wooden vault
building. The new facilities would be fully accessible.
• Approximately 2 miles of new trails would be constructed to improve the
campground as a destination and to provide better emergency access to the Gauley
River.
• Two informational kiosks would be constructed at trailheads. One kiosk would be
located within the day use area, and one would be located within the campground.
• A gravel road would be constructed to access the new campsites. A one-way loop
turnaround would be constructed just beyond the RV sites. The road would extend
beyond the loop to the tent sites and the group camping area with a short back in
turnaround at the end.

The NPS is also considering a No Action Alternative, in which no improvements would be made to the campground.

How to Comment
The public can review and comment on this proposal at the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website.

When commenting on the project, please consider the provided questions as a guide to help focus responses on particular concerns. Comments will be accepted from December 3, 2024, through January 3, 2025. The NPS will analyze and consider all feedback and prepare an environmental assessment (EA), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to develop and evaluate alternatives. Once complete, there will be a second opportunity for public comment on the EA later next year.

When commenting, if you include your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information, you should be aware that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Contact Information

Jay Martin
Environmental Protection Specialist
P.O. Box 246
Glen Jean, West Virginia 25846
304-465-6526