Located in southern West Virginia between the towns of Summersville and Fayetteville, Gauley River National Recreation Area includes 25 miles of the Gauley River, and five miles of the Meadow River. These swift, winding rivers and their narrow canyons are protected by the National Park Service.

Whitewater paddling and fishing are several of the more popular activities on the Gauley and Meadow Rivers.

The National Park Service offers primitive camping at a site just below Summersville Dam, and the Army Corps of Engineers has full-service camping available at Summersville Lake.