"We are a nation rich in rivers." ~ Charles Kuralt

NPS

The National Park Service (NPS) protects, conserves, recognizes, or manages rivers with various government agencies and private groups in a number of ways. Hundreds of rivers are located in the national parks, protecting both the river and land areas surrounding them.

River Centered Parks

Certain national parks protect and maintain rivers or river segments as their central features; for example, the Colorado River is a main element in the Grand Canyon National Park.

River Centered Parks

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  Grand Canyon National Park

  River(s): Colorado River
  State(s): Arizona

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  Black Canyon National Park

  River(s): Gunnison River
  State(s): Colorado

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  Dinosaur National Monument

  River(s): Yampa River; Green River
  State(s): Colorado; Utah

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  Big Bend National Park

  River(s): Rio Grande River
  State(s): Texas

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  Arches National Park

  River(s): Colorado River
  State(s): Utah

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  Canyonlands National Park

  River(s): Colorado River; Green River
  State(s): Utah

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  Cuyahoga Valley National Park

  River(s): Cuyahoga River
  State(s): Ohio

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  Kobuk Valley National Park

  River(s): Kobuk River
  State(s): Alaska

National Recreation Areas

These are designated by Congress and provides opportunities for visitors to partake in recreational activities such as swimming, boating, hiking, and camping. Of the 18 NRA's, several have rivers as their central features. NRA's designations are established in naturally outstanding areas. Most emphasize both water based and non water based recreational opportunities (this list includes only free-flowing river valleys, and not rivers impounded as reservoirs).

National Recreation Areas (NRA)

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  Chattahooche NRA

  River(s): Chattahoochee River
  State(s): Georgia

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  Delaware Water Gap NRA

  River(s): Delaware River
  State(s): Pennsylvania; New Jersey

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  Gauley River NRA

  River(s): Gauley River; Medow River
  State(s): West Virginia

National Rivers

These rivers are designated by Congress and and are preserved with their surrounding environments, essentially as a park. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways is the Nation's first and only scenic waterway, protecting 134 miles of Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, it includes 19 historic or archaeological sites.

National Rivers

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  Buffalo National River

  State(s): Arkansas

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  New River Gorge National River

  State(s): West Virginia

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  Ozark National Scenic Riverways

  State(s): Missouri

National River and Recreation Areas

National River and Recreation Areas combine the attributes of National Rivers and National Recreation Areas.

National River and Recreation Areas

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  Big South Fork NRRA

  State(s): Kentucky

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  Mississippi NRRA

  State(s): Minnesota

Wild & Scenic Rivers

Wild and Scenic Rivers are designated by Congress. These rivers are free flowing and protected from damaging development and use. They must contain outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish, wildlife, cultural, historic or similar qualities. As of October 2018, a total of 209 rivers have wild and scenic status, with the National Park Service managing 32 within our boundaries. In addition the National Park Service works cooperatively with states, tribes and partnerships to manage other Wild and Scenic Rivers outside of our boundaries. Learn more about Wild and Scenic Rivers.

The following rivers were added to the National Park System because of their designation as National Wild and Scenic Rivers.

Wild and Scenic River Centered Parks

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  Alagnak Wild River

  River(s): Alagnak River
  State(s): Alaska

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  Bluestone
  National Scenic River

  Rivers(s): Bluestone River
  State(s): West Virginia

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  Missouri National Recreational River

  River(s): Missouri River
  State(s): South Dakota, Nebraska

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  Niobrara
  National Scenic River

  River(s): Niobrara River
  State(s): Nebraska

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  Obed Wild & Scenic River

  River(s): Clear Creek, Daddys Creek, Obed River
  State(s): Tennessee

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  Saint Croix National
  Scenic Riverway

  River(s): Saint Croix River; Namekagon River
  State(s): Minnesota, Wisconsin

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  Upper Delaware
  Scenic & Rec. River

  River(s): Delaware River
  State(s): New York, Pennsylvania

Eligible Suitable Rivers

Eligible Suitable Rivers are those rivers/river segments that have been found through various National Park Service study processes to be eligible and sometimes suitable to become designated as Wild and Scenic Rivers. The listing of Eligible Suitable Rivers within National Park Service boundaries continues to grow through these studies of eligibility and suitability.

Nationwide Rivers Inventory

The Nationwide Rivers Inventory (NRI) is a listing, maintained by the National Park Service, of more than 3,200 free flowing rivers segments believed to have outstanding and remarkable values (including scenic, recreational, geologic, fish, wildlife, prehistoric/historic and other values), making them potentially eligible for a Wild and Scenic designation. Federal Agencies evaluate potential eligibility of NRI segments on lands that they manage. Private land rivers have not gone through the potential eligibility study process. There are currently 389 NRI segments within our boundaries. Learn more about Nationwide Inventory Rivers in each state.