Gauley River National Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park System in southern West Virginia near Summersville, protects 11,145 acres including a 25-mile stretch of the Gauley River and 5.5 miles of the Meadow River. Its steep, river-centered landscape and limited road access give it a notably remote character, with much of the area reached only by water. Vehicle access is available at the upstream end near Summersville Dam. Several Class V rapids, including Pillow Rock, Lost Paddle, and Sweet's Falls, have made the Gauley one of West Virginia's best-known whitewater destinations within a preserved narrow gorge corridor.