The Gauley River National Recreation Area, located near Summersville, West Virginia, protects a portion of the Gauley River and a segment of the Meadow River in southern West Virginia. Little of the national recreation area is accessible via roads; one must travel via the river. At the upstream end of the park is the Summersville Dam, the only area of the park accessible by vehicle.
Within the park are a number of Class V rapids. They have been given names such as: