Three of what many geologists believe to be the oldest rivers in the world cut through the Appalachian Region right here in the Eastern United States, and one of the three passes squarely through West Virginia. In fact, although West Virginia has several well known rivers within its boundaries, this one might be the most famously associated with our state: the New River.
It's on our state quarter, it's the theme of our only National Park, and it's spanned by one of our most famous bridges.
The other two Appalachian rivers that are tied with the New River as the third oldest rivers in the world are the Susquehanna River and the French Broad River. Only the Finke River in Australia and the Meuse River in Europe are presumed older.
When dating a river, natural historians can't rely on eye witness testimony or written historical records, of course. So they look at the age of the mountains it dissects. If a river cuts completely through a mountain range as does the New River, it's presumed to be at least as old as that mountain range.
And since the Appalachian Mountains are some of the world's oldest peaks, it follows that her rivers might be some of the most ancient as well. The New River is estimated to be between 260 and 325 million years old.
The West Virginia Geolological and Economic Survey points out that there are various methods of dating geological features, and five different dating methods for the New River "produce ages of 320, 225, 65, 10, and 3 million years. This points out our inability to date the New River."
Something that everyone agrees on about the New River? Its beauty. From sharp bends to wide waterfalls, from diverse plants and animals to a range of hiking trails, from old ruins to small towns to rugged wilderness areas, the New River has all this and more, and we love her for it.
What do you love about the New River? If you’ve never been to this area to explore all the beauty it has to offer, start with a driving tour that will take you over the New River Gorge Bridge and past the picturesque Sandstone Falls, among other things!
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