By Sanchali Singh
(ST PAUL, Va.) On Wednesday, western Virginia opened a new attraction to bring visitors: a new 696-acre state park.
Gov. Ralph Northam and other state officials opened the Clinch River State Park, which sits along several small properties and connects to the 100 miles of the Clinch River through multiple canoe and kayak access points.
“With the dedication of Clinch River State Park, we will both protect and showcase one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse places in our Commonwealth,” Northam said in a statement. “Located in the heart of Appalachia, this park will be a highlight of the robust outdoor recreation economy in Southwest Virginia and draw even more visitors to the region.”
Instead of being based around a landmass as other Virginia parks are, the Clinch River State Park is based around a river, making it “the first of its kind” in the state.
Visitors can explore the river’s numerous blueways, or waterways, to access multi-activity recreational trails that are marked with launch points, camping sites and points of interest for canoeists, paddle boarders and watermen.
The state park also boasts high biodiversity, as it sustains 48 animal species, including 29 varieties of rare freshwater mussels and 19 species of fish. The governor’s office said Clinch River’s water edge hosts rare plants, mammals and birds.
“In addition to being a world-class recreation asset, the Clinch River is renowned for its biodiversity,” said Secretary of Natural Resources Matthew J. Strickler. “Clinch River State Park will play a key role in the region’s ongoing efforts to protect this ecosystem while also increasing and encouraging public use and exploration of our natural landscapes.”
Department of Conservation and Recreation Director Clyde Cristman said the park was made possible through multiple land acquisitions and research that began in 2005. Altogether, the park combines six tracts of land.
“A very unique park is the outcome of that work, and we look forward to seeing how it will continue to develop and serve the people and visitors of the region,” Cristman said.
Park visitors can explore remnants of an 18th-century French settlement in the park’s Sugar Hill area, hiking and biking on the Sugar Hill Loop Trail and fishing on the Clinch River along the Riverside Trail.