TThe New River's origins can be traced back to the birth of the Appalachian mountains and an ancient river called the Teays. Late in the Paleozoic Era, 500 million years ago, the North American and African plates collided, buckling and shattering the earth's crust and forcing the Appalachians up towards the sky. The Teays River, with headwaters near present-day Blowing Rock, NC, drained the slopes of the new mountain range. As the Teays River picked up speed and power it began cutting through the roots of the old mountains, all the while maintaining it northerly flow. READ MORE OF THIS ARTICLE BY VISITING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE	Downstream from Summersville Dam where the boundary of the recreation area begins, the river has cut a gorge of up to 500 feet deep in places. The Gauley River flows through the gorge for approximately 24 miles with a stream gradient of 28 feet per mile. Within the gorge, the river is characterized by alternating pools and rapids with torrential water, boulders and exposed bedrock. READ MORE OF THIS ARTICLE BY VISITING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE