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Learn the wildlife of the U.S. national parks

Learn the wildlife of New River Gorge National Park

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2,282 species have research-grade observations inside New River Gorge National Park on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you know what you're looking at before you go.

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Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura52
  2. Canada Goose Branta canadensis37
  3. Black Vulture Coragyps atratus33
  4. Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina29
  5. Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias27
  6. Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus27
  7. Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula27
  8. Common Merganser Mergus merganser24
  9. Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus24
  10. Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis23

Plants

  1. Great rhododendron Rhododendron maximum358
  2. Mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia256
  3. American cancer-root Conopholis americana241
  4. Ghost Pipe Monotropa uniflora217
  5. Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides189
  6. Woodland stonecrop Sedum ternatum169
  7. Downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens162
  8. Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis151
  9. Partridgeberry Mitchella repens148
  10. Fan clubmoss Diphasiastrum digitatum138

Mammals

  1. White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus108
  2. Eastern Chipmunk Tamias striatus51
  3. Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis32
  4. American Black Bear Ursus americanus14
  5. American Beaver Castor canadensis12

Insects

  1. Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor234
  2. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus118
  3. Large Milkweed Bug Oncopeltus fasciatus76
  4. Banded Tussock Moth Halysidota tessellaris72
  5. Eastern Dobsonfly Corydalus cornutus56
  6. Zebra Swallowtail Eurytides marcellus47
  7. Silver-spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus44
  8. Powdered Dancer Argia moesta43
  9. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Adelges tsugae42
  10. Common Eastern Bumble Bee Bombus impatiens42

Spiders and kin

  1. Dark Fishing Spider Dolomedes tenebrosus32
  2. Hypochilus gertschi31
  3. Barn Orbweaver Araneus cavaticus14
  4. Marbled Orbweaver Araneus marmoreus10
  5. Striped Fishing Spider Dolomedes scriptus10
  6. Arrowhead Orbweaver Verrucosa arenata8

Reptiles

  1. Central Ratsnake Pantherophis alleghaniensis94
  2. Eastern Fence Lizard Sceloporus undulatus83
  3. Common Five-lined Skink Plestiodon fasciatus81
  4. Eastern Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix53
  5. Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis44
  6. Common Watersnake Nerodia sipedon39
  7. Ring-necked Snake Diadophis punctatus22
  8. Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina14
  9. Red-bellied Snake Storeria occipitomaculata10

Amphibians

  1. Eastern Newt Notophthalmus viridescens133
  2. American Toad Anaxyrus americanus105
  3. Seal Salamander Desmognathus monticola103
  4. Eastern Red-backed Salamander Plethodon cinereus81
  5. Northern Slimy Salamander Plethodon glutinosus54
  6. Southern Two-lined Salamander Eurycea cirrigera40
  7. Northern Dusky Salamander Desmognathus fuscus37
  8. Wood Frog Lithobates sylvaticus15
  9. Red Salamander Pseudotriton ruber11
  10. American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus10

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with the National Park Service. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.