New River Gorge National Wild & Scenic River - Paddling
The New River Gorge area is one of America's great paddling destinations. A rugged, whitewater river, flowing north through deep canyons, the New River manages to transect every ridge of the Alleghenies. The free-flowing New River falls 750 feet in 50 miles from Bluestone Dam to Gauley Bridge creating one of the finest whitewater rivers in the eastern United States. By comparison the Mississippi falls 1,428 feet from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of 2,300 miles.
And that's not all, folks!
Check out our three feature articles on paddling in the New River Gorge Area—
Good Gauley! - Fast and furious down the Gauley River
New River Whitewater- Blow by glow guide to the New River
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Within the park, the New has two very different characters. The upper (southern) part of the river consists primarily of long pools, and relatively easy rapids up to Class III. It is a big powerful river, but very beautiful, always runnable, and provides excellent fishing and camping. There are a number of different river access points.
The lower (northern) section of the river is often referred to as"the Lower Gorge." In a state that is justifiably renowned for colossal rapids, the Lower Gorge has some of the biggest of the big with raids ranging in difficulty from Class III to Class V. The rapids are imposing and forceful, many of them obstructed by large boulders which necessitate maneuvering in very powerful currents, cross-current, and hydraulics. Some rapids contain hazardous undercut rocks. The gradient is a modest 20 feet/mile, but the rapids are a full-grown variety: big, brawny, and bodacious.
The section from Hinton to Thurmond offers challenging Class I, II and III rapids suitable for intermediate canoeing—not recommended for beginners. Downstream of Thurmond, the river narrows and includes technical Class V rapids (commercial outfitters offer guided tours.) River users can check river level information by calling the Hinton Visitor Center or Canyon Rim Visitor Center.
Camping is permitted along the river unless otherwise posted.
The Gauley River, a tributatary of the New River flowing north of the gorge, is a word-famous paddling destination. The Gauley offers some of the most turbulent water around, and some of the most thrilling drops. The Bluestone River is runnable only during higher water levels, and paddlers usually overlook it in favor of the many better nearby opportunities.
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from Away.com
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