Description:
This section of river includes rapids interspersed with flowing water. This section is great for an overnight river/fishing trip as there are campsites along the river in the Bluestone WMA (Shanklins Ferry - 8.5 & 10 miles, Cedar Branch - 15 miles, Indian Creek - Dickenson Hollow - 18.5 miles). There are three rapids on this section of note. These are class II or III depending on water level. The first is Shumate Falls that is located two miles downstream from the put-in. The sneek/portage is river left and the main class III drop is river right. Wylie Falls is about six miles from the put-in and includes a river wide rapid with a sneek/portage on river right. Harvey Falls is 14.5 miles from the put-in and includes an angled ledge with a nice canoeable tongue of water on river right. The remainder of the rapids are class I. (Class I-III). The mileage for the whole section is 21.5. Other available access points (see below) allow for trips of different lengths.
Directions:
This New River section is located in southern WV, south of Hinton. The put-in is in Glen Lyn, VA. at the town park. (Google directions below). The take-out is at Bull Falls Campground located off of county route 44/11 near Farly, WV 37.540765, -80.910785. There are six other take out spots for different length trips. Upper Shanklins Ferry 37.443624, -80.848221 (8.5 miles), Lower Shanklins Ferry 37.462953, -80.871780 (10 miles), Cedar Branch 37.501383, -80.849688 (15 miles), Upper Indian Creek 37.513167, -80.841949 (17 miles), Indian Creek Lawson's 37.523180 (18 miles), -80.850091, Indian Creek Dickenson's 37.531272, -80.860748 (18.5 miles).Activities:
Camping (Bluestone WMA), Fishing, Hunting, Swimming Holes, Whitewater
Web resources:
Resources:
Books - ” A Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to West Virginia”, "New River Guide: Paddling and Fishing in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia"
Hero & gallery photos courtesy of Ryan Hagerty