Another Beautiful run would be the Marsh Fork, take out at Arnett Fire Department, put in at Saxon. The river is wild with Class 2-3 rapids, watch out for downfalls of Hemlocks that sometimes block the entire river in rapids. This is fairly continuous, slightly more so than the Bluestone River. Also, watch for a strainer on the bank (river right) about halfway into trip, at high levels, ugly! The flat rocks are piled up in this section on the right bank and the water flows through them. One of the prettiest runs in WV, a Jem. The Jungle! But be warned, this is not the place for aborting, the sides of the river are steep and the road is far away.
The Bluestone Gorge is by far better. You can ride the sky tram out if it is in season at Pipestem, it was$10 for a flat car last time I did it, in the late 90s. Both sections are great, but the lower one is best and it starts at Eads Mill bridge, or you can run Camp Creek if it is up, but watch for flooding as the creek becomes dangerous at flood levels. Camp Creek section (2-2.5 miles) starts at the Baptist church on Eads Mill Road. Run shuttle to Pipestem tram lift parking lot. Don't block parking or interrupt Church services on Sunday mornings. God bless and keep you on the river!
@ronniemurphy2124 I'm hoping to get on that one. Everyone I've talked about that run with acts annoyed by that tram but I think it sounds like a fun experience.
@@WVWes I've used it several times and the cost of the flat car can be shared by 4 boaters. But it must be done in season as it is closed out of season, so call before making the run. You can run all the way to the lake, but it is a long trip of about 21 miles, I believe, and some of it on flat water. The upper section from Spanishburg to Eads mill bridge is also a great run, especially toward the end, and has a few good class 2-3 ledges, which should be run center left if in doubt. Watch out for "bear claw" which is an undercut rock bank, running down river right. I know of swimmers that got trashed pretty bad under this claw. Eads Mill rapid can be scouted from the Eads Mill bridge. It is a solid class 3 and the biggest rapid on the river both in size and difficulty. It starts just below Camp Creek and is about 1/4 mile long with the difficulty just above the bridge. Also watch for a portal at the broken dam in the upper section, which can be a put-in, if you ask as it is on private property. This is shortly after the put-in, probably 1/4 of the way into the upper section. I would not recommend running this, as rebar from the dam is thick in the water and it is about a 6' drop, even though I've been with crews that run it in a raft. The Bluestone is my favorite river to run and on a summer day in June at 7' we ran the entire upper and lower section and had a blast, taking out at Pipestem. I also ran the lower section one day from Eads Mill to the lake and the high for that day was 29 degrees F. Needless to say, we saw no one else on the river, but we rarely did anyway.
I did this section several times in WW kayaks. When the water is up and the lake is down there are rapids all the way to the boat ramp (2 hard class 2s). If the levels are right one can also paddle through the tunnel which is up river from the lake and comes out just below the boat ramp. It cuts a lot of slack water, but it is dark inside and has no way to get out if you flip in it, as the walls are totally vertical. I've seen the rapid at the second campground, (5:15) flip a lot of boaters, it might be class 3 at some levels, but it looks mild on your trip. Indian Creek just south of this run is another choice if at low flood levels, but it was full of trash the last time I ran it. It's easy class 1-2 and short. Continue south of Bailysville it's on the right across the river bridge. For a harder run (class 3-4) Huff Creek can be run at high levels, but it is not for swimmers, the rocks are fresh cuts and can be very brutal. Keepers exist on this run, as well, and can be hard to escape. About a 3-mile run, starting at Lizard Creek to below the spillway.
@@ronniemurphy2124 are you in that area? Do you still boat? Always looking for people to boat with!!! Little huff is above my skill level but it looks fun!!! I'll be looking for that Indian creek section though!!!!
@@WVWes I am in the area, but I'm disabled now. I kayaked for about 15 years, ran the NRG several times. I've run the Bluestone one year 13 times. I've paddled the Yok in Pa. and the Nat. in N.C. But I've also climbed most of the moderate routes in the NRG. Climbing was my first love, but I really enjoyed Kayaking, too. If I may suggest that you to join West Virginia White Water Assoc. (WVWA) They will help you to find paddling companions. They also have clinics to train people. A great bunch. I made many good friends there. I wish I could still paddle but life has a way of slowing down, so enjoy it while you can.
Another Beautiful run would be the Marsh Fork, take out at Arnett Fire Department, put in at Saxon. The river is wild with Class 2-3 rapids, watch out for downfalls of Hemlocks that sometimes block the entire river in rapids. This is fairly continuous, slightly more so than the Bluestone River. Also, watch for a strainer on the bank (river right) about halfway into trip, at high levels, ugly! The flat rocks are piled up in this section on the right bank and the water flows through them. One of the prettiest runs in WV, a Jem. The Jungle! But be warned, this is not the place for aborting, the sides of the river are steep and the road is far away.
That's a section I'm down for. I'd like to check that river off my list and get something in that part of the state.
I'll let u know when it's running and we'll get on it!!!
The Bluestone Gorge is by far better. You can ride the sky tram out if it is in season at Pipestem, it was$10 for a flat car last time I did it, in the late 90s. Both sections are great, but the lower one is best and it starts at Eads Mill bridge, or you can run Camp Creek if it is up, but watch for flooding as the creek becomes dangerous at flood levels. Camp Creek section (2-2.5 miles) starts at the Baptist church on Eads Mill Road. Run shuttle to Pipestem tram lift parking lot. Don't block parking or interrupt Church services on Sunday mornings. God bless and keep you on the river!
@@ronniemurphy2124I would like to run that river too!
@ronniemurphy2124 I'm hoping to get on that one. Everyone I've talked about that run with acts annoyed by that tram but I think it sounds like a fun experience.
@@WVWes I've used it several times and the cost of the flat car can be shared by 4 boaters. But it must be done in season as it is closed out of season, so call before making the run. You can run all the way to the lake, but it is a long trip of about 21 miles, I believe, and some of it on flat water. The upper section from Spanishburg to Eads mill bridge is also a great run, especially toward the end, and has a few good class 2-3 ledges, which should be run center left if in doubt. Watch out for "bear claw" which is an undercut rock bank, running down river right. I know of swimmers that got trashed pretty bad under this claw. Eads Mill rapid can be scouted from the Eads Mill bridge. It is a solid class 3 and the biggest rapid on the river both in size and difficulty. It starts just below Camp Creek and is about 1/4 mile long with the difficulty just above the bridge. Also watch for a portal at the broken dam in the upper section, which can be a put-in, if you ask as it is on private property. This is shortly after the put-in, probably 1/4 of the way into the upper section. I would not recommend running this, as rebar from the dam is thick in the water and it is about a 6' drop, even though I've been with crews that run it in a raft. The Bluestone is my favorite river to run and on a summer day in June at 7' we ran the entire upper and lower section and had a blast, taking out at Pipestem. I also ran the lower section one day from Eads Mill to the lake and the high for that day was 29 degrees F. Needless to say, we saw no one else on the river, but we rarely did anyway.
I did this section several times in WW kayaks. When the water is up and the lake is down there are rapids all the way to the boat ramp (2 hard class 2s). If the levels are right one can also paddle through the tunnel which is up river from the lake and comes out just below the boat ramp. It cuts a lot of slack water, but it is dark inside and has no way to get out if you flip in it, as the walls are totally vertical. I've seen the rapid at the second campground, (5:15) flip a lot of boaters, it might be class 3 at some levels, but it looks mild on your trip. Indian Creek just south of this run is another choice if at low flood levels, but it was full of trash the last time I ran it. It's easy class 1-2 and short. Continue south of Bailysville it's on the right across the river bridge. For a harder run (class 3-4) Huff Creek can be run at high levels, but it is not for swimmers, the rocks are fresh cuts and can be very brutal. Keepers exist on this run, as well, and can be hard to escape. About a 3-mile run, starting at Lizard Creek to below the spillway.
@@ronniemurphy2124 are you in that area? Do you still boat? Always looking for people to boat with!!!
Little huff is above my skill level but it looks fun!!! I'll be looking for that Indian creek section though!!!!
@@WVWes I am in the area, but I'm disabled now. I kayaked for about 15 years, ran the NRG several times. I've run the Bluestone one year 13 times. I've paddled the Yok in Pa. and the Nat. in N.C. But I've also climbed most of the moderate routes in the NRG. Climbing was my first love, but I really enjoyed Kayaking, too. If I may suggest that you to join West Virginia White Water Assoc. (WVWA) They will help you to find paddling companions. They also have clinics to train people. A great bunch. I made many good friends there. I wish I could still paddle but life has a way of slowing down, so enjoy it while you can.