Carolina Canoe Club West Virginia River Information

Glade Creek to Quinnimont (Grandview Sandbar)

Beginner/Novice, Class 2-3, 5 miles

Directions (Takeout) - Starting at Route 19 in Fayetteville, head south on Route 19 towards Beckley. Just before Mt. Hope you will come to a flashing light with an Exxon station on the left (east) side of Route 19. Turn left, then make an immediate right in front of the Exxon. You will now be on Routes 16 and 61. Continue on Route 61 until it intersects with Route 41. Then follow Route 41 north (left). Just before Route 41 crosses the New River there will be a right turn onto a gravel road with a sign for Glade Creek. That road follows the New for about 6 miles. About a mile in on that road you will see a sign on the left for Grandview Sandbar.
Directions (Putin) - From the takeout, go out of Grandview Sandbar parking lot and make a sharp left turn. Continue on that road until you get to the parking/launch area at the confluence of Glade Creek and New River.

McCreery (Prince) to Thurmond

Beginner/Novice, Class 2-3, 15 miles

Directions (Takeout) - Starting at Route 19 in Fayetteville, head south on Route 19 towards Beckley. Just south of Oak Hill watch for the signs for Greentown/Hilltop (Routes 16/61 south). Turn left and go about 2 miles. At the Chevron station turn left, go over the bridge and make another left onto CR 25 following the signs for Thurmond. When you get to the river Thurmond will be across the bridge on river right. CR 25 will turn right just before crossing the river. Take that turn and you will come to the Dun Glen parking area (on the left). You can take out there or you can continue driving upstream to Stonecliff and save almost 2 miles of flat water.
Directions (Putin) - Starting at Thurmond (the takeout), take Route 25 back to Routes 16/61 at Glen Jean. Turn left onto 16/61 South and go past the Exxon station. Continue on Routes 16/61 until they intersect with Route 41. Then follow Route 41 north (left). When you get see the New River on your left watch for the sign for McCreery and a small parking/launch area on the left.

Thurmond to Cunard

Beginner/Novice, Class 2-3, 6 miles

Directions (Takeout) - On Route 19, drive north to the stoplight at Route 16 in Fayetteville and turn right. After the second traffic light in town drive about 1/2 mile and turn left onto Gatewood Road. Sherry's store is on the right at the intersection. Continue on Gatewood Road for a couple miles past the golf course. Watch for a left turn onto CR 8 (with a sign for Cunard). Follow CR 8 and the signs for the National Park Service (NPS). Keep going down to the river and the parking lot.
Directions (Putin) - To get from Cunard to the putin at Thurmond, come back out of Cunard. When you get to the stop sign at Gatewood Road turn LEFT and drive into Oak Hill. At the traffic light in Oak Hill turn left again and drive to Route 19. Go South on Route 19 to the Greentown/Hilltop exit (Routes 16/61 south). Turn left and go about 2 miles. At the Chevron station turn left, go over the bridge and make another left onto CR 25 following the signs for Thurmond. When you get to the river Thurmond will be across the bridge on river right. CR 25 will turn right just before crossing the river. Take that turn and you will come to the Dun Glen parking area (on the left).

Cunard to Fayette Station ("The Gorge" or "NRG")

Intermediate+, class 3-4, about 8 miles

Directions (Takeout) - Take Route 19 north over the NRG bridge, then take the second right onto Lansing-Emonds Road (Truck CR 82). About 1/2 mile from Route 19 you will see Beauty Mountain Sports on your right where CR 82 goes to the right. Turn right onto CR 82 and take the bend to the left a short ways down that road. Eventually CR 82 will work its way down into the gorge. At the bottom you will cross the New (just above Fayette Station rapid). The takeout parking areas are on river left just below the bridge that you just crossed.
Directions (Putin) - From the takeout at Fayette Station, drive out of the parking lot and go under the railroad (along Wolf Creek). Take Fayette Station Road up out of the gorge and past "Rivers" to the stop sign at Route 19. Turn right onto Route 19 and left at the first traffic light onto Route 16. After the second traffic light in town drive about 1/2 mile and turn left onto Gatewood Road. Sherry's store is on the right at the intersection. Continue on Gatewood Road for a couple miles past the golf course. Watch for a left turn onto CR 8 (with a sign for Cunard). Follow CR 8 and the signs for the National Park Service (NPS). Keep going down to the river and the parking lot.

Middle Gauley

Intermediate+, class 3-4, about 6 miles

The Middle Gauley starts at the Upper Gauley takeout and ends at the Lower Gauley putin. It has 2 major rapids (Woods Ferry and Backender) that give it the 3+/4- rating. Both of these rapids can be portaged if necessary. The rest of the run is class 2+/3.

Directions (Takeout) - Take Route 19 north from Fayetteville and drive over the New River Gorge. The first traffic light (several miles from the NRG) will be at the intersection of Routes 19 and 129 in Mt. Nebo. Turn left onto Route 129. Take Route 129 all the way to Route 39 in Drennan. Then turn left onto Route 39. After you pass the sign for Lockwood watch for Peters Creek Road on the left. Turn onto Peters Creek Road and follow it across the railroad tracks. Keep going until you see a gated road on the right. If the gate is open you are in luck and you can drive thru the gate and down to the river at the takeout for the Middle Gauley. This is also the putin for the Lower Gauley.
Directions (Putin) - From the takeout, go back up through the (open) gate and make a sharp right turn. Follow this road, bearing left at the place that looks like a T, and watch for a road heading off on a sharp right turn with another (open) gate. Make the sharp right turn, go through the gate, and drive on down to the river and the putin for the Middle Gauley. This also happens to be the takeout for the Upper Gauley.

When you are all done undoing your shuttle at the end of the day, come out of the parking area at the putin and driver thru the (open) gate. Then turn right and keep following the road (now called Panther Mountain Road) all the way to the stop sigh at Route 129. Turn right and drive back to Route 19.

Note: Both roads from the gates down to the river are private land. These roads are closed during Gauley season.

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