Hello
again and welcome back to our blog. In
this post we are returning to the second of three rivers in southwestern West
Virginia.
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| Entrance Sign |
BACKGROUND:
Upon
being dammed in the early 1960s to form Lake Summerville, it was discovered
that the Gauley River, a tributary which forms the Kanawha River when it flows
into the New River, was a prime location for
whitewater rafting. The river soon
became a hot spot for professional kayakers and whitewater rafters, and every
autumn during "Gauley Season" water is released from the dam to help create the Gauley’s notoriously difficult
rapids.
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| The Summerville Dam. |
THE RECREATION AREA:
The
Gauley River National Recreation Area consists of a section of the Gauley River
gorge, running from the Summerville Dam, to the small locality of Swiss in
southwestern West Virginia, nearby New River Gorge National River. While there are hiking and fishing
opportunities, the Gauley is best known for its perilous rapids, particularly
during times of high water, such as in autumn when controlled releases from the
Summerville Dam increase the water level.
The river has many Class V rapids, beginning with the sarcastically
named “Insignificant Rapids,” the names of the rapids become more ominous the
further downstream one heads with examples such as “Lost Paddle,” “Heaven Help
You,” and “Pure Screaming Hell” rapids.
The
river has no visitor centers or park facilities. All NPS visitor services are provided by the
nearby New River Gorge National River.
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| A calm stretch of the Gauley River. |
TRAVEL TIPS:
Gauley
River National Recreation Area is roughly a half hour drive from Beckley, West
Virginia. The Recreation Area is open year-round. The nearest NPS visitor center is the Canyon
Rim Visitor Center at New River Gorge National River. There are several private contractors that
are permitted by the NPS to operate rafting tours in the New River Gorge
vicinity. Given the dangerous nature of
the Gauley River’s rapids, it is recommended that unless visitors are highly
experienced in whitewater rafting or kayaking, that these authorized companies
be used for visitors’ rafting rides on the Gauley. It is also recommended that unless visitors
are again highly experienced in whitewater rafting, visitors should visit in
mid-summer when the water level is much lower and the rapids are less
treacherous. The Recreation Area is not
handicapped accessible. Passport stamps
can be found at the New River Gorge National River visitor centers.
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| A bend in the Gauley River as seen from an overlook at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park, site of a Civil War skirmish in 1861. "Pillow Rock Rapids" can be seen at lower right. |
