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New River

NC, VA, WV • US

The New River (despite its name, one of the oldest rivers in the world)
flows north 320 miles from the Blue Ridge of North Carolina through
Virginia into West Virginia, carving the 53-mile New River Gorge through
the Appalachian Plateau. The Lower New River Gorge from Thurmond to
Fayette Station is the East's classic big-water Class IV-V day run,
protected within New River Gorge National Park and Preserve (designated
2020). The Upper New above the gorge offers Class I-III family-friendly
floats.

320.0 mi total 6 sections 11 access points 0 camps 18 rapids

🗺 Explore map

Click any point for details. Sections without stored geometry are drawn as straight put-in → take-out lines — actual courses follow the river.

Sections (6)

Upper New River Gorge (Hinton to Sandstone Falls)

● Bluestone Dam / Hinton → ● Sandstone Falls Overlook

9.0 mi 💧 6,750 cfs · medium

Upper New (Sandstone to Grandview)

● Sandstone Falls Overlook → ● Grandview Sandbar

10.0 mi 💧 6,750 cfs · medium

Upper New (Grandview to Thurmond)

● Grandview Sandbar → ● Thurmond

12.0 mi 🌊 2 💧 6,750 cfs · medium

Lower New River Gorge (Thurmond to Cunard)

● Thurmond → ● Cunard

6.5 mi 🌊 3 💧 9,190 cfs · medium

Lower New River Gorge (Cunard to Fayette Station)

● Cunard → ● Fayette Station

7.0 mi 🌊 13 💧 9,190 cfs · high

Hawks Nest (Tailrace to Gauley Bridge)

● Hawks Nest Tailrace → ● Gauley Bridge (confluence)

5.0 mi 💧 9,190 cfs · medium