Upper Gauley

Gauley River • WV

Length

12.0 mi

Difficulty

Class IV-V

Current flow

1,470 cfs (low water)

Gauley River below Summersville Dam · almost 23 years ago

Shuttle

16 mi / 30 min

🟢 Put-in: Summersville Dam Put-in 🔴 Take-out: Mason Branch (Peters Creek)

East Coast's premier big-water run. 12 miles, 5 named Class V rapids
(Insignificant, Pillow Rock, Lost Paddle, Iron Ring, Sweets Falls) and
dozens of Class III-IV wave-trains in between. Released 2800 cfs from
Summersville Dam on 22 scheduled days during fall Gauley Season (late
August through mid-October). Commercial outfitters run minimum-age 16.

✓ Real river route loaded

🌊 Rapids (13)

Initiation Class III • Mile 0.5 Insignificant Class IV+ • Mile 1.0 Pillow Rock Class V • Mile 3.0 Lost Paddle Class V • Mile 4.5 Iron Ring Class V- • Mile 5.5 Sweets Falls Class V- • Mile 7.0 Box Canyon Class IV • Mile 7.5 Heaven Help You Class IV • Mile 8.0 Kanawha Falls (Rocky Top) Class IV • Mile 8.5 Mash Class IV • Mile 9.0 Jump Rock Class III • Mile 9.5 Pure Screaming Hell Class V- • Mile 11.5 Junkyard Class IV • Mile 11.8