A. Parsons to
Rowlesburg 36.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
C-I 7/8 Medium
(718/1,697) A-B/A-B 2.9-5.0
Parsons Parsons
Topographic Maps: Parsons (WVa), St. George (WVa), Rowlesburg (WVa)
County Maps: Tucker (WVa), Preston (WVa)
Description: This scenic run is ideal for a relaxing canoe-camping/fishing trip. The river is wide, rocky, fairy shallow with deeper pools. Rowlesburg to the cement plant downstream is flat. The banks are mostly sloping wooded. Civilization is noticeable along parts of the river, but consists mostly of cottages and camps with a few permanent dwellings and farms. Several sections, especially below the Seven Islands area, are quite remote. Numerous potential riverside and island campsites can be found throughout the run. Fishing is good, especially for small mouth bass and pan fish. Locals often catch trout in the fast water and near stream mouths. [Checked 2001]
Difficulties: Some strainers along the river banks, but these are easily avoided.
Shuttle: Trip length possibilities are wide open as West Virginia Route 72 follows the stream closely. Put-in and take-out spots are numerous and as variable as the canoeist's interest. This section can be broken into several good one-day trips.
Gauges: Parsons. This gauge should read between 2.9 and 5.0 feet. This corresponds to a flow of 440 to 2,600 cfs. The Albright Bridge gauge further downstream will probably read between 3.0 and 4.5 feet.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is medium-sized, it should normally be runnable approximately December through May.
B. Rowlesburg to
Lick Run 5.2 miles
"The Narrows"
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
III 19/23 Large (972/2,284) A-B/A-B
Rowlesburg Rowlesburg
Topographic Maps: Rowlesburg (WVa), Kingwood (WVa)
County Maps: Preston (WVa)
Description: "The Narrows" has a great feeling of isolation in its large wooded valley. Hidden behind the trees on the left shore is WVa State Route 72, while the railroad is hidden on the right. At lower level the Class III rapids are open and obvious with little maneuvering required, but a fairly strong push hides in the powerful currents. At higher levels large standing waves and deep holes offer a lot more excitement. At Rowlesburg the river is wide and generally shallow. The best part, "the Narrows", is the 5 miles, beginning at the cement plant 2 miles below Rowlesburg, and ending at Lick Run on river left upstream from the railroad bridge. Above Lick Run the river is alive with aquatic life and known for fishing. The orange covered rocks at Lick Run is from mine acid and this kills the fish below here. [Checked 1988]
Difficulties: The biggest rapid, psychologically and actually, is called "Calamity Rock". It can be scouted from the road. This rock is preceded by a long rock garden. Stay right as you proceed through the rock garden and can begin to see the drop at Calamity. The runnable chute is on the right of the rock; it is narrow. In low water (0.5 foot or below at the Albright Bridge gauge), this is a tricky S-turn with little power. In higher water the chute is straight through into a boiling hydraulic with very strong side eddies. For scouting, there is a good pool on the right above Calamity Rock, most of the way through the rock garden. At 2 feet (on the Albright Bridge gauge) Calamity Rock juts up out of the water; at 4 feet it is covered by water and has a strong hydraulic just below it. Avoid the rock; it might be a calamity. The next two rapids "Winds" and "Rocking Horse" both have high standing waves down the center with occasional holes tucked in between.
Shuttle: West Virginia Route 72 follows this section closely; so many shuttle possibilities are available. There are numerous wide shoulders for parking. There is a public park with a large parking lot and good access to the river at the upstream end of Rowlesburg. This adds about a mile of flatwater to the trip.
Gauges: Rowlesburg. We do not have enough information to report runnable levels on this section. A reading of 3.9 on the Rowlesburg gauge corresponds to the mean flow of 2,284 cfs. Since this is a medium-sized river, we speculate that the river will be runnable at 3.9 and may be on the high side of runnable at that level. The Albright Bridge gauge further downstream will probably read between 0.5 and 4.0 feet. This section is runnable at zero on the Albright Bridge gauge, although it involves technical maneuvering. At 4 feet, there are huge standing waves and river-wide rollers to contend with. It is suitable for open canoes with experienced whitewater paddlers up to 3.0 feet. Experienced closed boats and rafts have run it up to 8 feet. Note the Albright Bridge gauge is painted on the highway bridge in Albright and should not be confused with the Albright power station gauge, which is reported by phone.
The following graph shows the correlation between the 7:00 AM readings for the Parsons and Albright Bridge gauges during the 1988 canoeing season. Values are in feet. For example, readings of 2.0 feet at the Albright power station corresponded to readings of 1.7 to 2.8 feet at Parsons. Note that Parsons is about 50 miles upstream from the Albright power station, so water level changes in the headwaters are reflected in the Parsons reading before they reach Albright. For example, the day Parsons was 7.1 and Albright Power Station 3.1, the river at both stations was rising; the following day Parsons had dropped to 6.6 and Albright Power Station had risen to 5.0; and the day after that Parsons was down to 4.9 and the Albright Power Station to 3.9. In other words, the crest at Parsons was about a day before the crest at Albright.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is medium-sized, it should normally be runnable approximately December through May.
C. Lick Run to Albright
Bridge 6.3 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
I 8/8 Large (1,000/1,667) /C 0.5-4.0
estimate Albright Bridge
Topographic Maps: Kingwood (WVa)
County Maps: Preston (WVa)
Description: Not reported at this time. This section is mostly visible from the accompanying roads and is generally flat. [Checked 1988]
Difficulties: Beware of the dam at the power plant in Albright. It is a low head dam with the proverbial dangerous hydraulic.
Gauges: Albright Bridge. This gauge should read between 0.5 and 4.0 feet.
Shuttle: West Virginia Route 72 follows the first half of this run. Cross the river on State Route 7, then turn left/north on County Road 712 to continue following the river to Albright.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is medium-sized, it should normally be runnable approximately December through May.
D. Albright to
Jenkins Bridge 11.4 miles
"The Canyon"
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
IV-V 25/43 Large (1,300/2,167) A/B minus 0.5-5.0
estimate Albright
Bridge
Topographic Maps: Kingwood (WVa), Valley Point (WVa)
County Maps: Preston (WVa)
Description: This is a steep-walled canyon with beautiful scenery and fantastic rock formations worn away by the river. It is deep enough and inaccessible enough to be protected from the ravages of civilization. At least, one can not see much intrusion from the bottom of the canyon. The Canyon proper begins 0.75 miles below Albright. This section is for rafts and experienced closed boaters only. At low water (0.0 foot at Albright) there is not enough water for an open canoe to drop over the ledges and at slightly higher levels there are countless opportunities for pinning an open boat. The first rapid is known as Decision Rapid. If you have trouble here, get out while you still can. The end is many miles away. There are the vague remains of an old logging road high on the right bank, for walking out.
The more maneuverable C-1s and K-1s can run comfortably at levels down to 0.9 feet at Albright. At 2.5 feet on the Albright Bridge gauge, commercial trips switch to high water operation. At this level, there are large hydraulics to catch and tumble a raft and many opportunities to pin on rocks that have huge mounds of water piled on their upstream faces. Standing waves, capable of standing large rafts vertically, abound.
At the 1.0‑foot level on the Albright Bridge gauge the first few miles of canyon are a fairly easy Class IV. The next 3 miles are Class III-III+. Then follows 3 miles of Class IV-V rapids (deep holes, large drops, tortuous channels, etc.). The last 2 miles are easy Class II. The flood of November 1985, while washing out bridges, roads, houses, schools and much else, also did a major rearranging of the many rapids on the Cheat, as well as many other West Virginia rivers. Be aware that if you have not run the Canyon since the flood, many routes and some entire rapids have disappeared and have been replaced by new ones. [Checked 1989]
Difficulties: The rapids in the canyon do not have obvious routes. Many resemble rats' nests, with water flowing into and around large boulders. Scouting is difficult. Due to the length of the run, extensive scouting may well turn this into a two-day trip. Experienced paddlers recommend that on the first several runs, boaters travel with others familiar with this section. Take out at the first big rapids if you have any trouble.
This river is heavily used during the spring by boaters from all over the eastern United States and many commercial rafting companies as well. On any given spring weekend you will be sharing the river with hundreds of canoes, C-1s, and kayaks and a seemingly endless parade of rafts. All this extra company should not be counted upon for any support, and if you do not stay alert you may find yourself run over by the traffic.
Shuttle: It is long. From Albright, take West Virginia Route 26 south to Kingwood. Turn north/right onto West Virginia Route 7 to Masontown. In Masontown, turn right on the road to Bull Run (Country Route 23). Follow the one lane dirt road down the mountain to the river. There is a bridge at Jenkinsburg and a good take-out with a short carry up to it. Find it on river right just before the junction with the Big Sandy. A number of vehicles have been vandalized at Jenkinsburg when the river traffic has been light.
Alternate Shuttle: Do not do it! The Valley Point Road via Rockville is much shorter, but people who have driven the road once generally do not do it a second time.
A good combination is to have one group run the Canyon and another run the Narrows. The people running the Narrows will finish first and can come to Jenkins Bridge to meet the Canyon trip.
Gauges: Albright Bridge gauge. This gauge should read between minus 0.5 and 5.0 feet. The Parsons gauge which is about a day upstream will probably read between 1.9 and 6.1 feet. Since the Canyon is so steep, it rises fast. There is no place for the water to spread out. The level can be influenced by storms far upstream in the Forks of the Cheat. Check the level several days running before your trip. If it is stable, or falling slowly, it should be okay. Be aware that the river rises fast and can be a nightmare at high levels. Try the Narrows if the Canyon is too high.
Note: The Albright Bridge gauge is painted on the highway bridge in Albright and should not be confused with the Albright power station gauge, which is reported by phone.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Although this section is large, the gradient and steepness of its drops reduce the normally runnable season to early October through early July, with it often being too high during the spring runoff.
E. Jenkins Bridge 9.0 miles
to Cheat Lake (Lake Lynn)
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
III 12/20 Large (1,400/2,333) A/B 0.0-4.0
estimate Albright Bridge
Topographic Maps: Valley Point (WVa), Masontown (WVa), Lake Lynn (WVa)
County Maps: Preston (WVa), Monongalia (WVa)
Description: The first section of this trip is fairly open rapids. There is maneuvering, but the course is obvious. The last 5 miles are flat as you are paddling in the backwaters of Lake Lynn. The high mountains surround the river, but do not close it in as they do upstream in the Canyon. Allow time to scout the first few rapids. [Checked 1988]
Difficulties: Powerboats on the lake.
Shuttle: From Jenkinsburg (see previous section) go south to Masontown. Turn right onto West Virginia Route 7. Go about 8 miles and go east on the four lane, Interstate 68. Go about 6 miles and just after crossing the lake, take exit 10 onto County Road 857. Follow this to the old Ices Ferry Bridge.
Gauges: Albright Bridge gauge. This gauge should read between 0.0 and 5.0 feet. The Parsons gauge which is about a day upstream will probably read between 2.3 and 5.3 feet.
Note: The Albright Bridge gauge is painted on the highway bridge in Albright and should not be confused with the Albright power station gauge, which is reported by phone.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is large, it should normally be runnable all year, but it may be too high from February to April.
F. Town of Lake Lynn 2.7 miles
to Monongahela River
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level
I 6/6 Large(/) B/B
Topographic Maps: Morgantown
North VW-PA, Lake Lynn WVa
County Maps: Fayette
Description: Wide flat flowing water. A few Class I rapids when the flow is low. The river is not developed for the first 1.7 miles, but below that there are homes near the water.
Difficulties: The river is dam controlled and they do make quick changes to the river level. The level can rise suddenly. Do not put in upstream of the town of Lake Lynn as this section is off limits to boaters.
Shuttle: For a put-in use the wide shoulder at the town of Lake Lynn. There are signs here warning that the level can rise suddenly. To reach the take out, follow T461 down to the State Route 119 bridge. The take out is on river right, just after this bridge.
Gauge: None. Look at the water just below the dam to determine if it high or low.
Normal Wet Period: Since the river is dam controlled it can be canoeable year round.