The Gauley River begins in Pocahontas County, West Virginia and measures 107 miles from its source. Flowing generally west-southwest, the Gauley meets the New River at Gauley Bridge and forms the Kanawha River, a major tributary of the Ohio River.

 World Class Whitewater Trips on the Upper Gauley River

 World Class Whitewater Trips on the Lower Gauley River

UPPER GAULEY	LOWER GAULEY
Rapid Rating: Class III-V+ World Class Whitewater	Rapid Rating: Class II-IV World Class Whitewater

Within the 25-mile stretch of the Gauley River National Recreation Area, the river is divided into two major sections, the Upper and Lower Gauley River, for the scheduled fall releases from Summersville Dam. In the spring and summer, the Middle Gauley River opens up a new level of adventure opportunities in addition to the Upper and Lower sections. The Upper Gauley has the legendary runs known the world over - steep drops, massive holes and colossal waves. Roller coaster waves and challenging drops also characterize the Lower Gauley, though not as steep as the Upper. Overall, the Gauley is technically demanding with more than 100 major rapids, and over half of them rated Class III and above. Experienced and properly equipped boaters navigate these waters, and it is advisable to travel with a commercially licensed outfitter, like North American River Runners (NARR).

A trip down the river is a little more complex than it at first sounds. If you organize your own trip, you need to know the access roads and have vehicles drop you off at the put-in and pick you up at the take-out, pack your food and rig your boat to carry it, purchase the appropriate equipment (life jackets, helmets, paddles, safety rope, first aid kit, repair kit, communication devices), be familiar with the river and its rapids and then make sure that everything will be there when you need it. Or, you can let NARR take care of those details for you. Here are a couple of ways that you can enjoy the different river sections of the Gauley River.

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