Virginia whitewater - Cowpasture River, Alleghany/Botetourt County

Alleghany/Botetourt county, Shaw Fork to Route 625 bridge section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS I-III     24.5 miles
  The Shaw Fork to Route 625 bridge stretch of Cowpasture River in Alleghany/Botetourt County is 24.5 miles long and has been rated as a class I-III section by American Whitewater. Whitewater rafting and kayaking in Virginia is often easier than elsewhere, so you'd better keep in mind that many runs in this state are very easy. Great exercise and spending some quality time in nature are great attractions for lots of people. The scenic beauty of Virginia and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water beats anything. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have
    to drive a bit to get to one, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. This is one of a small number of paddling sections in this river system, there are a few others too. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a large number
of paddling spots. This section is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so pack your sleeping bag.

Briefly about the general area:
Barracks Draft is a great site to spend some time at; don't leave Cowpasture River without first going for a hike along the Marshall Draft Trail. At this river you will never have a bad time.
Byrd Point is an interesting thing to see if you're here at Cowpasture River, and fine hiking is available along the Jerkemtight Trail. Cowpasture River gets a lot of water; July is the wettest month with
 
most rain; the driest month of the year is December. During the warmest time of the year highs here at Cowpasture River get into the 80's. Summer nighttime lows sink down to the 50's. The winter comes with highs in the 30's; night lows at Cowpasture River during the wintertime commonly plunge into the 10's.

Cowpasture River, Shaw Fork to Route 625 bridge road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: I-III
Length: 24.5 miles
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 38.3244
Longitude: -79.4368

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 38.04489
Longitude: -79.65391

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Current weather conditions at Cowpasture River, Virginia
WXPort

Local climate location: HOT SPRINGS 10 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Lexington - Days Inn Keydet General, Lexington
22 miles away
Welcome to the Days Inn of Lexington, conveniently located only 4 miles from Exit 188 B on I 81. This Days Inn is the closest to Washington and Lee University. While staying with us you can enjoy th...

Days Inn Lexington, Lexington
22 miles away
Chairman's Award Winner. Free High Speed Wireless Internet Outdoor seasonal pool Playground Area Free HBO/ESPN/ CNN AAA/AARP and Special Group Rates Aunt Sara's Pancake House on premises serving bre...

Howard Johnson Inn Lexington, Virginia, Lexington
22 miles away
Quality Excellence President's Award Conveniently located at I-81, Exit 195 Located high on a ridge with views of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains, with mountain view rooms Oversiz...



OTHER_INFO
  All Virginia Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Virginia.
Books about whitewater paddling on Cowpasture River, Virginia
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Cowpasture River, Virginia.
Find a whitewater outfitter in Virginia

Whitewater Basics
If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.
Outdoors Recreation Near Staunton-Waynesboro, Virginia
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Staunton-Waynesboro, Virginia, the metro area neareast to Cowpasture River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Cowpasture River.
 Whitewater Near Cowpasture River:
Bullpasture River, Highland\Bath County , 2 miles away, Class III+ - 4 miles long (Rt. 678 to Cowpasture River)
Bullpasture River, Highland/Bath County , 4 miles away, Class I-II - 10 miles long (Route 250 to Route 678)
Calfpasture River, Augusta/Rockbridge County , 8 miles away, Class II - 8 miles long (Route 692 to Route 687)
Crab Run, Highland County , 9 miles away, Class II-III - 3 miles long (Along Route 250 to McDowell)
Calfpasture River, Augusta/Rockbridge County , 9 miles away, Class I-II - 11.5 miles long (Route 687 to Goshen)
Shaws Fork, Highland County , 10 miles away, Class II-III - 4.5 miles long (Headwaters to Liberty)
Mill Creek, Rockbridge County , 10 miles away, Class II-III - 7.5 miles long (Route 42 Wayside to Goshen)
Calfpasture River, Augusta/Rockbridge County , 13 miles away, Class I-III - 10 miles long (Rt 250 to Route 692)
Calfpasture River, Augusta/Rockbridge County , 13 miles away, Class I-II - 4 miles long (Goshen to Maury River)
Laurel Run, Rockbridge County , 15 miles away, Class IV-V - 1.5 miles long (Game road to Maury River)
 Ski Areas Near Cowpasture River:
The Homestead, Virginia , 25 miles away, 700 vertical feet
Snowshoe, West Virginia , 33 miles away, 1500 vertical feet
Wintergreen, Virginia , 44 miles away, 1003 vertical feet
Canaan Valley, West Virginia , 45 miles away, 850 vertical feet
Timberline, West Virginia , 48 miles away, 1000 vertical feet
Massanutten, Virginia , 56 miles away, 1100 vertical feet
Bryce Resort, Virginia , 64 miles away, 500 vertical feet
Wisp, Maryland , 76 miles away, 610 vertical feet
Seven Springs, Pennsylvania , 101 miles away, 750 vertical feet
Hidden Valley, Pennsylvania , 104 miles away, 610 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Cowpasture River:
Lexington - Days Inn Keydet General, Lexington , 22 miles away
Days Inn Lexington, Lexington , 22 miles away
Howard Johnson Inn Lexington, Virginia, Lexington , 22 miles away
Best Western Inn At Hunt Ridge, Lexington , 23 miles away
Sleep Inn , Inn & Suites, Lexington , 23 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Cowpasture River:
Cold Sulphur Camp Ground, Goshen, 13 miles away
Virginia Power, Warm Springs, 19 miles away
Hidden Valley Campground, Bath County, 20 miles away
 Trails Near Cowpasture River:
Marshall Draft Trail, Bath County , 1 miles away
Jerkemtight Trail, Highland County , 2 miles away
Hupman Valley Trail, Highland County , 3 miles away
Walker Mountain Trail, Augusta County , 6 miles away
Benson Run Trail, Highland County , 6 miles away
 National Parks Near Cowpasture River:
Booker T Washington National Monument, Hardy - VA , 57 miles away

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater