Virginia whitewater - Jackson River, Alleghany County

Alleghany county, Gathright Dam to James River section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS I-II     42.5 miles
  Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in this state tend to be more forgiving than the national average, so if you're not from around here don't forget that a large number of rivers in this state are quite easy. The Gathright Dam to James River stretch of Jackson River in Virginia is 42.5 miles long and it is classified as a class I-II section by American Whitewater. The natural beauty of Alleghany County and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water beats anything. This river system has a few good paddling sections and the Gathright Dam to James River
    section is one of them. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have to drive a bit to get to one, but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking
this is an area with plenty of rivers for that. A stretch this long is of course too much for a one day trip, so it looks like you will be camping out. Getting your paddling muscles activated and a chance to spend some time outdoors are sure to keep you coming back for more.

Briefly about the general area:
The high level of precipitation makes Jackson River a pretty wet place; all through July this area sees the most rain, and February is the month with the least moisture. Summertime at Jackson River arrives with high temperatures in the 80's; the nighttime
 
is slightly colder of course, frequently in the 50's. For the period of the winter highs are typically in the 30's with winter lows in the 10's overnight here at Jackson River.
There is a splendid hiking trail close to Jackson River called the Stony Run Trail. On a great day at Jackson River you can take a hike along the Sandy Gap Trail, and you might also want to pay a visit to McGraw Gap since you're here at Jackson River.

Jackson River, Gathright Dam to James River road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: I-II
Length: 42.5 miles
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 37.9494
Longitude: -79.95611

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 37.78419
Longitude: -79.77611

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Current weather conditions at Jackson River, Virginia
WXPort

Local climate location: BUCKEYE 19 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Best Western Mountain View, Covington
9 miles away
This modern Covington, Virginia hotel offers a variety of top amenities and convenient access to many local attractions. Come experience friendly efficient customer service, comfortable accommodatio...

Holiday Inn Express Covington, Virginia, Covington
9 miles away
The Holiday Inn Express Covington is a great hotel surrounded by the beautiful Virginia mountains. Built in 1999, this is a 4 story interior corridor hotel offers 63 guest rooms. Our hotel features a...

Best Value Inn - Covington, Covington
11 miles away
The Americas Best Value Inn in Covington, Virginia is a 43 room property located beautifully located in the Allegheny Mountains of teh Appalachian with breathtaking scenic views. All rooms are ground...



OTHER_INFO
  All Virginia Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Virginia.
Books about whitewater paddling on Jackson River, Virginia
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Jackson 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 Roanoke, Virginia
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Roanoke, Virginia, the metro area neareast to Jackson River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Jackson River.
 Whitewater Near Jackson River:
Wilson Creek, Alleghany County , 5 miles away, Class II-III - 7.5 miles long (Douthat Park Dam to Jackson River)
Cowpasture River, Botetourt County , 8 miles away, Class I-II - 13.5 miles long (Griffith to James River)
Roaring Run, Botetourt County , 9 miles away, Class V+ - 1.2 miles long (County line to Recreation Area)
Simpson Creek, Alleghany County , 12 miles away, Class II-III - 6.5 miles long (Truckstop to Route 60)
Back Creek - Jackson Tributary, Bath County , 14 miles away, Class I-III - 17.5 miles long (Bath County Pumped Storage Facility to Jackson River)
Ogle Creek, Alleghany County , 15 miles away, Class II-III - 5.7 miles long (Route 661 to Dunlap Creek)
James River, Botetourt County , 16 miles away, Class I-II - 16.5 miles long (Route 43 to Route 630)
Catawba Creek, Botetourt County , 17 miles away, Class I-III - 12 miles long (Fincastle to James River)
Dunlap Creek, Alleghany County , 17 miles away, Class I-IV - 18.5 miles long (Crows to Jackson River)
Jackson River, Bath/ Alleghany County , 17 miles away, Class I-III - 28.5 miles long (Vinegar Run to Route 603)
 Ski Areas Near Jackson River:
The Homestead, Virginia , 5 miles away, 700 vertical feet
Snowshoe, West Virginia , 31 miles away, 1500 vertical feet
Wintergreen, Virginia , 64 miles away, 1003 vertical feet
Canaan Valley, West Virginia , 69 miles away, 850 vertical feet
Timberline, West Virginia , 72 miles away, 1000 vertical feet
Massanutten, Virginia , 82 miles away, 1100 vertical feet
Winterplace, West Virginia , 88 miles away, 603 vertical feet
Bryce Resort, Virginia , 92 miles away, 500 vertical feet
Wisp, Maryland , 99 miles away, 610 vertical feet
Seven Springs, Pennsylvania , 124 miles away, 750 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Jackson River:
Best Western Mountain View, Covington , 9 miles away
Holiday Inn Express Covington, Virginia, Covington , 9 miles away
Best Value Inn - Covington, Covington , 11 miles away
Roanoke-Daystop Troutville, Troutville , 24 miles away
Holiday Inn Express Roanoke-Northeast(Troutville),, Troutville , 26 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Jackson River:
The Buckhorne Family Campground, Clifton Forge, 4 miles away
Buckhorn Store And Campground, Clifton Forge, 4 miles away
Douthat State Park, Millboro, 5 miles away
 Trails Near Jackson River:
Sandy Gap Trail, Bath County , 3 miles away
Stony Run Trail, Bath County , 4 miles away
Blue Suck Trail, Bath County , 4 miles away
Pine Tree Trail, Bath County , 4 miles away
Tobacco House Ridge Trail, Bath County , 4 miles away
 National Parks Near Jackson River:
Booker T Washington National Monument, Hardy - VA , 39 miles away
 Lakes Near Jackson River

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