Patrick
county,
Charity to Backwater of Philpott Lake section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.
CLASS II-III 9.5 miles
This section of Smith River in Patrick County is 9.5 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class II-III section. Whitewater rafting and kayaking in Virginia is often easier than elsewhere, so if you're visiting here do keep in mind that rivers here are not as hard as elsewhere. The starting location is a reasonable drive from Martinsville, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. Smith River doesn't have a lot of paddling stretches, the Charity to Backwater of Philpott Lake stretch is the only one.
Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way this is an area with plenty of spots for that. The wonderful Virginia scenery and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream will make you feel great. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have to
drive a bit to get to one, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. Getting some good exercise and a chance to spend some time outdoors are great attractions for lots of people. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, it's good length for a morning trip. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp.
Briefly about the general area: Smith River sees pretty high levels of precipitation; through October this area sees the most rain while January is the month with the least amount of precipitation.
For the duration of the summer, highs usually are in the 80's at Smith River, and during the night it cools down to the 50's. High temperatures through the wintertime are normally in the 40's, and night lows in the 20's for Smith River. White Falls is always fun to check out.
19 miles away
Knights Inn Collinsville VA is easily accessible from Hwy 220 and Hwy 58. We are situated in front of the Dutch Inn and next to Elizabeth Pizza. We are located near Virginia Museum of Natural History...
19 miles away
A great hotel in the Collinsville and Martinsville area! Hotel has a full service dining room and lounge, well appointed guest rooms, most with FREE high speed hard-wired Internet access. Free full br...
19 miles away
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Holiday Inn Express-Martinsville Hotel offers our guest that 'home away from home' experience with amenities for your comfort and convenience....
All Virginia Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Virginia.Books about whitewater paddling on Smith River, Virginia List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Smith River, Virginia.Find a whitewater outfitter in VirginiaWhitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.Outdoors Recreation Near Martinsville, Virginia Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Martinsville, Virginia, the metro area neareast to Smith River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
These outdoors activities are available near Smith River.