West Virginia whitewater - Gauley River, Nicholas/ Fayette County Nicholas/ Fayette county, Summersville Dam to Mason Branch section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS IV-V     9.8 miles   To view Summersville Lake level and the out flow from the Summersville Dam, view: http://www.class-vi.com/summersville-lake.cfm Says Jeff Proctor This section of Gauley River in Nicholas/ Fayette County is 9.8 miles long and is according to American Whitewater a class IV-V section of whitewater. The wonderful Nicholas/ Fayette County scenery and the cool fresh water attract people from near and far. Whitewater rafting and kayaking in West Virginia is often easier than elsewhere, so if you're not from around here don't forget that rivers here     are not as hard as elsewhere. The starting location is a short drive from Oak Hill, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. This river system is full of great paddling stretches, the Summersville Dam to Mason Branch stretch is just one of them. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way in this general area you'll find lots of paddling spots. Getting some good exercise and spending some quality time in nature have a lot of people coming here. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, suitable for an afternoon trip. Briefly about the general area: Hiking along the Carnifex Trail is wonderful fun, and Pillow Rock Rapids is always fun to check out. The high level of rainfall makes Gauley River   a pretty wet site; throughout July this area sees the most rain, and February is the month with the least moisture. Throughout the months of summer at Gauley River highs are typically in the 80's. For the duration of the moonlight hours it's frequently in the 60's. The winter comes with highs in the 40's with temperatures at Gauley River dipping down into the 20's during winter nights. Have a fine hiking adventure along the Way Back Trail; a short spree to Lost Paddle Rapids is always worthwhile. This is such a great river. Gauley River, Summersville Dam to Mason Branch road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: IV-V Length: 9.8 miles Average Gradient: 36 fpm    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 38.21849 Longitude: -80.88939 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 38.22156 Longitude: -81.00377 Paddler input for Gauley River, West Virginia: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Gauley River, West Virginia Local climate location: CORTON 15 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Best Western Summersville Lake Motor Lodge, Summersville 8 miles away Come experience friendly customer service and convenient access to many local attractions such as Summersville Lake, Good Evening Ranch and the New River Gorge Bridge while staying at this Summersvill... Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Summersville, Wv, Summersville 8 miles away Country Inn & Suites Summersville offers a variety of 106 guest rooms and suites with 8 King Suites featuring a living room with a sofabed and a two person whirlpool. Hotel has sprinklers and smoke de... Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Charleston North (Elkview), Elkview 9 miles away Country Inn & Suites offers a variety of 90 guest rooms and Suites with 10 King Suites featuring a living room with a sofabed and 2 person whirlpool. Hotel has sprinklers and smoke detectors in all ar...   All West Virginia Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in West Virginia. Books about whitewater paddling on Gauley River, West Virginia List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Gauley River, West Virginia. Find a whitewater outfitter in West Virginia Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Oak Hill, West Virginia Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Oak Hill, West Virginia, the metro area neareast to Gauley River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Gauley River.   Whitewater Near Gauley River: Meadow River, Fayette/ Nicholas County , 3 miles away, Class IV-V+ - 5 miles long (Route 19 to confluence with Gauley River) Gauley River, Nicholas/Fayette County , 4 miles away, Class III+(IV) - 5.5 miles long (Mason Branch to Bucklick Branch) Meadow River, Nicholas/Fayette County , 6 miles away, Class III-IV - 5 miles long (Nallen to Route 19 Bridge) Glade Creek - Meadow River Tributary, Fayette County , 6 miles away, Class III-V - 2 miles long (County 60/12 bridge to Meadow River confluence) Peters Creek, Nicholas County , 7 miles away, Class II-III+(V+) - 2.5 miles long (County 22 bridge to mouth) Gauley River, Nicholas/Fayette County , 9 miles away, Class III-IV(V) - 11 miles long (Bucklick Branch to Swiss) Muddlety Creek, Nicholas County , 9 miles away, Class III-IV - 4.5 miles long (West Virginia 41 to Summersville Lake) Mill Creek - New River Tributary, Fayette County , 11 miles away, Class II-III - 5 miles long (Hopewell Road bridge to Ansted) Anglins Creek, Nicholas County , 11 miles away, Class II-IV - 9.5 miles long (CR 17/2 bridge to confluence of Meadow River) Keeney's Creek, Fayette County , 11 miles away, Class V+ - 0.75 miles long (to New River)   Ski Areas Near Gauley River: Winterplace, West Virginia , 36 miles away, 603 vertical feet Snowshoe, West Virginia , 67 miles away, 1500 vertical feet The Homestead, Virginia , 76 miles away, 700 vertical feet Canaan Valley, West Virginia , 113 miles away, 850 vertical feet Timberline, West Virginia , 116 miles away, 1000 vertical feet Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 122 miles away, 365 vertical feet Ski Beech, North Carolina , 128 miles away, 830 vertical feet Hawksnest, North Carolina , 128 miles away, 619 vertical feet Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 130 miles away, 1200 vertical feet Wisp, Maryland , 131 miles away, 610 vertical feet   Hotels Near Gauley River: Wilderness Lake Charlets, Mount Nebo , 5 miles away Rustic Retreat, Mount Nebo , 7 miles away Mountain State Motel, Summersville , 8 miles away Best Western Summersville Lake Motor Lodge, Summersville , 8 miles away Super 8 Motel, Summersville , 8 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Gauley River: Summersville Lake Retreat, Mount Nebo, 5 miles away Mountain Lake Campground, Summersville, 7 miles away New River Gorge Campground, Fayetteville, 13 miles away   Trails Near Gauley River: Carnifex Trail, Nicholas County , 1 miles away Way Back Trail, Nicholas County , 5 miles away   National Parks Near Gauley River: Bluestone National Scenic River, Glen Jean - WV , 23 miles away Gauley River National Recreation Area, Glen Jean - WV , 23 miles away   Lakes Near Gauley River