Virginia whitewater, Powell River Wise county, Appalachia to Big Stone Gap section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II-IV     3 miles   Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in Virginia tend to be more forgiving than the national average, so don't forget that many runs in this state are very easy. The Appalachia to Big Stone Gap section of Powell River in Wise County is 3 miles long and is a class II-IV section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. The scenic beauty of Virginia and the playfulness of the water beats anything. If you'll be staying in a hotel you're     in luck, lodging is available very near the river, but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. Great exercise and just being out on the river for a while are sure to keep you coming back for more. The put-in location is a short drive from Kingsport-Bristol, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. This is a bit of a short stretch so it's not like you're gonna spend hours on the river in one stretch. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this area has a large number of paddling places. The beautiful Cumberland Plateau   Mountains scenery is an added bonus. This is not the only paddling stretch in this river system, there are others too. Briefly about the general area: If you're popping by Powell River from Big Stone Gap, you won't be the only one. Natural Tunnel State Park is both great and beautiful, and it's right next door to Powell River. At Powell River through the warm days of summer highs are in the 80's, and all through summer nights temperatures are in the 60's. During the winter the highs are mostly in the 40's while Powell River overnight low temperatures all through the winter are in the 20's. Powell River, Appalachia to Big Stone Gap road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Powell River.   Whitewater Near Powell River: Powell River - South Fork, Wise County, 4 miles away       Class V+ - 4 miles long (South Fork Gorge) Cove Creek, Scott County, 5 miles away       Class IV-V+ - 2 miles long (Cove Creek Gorge to Stinking Creek confluence) Powell River, Wise County, 5 miles away       Class II-IV - 3 miles long (Appalachia to Big Stone Gap) Powell River, Wise/ Lee County, 5 miles away       Class I-II - 12 miles long (Big Stone Gap to Dryden) Big Stony - Devil's Fork, Scott County, 6 miles away       Class III+(IV) - 1.5 miles long (Straight Fork Confluence to Big Stony Takeout) Clear Creek, Wise County, 6 miles away       Class IV+ - 0.75 miles long (Clear Creek Gorge) Stock Creek, Scott County, 7 miles away       Class III-IV+(V) - 1.5 miles long (Upper Gorge) Big Stony Creek, Scott County, 9 miles away       Class III - 4 miles long (Chimney Rock Fork to Route 653 Bridge) Big Stony - Mountain Fork, Scott County, 10 miles away       Class V+ - 4 miles long (Mountain Fork to Chimney Rock Fork) Stock Creek, Scott County, 11 miles away       Class II-III - 1.8 miles long (Natural Tunnel State Park)   Ski Areas Near Powell River: Wolf Ridge, North Carolina , 54 miles away, 700 foot drop, 5 lifts, 20 runs Ski Beech, North Carolina , 70 miles away, 830 foot drop, 10 lifts, 15 runs Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 73 miles away, 1200 foot drop, 8 lifts, 20 runs Hawksnest, North Carolina , 74 miles away, 619 foot drop, 4 lifts, 12 runs Cataloochee, North Carolina , 79 miles away, 740 foot drop, 4 lifts, 10 runs Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 83 miles away, 365 foot drop, 5 lifts, 9 runs Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 89 miles away, 600 foot drop, 3 lifts, 8 runs   Hotels Near Powell River: Comfort Inn Big Stone Gap, Big Stone Gap , 4 miles away Holiday Inn NORTON, Norton , 5 miles away Days Inn Norton, Norton , 7 miles away Super 8 Norton VA, Norton , 7 miles away Quality Inn & Suites Norton, Norton , 7 miles away   Campgrounds Near Powell River: High Knob, Norton, 6 miles away Jessie Lea Recreational Vehicle Park-Campground, Big Stone Gap, 6 miles away Cane Patch Campground, Wise County, 11 miles away   Trails Near Powell River: Pine Mountain Trail, Letcher , 20 miles away   Public Lands Near Powell River: Natural Tunnel State Park, Virginia , 11 miles away Kingdom Come State Park, Kentucky , 20 miles away Warriors Path State Park, Tennessee , 27 miles away   Golf Courses Near Powell River: Lonesome Pine Country Club, Big Stone Gap , 3 miles away Raven Rock Golf Course, Jenkins , 15 miles away Dan Hall Mountain Resort & Country Club, Coeburn , 17 miles away   Lakes Near Powell River Big Cherry Reservoir, Wise , 4 miles away Fishpond Lake, Letcher , 14 miles away