The Gauley River pumps with 25 miles of heart-pounding rapids and is home to six weeks of river-rafting fun each autumn, known as the Gauley Fest. Rafters come from around the globe to experience the pounding hydraulics of the Upper Gauley River, with its dangerous, expert-only rapids. If your skill level or heart isn't quite ready for rapids rated Class 5 on the International Scale of River Difficulty, you can take it down a notch to the challenging Class 4 action found on the lower portion of the river.
Rafting Season
- The Lower Gauley encompasses the last 11 miles of the river before its confluence with the New River. While it can be runnable year-round, you can take a tour with commercial companies on the river from spring through autumn. Water levels fluctuate throughout the summer, depending on rainfall, and releases from the Summersville Dam. You can count on raftable levels Friday through Monday for at least five consecutive weekends, with additional weekend days wrapping up the season in late October. The flow is reduced during the week during October for fishing purposes, with fish stocked at the beginning of the month.
River Characteristics
- During Gauley season, flows are scheduled between 1800 to 2800 cfs. Flows may drop below 1800 cfs, changing the character of the river and revealing additional rocks and undercuts. Although the Lower Gauley is not quite as wild as the Upper, you won't feel slighted as you run numerous big rapids with colorful names such as Pure Screaming Hell, Chickenender, Hell Hole and Gateway to Heaven. The gradient on the river varies from 26 to 30 fpm, and in addition to the regular boat-sucking holes, undercut ledges and visible strainers, you'll need to watch out for barely-submerged hazards, such as logs and tree branches pointing upstream.
Camping
- You can camp in the Gauley River National Recreation area as long as you ensure you are on federal land, use Leave No Trace ethics, and make your camp at least 100 feet from any trail, structure, river access point or cliff. Camp along the Summersville Lake just above the release dam at Battle Run Campground (corpslakes.usace.army.mil) in one of 107 campsites that provide pull-through sites, electric hookups, a dump station, laundry facilities and drinking water. After a challenging day on the river, wash away the sand in a hot shower and enjoy the convenience of flush toilets. Wander nature trails, play volleyball or romp with the kids on the playground. Walk-in tent sites also are available at the campground. Private campgrounds are in the towns of Summersville and Mount Nebo.
Wildlife
- In addition to the inherent dangers that come from tackling the huge white water in the river, beware of dangers on land as well. Timber rattlesnakes and copperheads are protected in the Gauley River National Recreation Area, so retreat to a safe distance if you happen to see one. Watch where you put your hands and feet along the river and your campsite. If hiking, bring a stout stick to tap the ground ahead of you when climbing over rocks or around bushes where you don't have a line of sight to what's on the other side. Other poisonous creatures found in the area include the brown recluse and black widow spiders.
