A Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to West Virginia - Paperback

by Paul Davidson (Author), Ward Eister (Author), Dirk Davidson (Author)

Get the authoritative guide to the waterways of West Virginia, featuring almost all of the state's paddleable waterways in more than 200 trips.

West Virginia's paddling routes are legendary: Gauley River, North Branch of the Potomac, New River, Cheat River, Tygart River, Waites Run, Red Run, Roaring Creek, and Keeney Creek--just to name a few! The best way to experience the Mountain State is by paddle. Canoeing & Kayaking West Virginia is the most comprehensive guide to the best of West Virginia's unique streams, creeks, and rivers. It provides engaging and concise information, while offering carefully selected details vital to a successful paddling adventure.

Since 1965--when this guidebook was called Wildwater West Virginia, a collective effort by members of the West Virginia Wildwater Association--Canoeing & Kayaking West Virginia has been a trusted source for paddlers. This updated edition leads paddlers of all abilities to over 120 of West Virginia's waterways. The result of combined knowledge of hundreds of paddlers, this guidebook gives paddlers all the information they need to traverse rivers safely and confidently.

Book Features

• Details on over 200 top paddling trips


• New river profiles and updated maps and contact information


• Ratings for solitude and scenery


• At-a-glance data including river class, length, time, and more

Canoeing & Kayaking West Virginia is simply the best and most informative West Virginia paddling guide available. Wet your paddle and whet your taste for outdoor adventure.

Back Jacket

For the past 30 years, dog-eared copies of Wildwater West Virginia have found permanent homes in the glove boxes and bookshelves of serious whitewater paddlers. While this classic guide now sports a new look and a new title, you'll find the same high-caliber advice that thousands of paddlers have relied on while paddling the streams and rivers of the Mountain State.
Inside are updated descriptions of all the classic rivers, including the Gauley, the New, and the Meadow, as well as exciting new reports of today's steep creek runs. Each river description highlights critical information about difficulty, steepness, and scenery, as well as vital gauge and shuttle information.
Whether you're an experienced paddler or are just starting out, you'll want to grab a copy or two of A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to West Virginia - the definitive guide to whitewater in West Virginia.

Author Biography

Charlie Walbridge began paddlng in 1969. An active slalom racer and river guide in the 1970s, he has a number of first descents on West Virginia rivers. He is a board member for American Whitewater and Friends of the Cheat, and a writer with a special interest in safety issues. After running a whitewater shop in Philadelphia for 20 years, he and his wife Sandy now live in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia.