In a summer that has the country practically locked down and Kanye West running for President, suffice to say the only certainty is that nothing is normal or predictable and anything can happen.
Although God only knows what the rest of summer holds, there’s two things I am betting on. One is that Coronavirus will be hanging around like a hair on a biscuit, and two is that it is going to be hotter than the suburbs of hell.
With that just wonderfully stressful combination settling upon us, here’s a few ideas of places to go to safely cool off in the wake of mostly closed pools and every home pool sold out through 2050. Hope you like kayaking kids because this is the summer we paddle everything!
Hit the Beach At Lake Vesuvius or Paddle Timbre Ridge
Want a nice paddle and a swim? Head over to the Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area in Wayne National Forest. Located about nine miles north of Ironton, the 143-acre Lake Vesuvius is a scenic lake tucked into the hills. Bring your own kayak or boat (nothing but electric motors allowed) and make your way to the Big Bend Swimming Area, which is open and around actually a big bend and past some scenic rock outcroppings. It’s a swim-at-your-own-risk beach with no lifeguards on duty. If you don’t have a boat, Kountry Kayaks has a rental shop at the boat dock where you can rent kayaks, pedal boats and more. Go online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/wayne/recreation/wateractivities/recarea/?recid=6204&actid=82 for more info about Vesuvius.
An even more secluded lake in the Wayne National Forest is Timbre Ridge in northeast Lawrence County. Find out more about that 100-acre lake at https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/wayne/recreation/wateractivities/recarea/?recid=6213&actid=82
Take A Trip on the Coal River
Located over in Tornado (just south of St. Albans) WV at Meadowood Park, The Coal River Group is a national award-winning environmental and eco-tourism non-profit that’s has cleaned up an promoted paddling the scenic Coal, Big Coal and Little Coal Rivers.
There’s a wealth of day trip and overnight kayak and canoe camping possibilities available with rich detailed maps, trip mileage, put-in and take-out GPS coordinates and more at https://www.coalrivergroup.com
There’s rentals on all three rivers including at their headquarters Coal River Kayaks at Meadowood Park. They offer kayak rental trips Wednesdays through Sundays. Get shuttled up seven miles to Lock 7 at Alum Creek and float down seven miles to the outfitters. Rental cost is $35 for singles and $65 for tandem kayaks (per day). Please call 304-722-3055 to make reservations. Go online at https://www.coalrivergroup.com/kayak-rentals.html
Don’t Throw Away Your Shot For An Island Getaway
Take a cool ride back in time on the Island Belle at Parkersburg, to the historic Blennerhassett Island State Park that sits in the middle of the Ohio River.
A trip with the kids would be incredibly timely after the July Fourth weekend showing of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit musical, “Hamilton.” Don’t throw away your shot to learn about the rest of the story and our area’s tie to the Hamilton tragedy. In the years following the shooting, Aaron Burr (who killed Hamilton) made the island (settled by wealthy Irish aristocrats, Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett) the headquarters for his military expedition to start a new country in the west independent of the U.S. The Blennerhassetts fled the island when Burr’s scheme collapsed but the mansion and history remain. Go online to learn more at https://wvtourism.com/islands-treasonous-secret/
The Mansion and Island (accessible by walking and bicycling – there are rentals on the island or bring your own) are open 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday’s through Sundays through pet. 6. The Island Belle sternwheeler departs from Point Park in Parkersburg, WV on the hour and from the Island for the return trip on the half hour.
Don’t Forget The Oyo!
While sometimes we overlook paddling on the Ohio River because of the high volume of barge traffic, keeping to the shores can make for scenic and enjoyable summertime paddles as the water clears as it has now. We’ve had many a good kayak and canoe paddle on the river including some easy day trips from Guyandotte Boat Ramp in Huntington to Harris Riverfront Park. It’s surprisingly scenic, has abundant birds, fish and wildlife and a bit of urban river ruins (old docking terminals, graffiti, etc.) to make the trip interesting.
If you’re looking for a little longer scenic day-trip, try a run from the Greenbottom Wildlife Management Area Boat Launch about a dozen miles down to The Fly In Cafe, 6090 Kyle Lane, Huntington, that sits along the river just north of the YMCA Glenbrier soccer fields. Check in with the Fly In schedule as they typically have live music out on the patio on the weekends if you want to time it out for that.
The Little Sandy River
The 95-mile-long Little Sandy River is arguably one of the most scenic regional rivers with its abundant and spectacular cliff-lined banks in Elliott and Carter Counties in Eastern Kentucky. The River, which is dammed to create the equally-cliff-lined and popular Grayson Lake, is a great day-trip paddle destination.
Try a nine-mile trip from the Heritage Canoe Carry Down near Laurel Gorge Cultural and Heritage Center to the Newfoundland Boat Ramp. Or pop in at the boat ramp and paddle upstream (the current is not swift) and then float back. Check out the Tri-State Kayakers FB group for lots of good tips for paddling to Grayson Lake’s Hidden Cove (best paddled during the week because of weekend crowds).
Downstream near the Little Sandy River’s end near Greenup where it pours into the mighty Ohio, check out rentals and paddle trips with Dragonfly Outdoor Adventures online at http://www.dragonflyoutdooradventures.com/
Floating The New
With strict Covid guidelines, the West Virginia whitewater industry is back in business and it is a great feeling to be back on the river with them.
We did a Father’s Day trip with a bunch of families to Adventures on the Gorge on the Upper New and can say they are taking the utmost precautions for our health and safety. Many of the New outfitters are running specials including rafting kids for free.
Speaking of the Upper New, if you are up that way, take the short hiking trip up Glade Creek to splash in the waterfall and natural swimming area.
Of note is that ACE’s awesome five-acre Wonderland Waterpark is back open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a capacity set (you’ll want to reserve in advance). The park cost $29.95 and $15 or half day $19.95 (adults) and $10 for kids. Call 1-800-787-3982 and go online at www.aceraft.com.
At Adventures on the Gorge, cool off at the Canyon Falls swimming pool that sits on the Gorge rim with a great overlook of the NRG Bridge. Go online at www.adventureson thegorge.com
Also, be sure to explore some on the NRG CVB website before ya go to get some more good local ideas for hiking, biking and family fun at https://newrivergorgecvb.com/
Farther up the New, you can rent kayaks, tubes, fishing rafts and duckies from Water Dawg Outdoors in Hinton, the quaint mountain city where the New, Bluestone and Greenbrier Rivers meet. Call 304-309-5213 or check them out on FB and online http://www.waterdawgoutdoors.com
Cooling Off In Canaan Valley
At 3,200 feet, Canaan Valley is the highest valley east of the Mississippi and has got the cool summer temperatures to prove it. When it’s running in the 90s here in the lowest parts of the state (the Ohio River Valley) make a great escape over to the mountains to cool it now.
While there’s an incredible amount of hiking, mountain biking and summer fun to be had in the Valley, a must-do summer float trip is a day trip on the nearby Cheat River in Parsons with Blackwater Outdoor Adventures.
They’ve got. Four, 8 and 11 mile floats there on the Cheat that are incredibly scenic as the river slices through the heart of the mountains. Go online at https://www.blackwateroutdoors.com
While nearby Dolly Sods Wilderness is, of course, known throughout the East Coast as a backpacking and day hiking destination, there’s lots of other alternative hiking spots nearby in the sprawling Monongahela National Forest, including ones in the Laurel Fork Wilderness, Roaring Plains Wilderness and the Otter Creek Wilderness.
Go online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/mnf to find the latest news from the MNF and the latest openings, which include the Bishop Knob and Summit Lake campgrounds near Richwood and the Pocahontas Campground near Marlinton.
Float The Elk From King Shoals to Queen Shoals
Now the focus of a new riverside rail trail system, the Elk River is also a prime place for some regional paddling centered in Clay County home to 46 miles of the Elk. Elk River Get-A-Way outfitters run rental trips for a host of trips out of their center at King Shoals public access at Clendenin.
Feel like a river King for a day floating six miles from King Shoals to Queen Shoals. Choose from trips that range from four or six miles up to 10 and 20 miles. At Elk River Get-A-Way you can rent everything from personal inner tube floats to kayaks. They also have shuttle service if you have your own kayaks. Call 304-993-0006 or go online at https://www.elkgetaway.com
For cyclists, check out the now finished 10 miles of the new Elk River Trail State Park is now open from Duck to Ivydale. Ultimately that trail will be 73 miles from Falling Rock, outside of Clendenin in Kanawha County, through Clay County to Duck, and into Braxton County. The trail system will also include the entire 18-mile Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad (BC&G) that runs along Buffalo Creek between Dundon/Clay and Widen. That Buffalo Creek Recreational Trail is one of a handful of rail bike excursions in the U.S. Go online at buffalocreektrail.com for more info.
Cooling Off At Beech Fork During the Week
Located just a stone’s throw south of Huntington, the 720-acre Beech Fork Lake is home to the state’s largest campground so FYI it can get too crowded on the weekends. But since it is so close this is the spot for an after-work paddle during the week. While many swimming areas are closed, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does have its Stowers Branch Swimming Area beach (no lifeguard) open to the public on the Lavalette side. It is currently free and open to the public.
The Beech Fork Marina has a boat rental fleet with: Bennington Deluxe pontoons boats, Sun Tracker Bass Buggy pontoon boats, Tracker bass boats, fishing boats, canoes and kayaks. Boats can be rented for up to 2 hours, up to 4 hours and up to 8 hours. Call ahead for rentals – 304-522-9374.
On the State Park side, Beech Fork State Park has opened its swimming pool. It is open at 11 a.m. daily and has a strict Covid capacity policy so everyone can safely space out. Especially on weekends you will want to be there in line before it opens to get a spot. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Canoes, kayaks, jon boats, paddle boats and stand up paddle boards are available to rent at the park’s boat dock from noon to 8 p.m. Life jackets are required and provided with rentals. To rent a boat, you must be 16 or older and provide valid identification. The park also has a boat launch if you have your own boats. Call the park office at (304) 528-5794 for further boat launch information. Don’t forget your discs on the state park side since they have a 9-hole beginner’s disc golf course.
Doing The Dotte
We’ve done several day trips on the nearby and 160-mile-long Guyandotte River from near the 4-H Camp to Farmdale Road access boat ramp (across the river from the West Virginia Veterans Home).
On July Fourth, we did a group trip from the S&J Market in Martha, (across the road is a put-in that is very steep but mostly sand banks so doable) and had a marvelous and swift float down into the middle of Barboursville.
While high waters this spring have made the Farmdale take-out completely mud-covered, hopefully that will get dug out for a less mucked-up take-out because that’s a mighty fine three hour or so float trip that’s hard to beat for being so close.
The group, Guyandotte Water Trail keeps a website and a constantly updated FB page that has a very helpful Google map of take-out/put-in spots along the Guyandotte that starts in Wyoming County and runs all the way to the Ohio River at Huntington’s Guyandotte neighborhood.
Go online at https://guyandottewatertrail.com and be sure and dial up the FB page for fresh info. Here’s the link to . access the Google map https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewermid=17JaDB2TJj_bkaPaQnXysPkmq7RPeVgHf&ouid=0&ll=38.00278466995867%2C-81.88732240000002&z=10
