Bluestone River Classifications

The Bluestone River includes more than 40 miles of rapids from Spanishburg to the Bluestone State Park in West Virginia. The best time of year to raft the river is during the spring, but even then its classification difficulty is at a maximum of Class III, which is geared toward intermediate boaters wishing to view the scenery while maneuvering a few easily avoidable obstacles.

  1. About the Bluestone River

    • The Bluestone is a 77-mile river that stretches from southwestern Virginia to southern West Virginia, where it joins the New River near the town of Hinton. It is divided into three sections: The upper Bluestone River consists of narrow gorges, the middle Bluestone River travels through a valley surrounded by steep-walled hills, and the Bluestone National Scenic River is a 10.5-mile lower portion protected by the National Park Service.

    International Scale of River Difficulty

    • Classifications provide a general difficulty rating for the rapids of a river in regard to water sports such as canoeing, kayaking and whitewater rafting. Although river difficulty can change from year to year, the rating system should be used as a general guide and not as a substitute for first-hand experiences. There are six classes of difficulty: Class I (low-risk water with few obstructions and small waves), Class II Novice (wide, clear rapids with medium-size waves and occasional maneuvers around rocks), Class III Intermediate (moderate and irregular waves with some complex maneuvers), Class IV Advanced (intense, powerful waves that require precise handling with some dangerous hazards), Class V Expert (long and violent rapids with large, unavoidable waves, congested chutes with difficult swims and high risk of injury) and Class VI Extreme and Exploratory Rapids (runs that are seldom attempted due to extreme difficulty and high level of danger).

    Spanishburg to Eads Mill

    • The Spanishburg-to-Eads Mill journey covers 10.5 miles of the Bluestone River's upper-middle portion with classifications between Class I and III. With an average water level of 7.46 feet, it begins with a 3.3-mile paddle through Class I waters to a breached dam, with the final mile including two named rapids of higher difficulty: Bear Claw includes a sloping ledge on the right side of the river, and Gwinns contains an undercut cliff face on the left side. The average gradient of this portion is 25 feet per minute with a maximum gradient of 40 feet per minute in the last mile.

    Eads Mill to Bluestone State Park

    • This 21.3-mile middle portion of the Bluestone River travels from Eads Mill to Bluestone State Park and has an average water level of 7.39 feet and Class II and III rapids. This section includes the highest gradient, 40 feet per minute, during the first mile, continues for 10.9 miles and ends near the aerial tramway at Pipestem State Park, where paddlers can take the tram 3,600 feet above the Bluestone River Gorge beginning in April of each year.

    Bluestone State Park

    • This 10.5-mile lower section of the river features miles of Class I rapids, making it suitable for beginning paddlers. This scenic section travels near many fishing areas, through an 800-foot gorge and includes some whitewater rapids when water levels permit. Several boat-launching ramps are located in the park, including the Old Mill camping area, Meador camping area and the West Virginia Highway 20 bridge at the mouth of the Bluestone River.