Overview:
Big Reed Island Creek flows north into the New River near Allisonia, at the head of Claytor Lake. Big Reed Island is a creek in the southern sense and would be considered a river anywhere else. It is roughly the size of the Roanoke, Appomattox, or lower Tye. It drains a lightly populated watershed and offers attractive, generally easy paddling for residents of the Blacksburg or Roanoke area.
Recommended trips:
- (daytrip) Route 672 to Route 693
- (daytrip) Route 753 to Rt 607
- (daytrip) Route 764 to Rt 693 bridge
Directions to Put ins and Take Outs:
View Big Reed Island Creek in a larger map
Route 672: This small dirt road can be accessed via Rt 221 or the confusing tangle of roads to the north. Put in at unposted field where road turns away from river, parking roadside.
Route 753: This rather low bridge has fairly convenient access and roadside parking.
Route 693: There is an unposted field on the northeast side of the river, with narrow roadside parking
Route 607: There is roadside parking and you can drag across the field on the southeast side of the river, which is not posted. This is the last takeout before the New River.
Sections of River to Run:
Rt 672 to Rt 693: There is a bridge (Rt 753) two thirds of the way through this 15 mile or so section, which makes a nice day trip. This is a fairly remote area except for several vacation cabins, only one of which is gaudy. There are many attractive large rocks and ledges. Two thirds of the way through the trip you will see a strange tunnel passing through bedrock on the left, across the way from some campers. This is a millrace that signals the beginning of a very long hairpin bend in the river. Do not attempt to run this millrace, which terminates in a shallow, strainer-choked, 15 foot waterfall. It is attractive when seen from downstream. Part of the way through this hairpin bend a small gravel road starts to follow the river, and will follow it to the Rt 694 bridge. There are a few technical rapids which have ledges no more than a foot or so in height. At moderate water levels anyone with a modicum of boat control should have no problem navigating these class I-II rapids, which are concentrated at the end of the run.
Rt 693 to Route 607: This short section of 3-4 miles starts away from the road before coming back towards it before the high Rt 693 bridge.· It has very attractive cliffs on the left side.· If you continue beyond the Rt 693 bridge you will enter the New River and can take out at Allisonia, approximately 1 mile below the confluence.
