Virginia Rivers

Overview:

The James’ fall line is fairly gradual compared to that of the Potomac, Rappahanock, or the smaller Little River.  There are two runs, one of which is suitable for beginners and the other of which is for more advanced canoeists either in kayaks or whitewater canoes with good flotation.  Both stretches are very pretty.

Directions to Put Ins and Take outs:

Hugeuneot Flatwater is just upstream of the Hugeuneot Bridge (Rt 147). You cannot leave a car here overnight.

Pony Pasture takeout is located next to Riverside Drive.  To get there from the near West End of Richmond take the Huguenot Bridge across the James, then take your first exit immediately after crossing the river.  You’ll loop around and be facing Riverside Drive.  Take a right and follow it downstream a mile and a half and Pony Pasture will be on your left.  From Forest Hills Avenue turn north onto Hathaway, which veers left and turns into Longview.  From Longview take a right onto Rock Falls, and Pony Pasture will be on your right.

Reedy Creek takeout is located on Riverside Drive between Boulevard and the Lee Bridge roundabouts 40th street or so.  Note that you cannot simply drive along Riverside Drive between Reedy Creek and Pony Pasture, but must use Forest Hill Ave to get over the railroad.

Downtown takeout is located off 14th Street; drive down a gravel path located on the river side of the floodwall on the north side of the river.  Thanks to Ralph White and James River Outdoor Coalition for getting this take out built.

Sections of River to Run:

Pony Pasture to Reedy Creek: This is a 4.5 mile class 1-2 run.  If possible you should run this stretch with someone who’s been there before, as there is a certain route which is most passable at normal (3-6ft) water levels.  Above 6 feet this stretch is more challenging, particularly in Mitchell’s Gut rapid.  Do not run this or any other part of the downtown James section above 9 feet unless you’re an expert in a closed boat.  Make sure you don’t miss the Reedy Creek takeout.  The bridges you’ll go under are, in order, Powhite Parkway, a tall concrete arch rail bridge, and Boulevard (aka the Nickel Bridge).  After a few small riffles below the put in, there is a 1.5 mile flat stretch before reaching Powhite Ledges, just upstream of Powhite Parkway.  Run this down the middle.  The next rapid, Choo Choo, is near the middle of the river just downstream of the conrete arch bridge.  The rapid flows southeast and is not visible until you’re close to it, and may be difficult to locate for someone visiting the first time.  It is the main channel.  This is a class 1+.  Eddy out on the right to check out the island and perhaps walk up above the rapid and float through it on an inner tube or in a life jacket, not recommended at low water without an inner tube because you’ll bump rocks.  Below Choo Choo go far river right for the largest channel, running over a very low dam and pipeline, or down the middle of the river for a trickier, shallower route.  Then you’ll go under the Nickel Bridge, which is a green steel truss.  After the Nickel Bridge get to river right (though not to the tiny channel at the far right) and follow the main channel through two series of wave trains.  The waves in the second series are bigger, and will get water in a canoe at levels of 5.5 feet or higher.  This is Mitchell’s Gut rapid.  Then get over to the far right to take out at Reedy Creek, which is hidden from the main channel of the river by islands.

Reedy Creek to End of Fall Line: This is a class 3-4 advanced section. Severity of rapids in this stretch depends greatly on water level.  At levels of 3.5 feet and below on the Westham gauge most rapids have opportunities to recover, while levels of 6 feet or higher will produce more continuous traditions with substantially larger waves and holes.  Paddling at 9 feet or above requires a permit from the fire station, and nobody without a bombproof roll and extensive experience on the river should be on the downtown James at that level or higher.

Regardless of water level, open boats may take on significant volumes of water, so be sure to have whitewater flotation.  After leaving Reedy Creek, or continuing from the Mitchells Gut rapid upstream of Reedy Creek, stay on river right, approaching the head of Belle Isle.  On river left are the remains of a dam; if you stay to the right you will approach First Break Rapids, where the main channel of the James cuts left/north next to Belle Isle, heading toward Hollywood rapids.  First Break has nice surfing waves, including fairly long waves suitable for front surfing tandem boats around 6 feet.  Hollywood Cemetery is visible on the hill in front of you as you enter First Break, which is an easy wave train at levels around four feet on the Westham gauge.  Note that the right channel around Belle Isle is not canoeable except at high water. 

After First Break, stay close to the right bank, which is Belle Isle.  Approximately 200  yards downstream of First Break you will pass little ledges and holes, including the holes Flipper and Stripper, which is the signal that you are approaching Hollywood.  For open boats, thread the needle between holes to avoid taking water before Hollywood.  There is a short break between these ledges and the main drop at Hollywood; use it to take out and scout Hollywood.  Hollywood’s hole is more powerful than it looks.  Enter on the left side of the main tongue, then be ready to draw left to avoid getting pinned on a rock downstream.  Be aware that there are other submerged pinning rocks near the main flow downstream of Hollywood; if you flip and your boat doesn’t have flotation it will probably wrap around one of these. 
After Hollywood stay in the current and aim for a break in what used to be a pedestrian walkway over an old VEPCO dam, below the Lee Bridge and walkway suspended from it.  The walkway now ends about 4 piers out in the river from Browns Island, which will be on your left.  Run just to the right of the observation deck that is the terminus of that walkway.  This area has a few minor drops.  Within a couple hundred yards you will enter a boulder garden.  The easiest line is on the right side of the main channel.  This will carry you over Pipeline’s main drop, a roughly 4 foot drop into a hole that will swamp canoes without flotation.  It is possible to skirt the main drop of Pipeline on the right side of the tongue, eddying out below the hole.

Be careful maneuvering toward that drop; there are tricky cross currents just above as a result of the water funneling into a narrower channel.  Pipeline is the last rapid of the fall line, so you have plenty of flat water to recover your boat if you flip in it.  The takeout is just downstream on your left; look for some wooden/concrete stairs, installed by the industrious James River Outdoor Coalition (JROC).

The description above is for the standard lines.  Due to the width of the river, there are countless other alternatives, some of which are under the downtown James section of American Whitewater’s website.

Overview:

The James from Snowden to Lynchburg is littered with a series of 7 dams installed by Dominion Virginia Power.  Thus it is not possible to comfortably run the James from source to sea. (Though people have done it - the portages on these Dams are esspecially painful)  The furthest upriver put in below Balcony Falls is in Lynchburg.  From Lynchburg to Watkins Landing, the landing closest to Richmond that doesn’t necessitate paddling the 10 mile slackwater above Bosher Dam, is about 135 miles.  There are no rapids harder than class 2.  From Bent Creek to New Canton/Bremo Bluff (where Rt 15 crosses the river) there are many forested and rocky bluffs around the river, as well as frequent riffles and rocky islands.  From Rt 15 to Watkins Landing, which is located off Route 60 (not at a bridge; the nearest bridge is 522—Maidens landing) the river is significantly slower and flatter, with few dramatic hills around it.  There are great campsites all along this stretch, often located on islands or the inside of bends.

Recommended Trips:

There are a number of great trips in this stretch, ranging from a 10 day or so run from Lynchburg to Watkins Landing to day trips on almost any stretch.  Reckon on floating about 10 to 12 miles without much effort, perhaps closer to 15 if you get an early start and like to paddle.  The current is much slower here, which is why you go half to 2/3 as far in a day compared to traveling the James in the Valley.

• (3 day) Lynchburg to Bent Creek
• (overnighter) Bent Creek to Howardsville
• (overnighter) Wingina to Scottsville
• (day trip) Scottsville to Bremo Bluff/New Canton

Directions to Put Ins and Take outs:

Lynchburg: One canoe ramp in downtown Lynchburg is operated by the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, and is located at the end of 7th St.  From Amherst Hwy/Rt 163, turn south onto Commerce St (first intersection on the south side of the river), then turn left onto 7th St and continue to the end of the road.  No overnight parking is allowed at this put in.  I have parked overnight and not been ticketed, but a note was left on the car.  There is another ramp on the north side of the river, which may be accessed via River Rd and Rocky Hill Road, turning off from Amherst Hwy/Rt 163 just north of the river.

Kelly: There is a canoe put in on Route 726 just north of Route 460, approximately two miles east of the Rt 29 Bypass/Rt 460 intersection.

Bent Creek is where Rt 60 crosses the James:  This is about an hour and a half west of Richmond.  Buckingham County is on the south side of the river, Nelson on the north.

Wingina is located at the Rt 56 bridge over the James, with Nelson on the north and Buckingham to the south.

Howardsville takeout is where Rt 602 crosses the James, with the hamlet of Howardsville (one well-stocked convenience store with gasoline) on the north side, in Albemarle County, and Buckingham County on the south side.  Take Rt 626, James River Road, through Albemarle to get to Howardsville.  The takeout is on the north bank.

Warren takeout is located on Warren Ferry Rd, about a mile south off James River Rd, which has a different route number than it does in Howardsville.  The takeout is on the north bank.  There is no bridge across the river here, nor an operating ferry (the only remaining operating ferry is located at Hatton, about 3 miles downstream).

Scottsville takeout is located near downtown Scottsville, a small town in Albemarle County at the intersection of Route 6 and Route 20.  The takeout is on the north side of the river; Buckingham County is to the south.

New Canton/Bremo Bluff takeout is located on the south side of the river.  If you’re coming from the north, cross the river, then take a left on Rt 688, then a left on Rt 670, then a left on Rt 687, in quick succession.  There is a sign on Rt 15 marking the turn onto the smaller roads.  There is an older defunct takeout on the north side of the river.

Columbia takeout is on the south side of the river across the Columbia Rd bridge from the tiny town of Columbia.  Columbia has a store with some fishing gear and beer.

Cartersville takeout is located off Route 45 (Cartersville Rd) where it crosses the river.
Westview takeout is about 10 minutes south of Route 6 in Goochland.  To get there from Route 6 go south on Rock Castle Rd (veer left at the fork in the road, do not take Three Square Rd), then turn right onto West View Road and follow it until you see the river.  There is no bridge at this takeout, which is on the north side of the river.

 Maidens takeout is located on the south bank off Route 522.

Watkins Landing takeout is located at the end of Watkins Landing Rd, which goes north from Rt 60/Huguenot Trail just a few miles west of Rt 288.

Sections of River to Run:

Lynchburg to Bent Creek: This 28 mile stretch of river has good scenery and fishing, and quite a few good campsites.  It is the least traveled part of the James, due to the lack of public put ins.  Canoeists will have very little company after leaving Lynchburg.  Campers arriving in Lynchburg in the evening can camp on an island just upstream of the Amherst Hwy/Rt 163 bridge, immediately downstream of the Scotts Mill dam.  The James is quite pretty in Lynchburg, with forested banks and a view of the old brick buildings in downtown Lynchburg.  The river flows around Percival Island, on which the Blackwater Creek rail trail is located.  A couple miles after leaving the city the river passes under the Route 29 Bypass, a four lane span.  Shortly thereafter, amongst many pretty rocks and tiny islands, the Kelly landing is visible on the right.  The water moves pretty quickly from Lynchburg to Kelly.  The small ledges continue on toward Joshua Falls, located about 5 miles or so below Kelly.  The falls are the remains of an old dam, so currents are a bit unusual and boaters should proceed with caution.  The clear route is center right, but be sure to avoid going too far right, where the remains of the dam create some possible pinning rocks.  There are camping possibilities immediately downstream of Joshua Falls.  The next major landmark below Joshua Falls is Chase Island, a quarter to half mile long forested island in the middle of the river.  Four miles or so below Chase Island is Pettyjohn Island, over a mile long and pastured in the middle, with access via a ford.  Pettyjohn is not good for camping because it is heavily used.  Instead, proceed downstream about two miles and look for a sandy spot on the left bank, in the vicinity of Walkers Ford, right as Christian Island comes into view.  Christian Island would be a good place to camp except that a nearby industrial facility makes the river very noisy around it, so camping is not recommended until about halfway down Wreck Island, located immediately downstream of Christian Island.  Wreck Island has the most significant rapid of this stretch of river, a 100 yard long gravel bar that is easy except for a few potential pinning rocks.  In 1987 a bateau pinned on one of these rocks and was split in half.  After Wreck Island the river is very flat and slow, except for an abrupt class 1+ rapid until it reaches the Smith Islands, a nice series of forested islands located just over a mile upstream of Bent Creek.  When arriving at Bent Creek, note the old bridge piers, which were constructed by the James River and Kanawha Canal Company.

Bent Creek to Wingina: Bent Creek (Rt 60 bridge crossing) to Wingina (Rt 56 bridge crossing) is a lovely 15 mile or so run.  This is about a daylong float.  The general store at Bent Creek is well stocked.  The new James River State Park protects much of the bank on the right side for the first few miles of the trip, and offers attractive camping about 2 to 3 miles downstream of Bent Creek.  It is possible to put in at James River State Park rather than Bent Creek, although this will cost a few dollars.  A few miles after James River State Park the Tye River enters from the left.  It is by far the largest tributary to enter the James on this stretch.  When the Tye comes in you’re about 2/3 of the way from Bent Creek to Wingina, and almost to Cunningham Island.  Also known as Helena Island, Cunningham Island is a Nature Conservancy preserve.  There are good campsites at the head of the island next to the river’s left channel, where there are great sand deposits from high water.  It is also possible to camp on the island under the forest canopy, although in summer the grasses grow about 5 foot high and there can be thick mosquitoes.  Cunningham is a georgeous island.  The mature hardwood forest and arching vines create the feeling of being in a cavernous cathedral.  Subtle parallel ridges, created by high water, curve over the island on a parallel axis to the river.  The island’s bank is about 10 foot high.  I recommend floating down along the island on an inner tube and walking back through the island’s interior, particularly in spring before the mosquitoes get bad or the grasses grow too high.  There is hardly any poison ivy, and the combination of ground cover and high canopy is breathtaking.  Wingina is just a couple miles below Cunningham Island.  The only negative aspect of this trip is a white trailer on a deforested bluff on the Buckingham County side not too far from Cunningham Island.

Wingina to Howardsville: This stretch is about the same length as from Bent Creek to Wingina.  The best weekend float trip on the James in the Piedmont is probably from Bent Creek to Howardsville.  Shortly after leaving Wingina you’ll pass midsize Swift Island.  About 3/5 of the way through this trip you’ll pass Buford Island, a large, beautiful island square in the middle of the river.  Only a couple miles after Buford you’ll reach Dog Island, which is also quite pretty, though covered with No Trespassing signs.  There are a few camping opportunities on small islands after Dog Island, but it is preferable to camp on the sandy areas at the head of Buford or Dog Island, where sand has collected in the lee of rocks and trees during high water.  These areas are not posted at Dog Island.  There is plenty of other camping on this stretch as well.  The scenery is wonderful, classic Piedmont, silver maples and sycamores lining the banks, beautiful agricultural lands on the Nelson County side, with little to no intrusion by development.

Howardsville to Warren: This is only a few miles, takes just 2 or 3 hours.  The first part is flat and wide with no camping opportunities.  Not too far above Warren there are a bunch of little islands with great camping opportunities.  This part above Warren is one of the prettiest stretches.  Note that Warren is only accessible from the Albemarle County side.  There is no bridge, and the landing on the Buckingham side may be private.  Note that any trips in this area can be shuttled using a bicycle.  The roads in Albemarle/Nelson along the river are paved, fairly level, extraordinarily beautiful, and have very little traffic.

Warren to Scottsville: This is a beautiful stretch, with dramatic Rock Island just ¾ miles into the trip, but is also the most crowded stretch of the James because James River Runners dumps hundreds of drunken tubers into the water at Warren and recovers them at Hatton.  Hatton Ferry, privately owned by James River Runners, is about 3 miles downstream of Warren.  You can use it for a fee.  Scottsville is another 6 miles downstream of Hatton, so the distance from Warren to Scottsville is 9 miles.  The first mile or so is the prettiest.  From Hatton to Scottsville is flat, wide, and slow.  Scottsville has all kinds of food and fishing equipment for sale.  A nice overnighter is Warren to New Canton.

Scottsville to New Canton/Bremo: This is about a 12 mile stretch, the first half of which his flat and slow, the second half of which is riffly, laced with islands, and absolutely beautiful.  Many of those islands are part of the Seven Islands group, including Big Island.  About in the middle of the islands is a boat launch on the north bank, at the James River Wildlife Management Area.  This section of river has good fishing and plenty of camping spots.  It is very easy for a group to get separated and lost in the island area, so be sure to stay together.  There is a short flat stretch between the end of the islands and the Rt 15 bridge.

New Canton to Columbia: This is a generally flat 12 mile stretch.

Columbia to Cartersville: I reckon this is about 7 miles.  Elk Island, probably the largest island on the James, stretches for most of this length.  You can paddle on the very narrow left side if you wish, just be wary of strainers where a small private bridge crosses over to the island.  If you don’t go on the left side of Elk Island this is a fairly typical stretch of Piedmont James, with nice sycamores, silver maples, and farms.

Columbia to Maidens: This is about 15 miles.  You can also put in/take out at Westview, a public landing on the Goochland side (north bank), which is about 4 or 5 miles downstream of Cartersville.  This is a pretty slow stretch of river, particularly in the summer, and the wind tends to blow upstream.  I would recommend taking a day trip from Westview to Maidens, as a day trip from Columbia to Maidens would be quite long given the speed of the water.

Maidens to Watkins Landing: This is about a 10 mile stretch, with a sweet one lane bridge (route 310) at the women’s prison just a few miles down of Maidens and several large islands after that.  Campsites abound.  This is the prettiest stretch of the James in the lower, flatter, Piedmont section.  This is a good daytrip.  One could also take an overnight trip from Westview to Watkins Landing.  Canoe downstream of Watkins Landing is not reccomended, as slackwater backs up at least 10 miles behind Bosher Dam.

Watkins Landing to Hugeuneot Flatwater is a painful flatwater strecth filled with motorboats, jet skis, and invasive McMansions. The only redeeming features are rope swings and tall trees to jump off on the Henrico County side. Portage Bosher Dam on the left. Note the fish ladder.

Overview:

The James River begins at the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture Rivers in the town of Irongate.  From there it flows 80 miles through the Shenandoah Valley, first southeast to the town of Buchanan, then northeast to Balcony Falls and the pass through the Blue Ridge.  If you float this stretch of river you may well see bald eagles, minks, and bobcats.  You will definitely see numerous herons, kingfishers, bitterns, downy woodpeckers, muskrats, and songbirds.  There is great smallmouth fishing the whole way, with the best spots being woody cover on the banks or eddies behind rocks in the rapids.  The scenery is extraordinary, including rocky bluffs, old mills, islands, and the awe-inspiring gorge where the James cuts through the Blue Ridge.  The rapids are generally easy, although Balcony Falls can be treacherous at higher water levels.  I would recommend putting floatation in your boat, at least an inflated inner tube.  I have seen multiple boats wrapped around rocks despite the relatively small rapids, and if you flip without flotation it may be difficult or impossible to recover your boat before it gets pinned.

Recommended trips:

• (4 day) Iron Gate to Snowden.  These 75 or so miles can be run at a fairly leisurely pace in 4 days.  Camp near Eagle Rock the first evening, near Buchanan the second evening, and somewhere near Natural Bridge Station the third evening to stay on pace.
• (overnighter) Iron Gate to Springwood
• (overnighter) Buchanan to Snowden
• (day trip) Glen Wilton to Eagle Rock
• (day trip) Eagle Rock to Springwood
• (day trip) Glasgow to Snowden

Directions to Put Ins and Take Outs:

Iron Gate: A public canoe put in is located on the south side of the river where Route 220 crosses the James about 1.5 miles south of the town of Iron Gate.

Glen Wilton: There is a public put in at the Route 622 bridge in Glen Wilton, roughly 5 miles downstream of Iron Gate.

Eagle Rock: There is a public put in (with a road in very poor condition) on the north side of the river directly across from the Craig Creek confluence, which can be accessed via Route 43 in between the Route 220 bridge and the smaller bridge across the James in Eagle Rock.

Springwood: There is a public put in at the Route 630 bridge, just a mile south of Route 43.

Buchanan: There is a public boat ramp next to Route 11, on the south side of the river, in Buchanan.

Arcadia: There is a public canoe put in (no ramp) on the south side of the Route 614 bridge, located approximately 2 miles east of the Arcadia exit off Route I81.

Glasgow: From Route 130, turn south on Blue Ridge Road, which dead ends at the Maury just upstream of its confluence with the James.  One can put in here or carry past the Maury’s rapids at the confluence and put in directly on the James.

Snowden: There is a public boat ramp off Route 501/130 where the AT crosses the James, just north of the Route 501 bridge and the first dam.

Sections of River to Run:

Iron Gate to Eagle Rock: Float about 20 miles to Eagle Rock area, where the river passes through a narrow gorge in which the small town of Eagle Rock is located.  This stretch is quite intimate.  The river is narrow and the water is very clear, with rocks of all colors visible just beneath the surface.  This 20 mile or so stretch includes nice forested mountains and some rocky bluffs.  You’ll pass two large islands and go under two road bridges before Craig Creek joins the James.  Craig Creek, a major tributary, enters shortly before Eagle Rock. You will go under a fairly new two lane bridge in Eagle Rock, then float through some riffles before following the main channel to river right around an island.  After you float over this little gravel bar look for a campsite.  There aren’t good campsites immediately upstream of Eagle Rock.

Eagle Rock to Buchanan: From Eagle Rock to Buchanan is about 20 miles.  Mountains surround the river for the first few miles.  There are several islands and many riffly gravel bars.  When you go under a railroad bridge that emerges from a tunnel in the right bank, you’ll know that you’re entering Horseshoe bend, which has pretty rapids, a hill on the inside of the bend, and floodplain fields on the outside of the bend.  Once you go under the second railroad bridge you’re through the bend and headed toward Springwood.  The rocky mountain in front of you, which has only a thin row of trees along the ridge, is Purgatory Mountain.  It is visible even before you enter Horseshoe Bend.  There is a long straight stretch of river from which you can see the I81 bridge in the distance.  There is good fishing here in the woody cover along the shore.  This four mile or so stretch of flatwater is very slow.  After going under the I81 bridge, the river curves northeast, first passing forest, then a public field in the town of Buchanan.  There is a good campsite on river left across from the field, in view of the town.  Or you can continue under the Route 11 bridge and choose from among several spots in the next couple of miles.  Buchanan has a good restaurant on Main Street.  The gas station has basic provisions like cheese, beer, and bread.  If you’ve lost your hat you might be able to find one at the antiques store.  Note the suspension foot bridge next to Route 11.

Buchanan to Glasgow: Tie in your gear, as there is a sizable wave train immediately downstream of Buchanan, where the river skirts a high bluff on the right and narrows down.  Then the land widens and flattens out for a while.  Here you can catch a bunch of sunfish and some bass along the big rocks at the edge of the river.  There are many good picnic spots on rocks and sandy banks along these turns.  In just a few miles you’ll go under the Arcadia Road bridge, a fairly ugly new concrete span.  A few miles downstream of Arcadia is a beautiful campsite, where the river falls over a couple of foot high ledges with an island in the middle.  The campsite is on river left just downstream of those ledges.  Look for a nice spot on the sandy bank if you’re going to camp here.  You’ll reach here midday.  If you camp here you will reach Snowden on day 4 with no problem, but won’t have too much time to hang around Balcony Falls.  If you want to spend more time at Balcony, continue downstream.  As the massive Blue Ridge comes into full view, you go under a road bridge at Glasgow, then soon come to a large, pebbly, forested island on the left.  Land on the bank after going through the rapids formed by the gravel bar.  This is a great campsite.

Glasgow to Snowden: Start as early as possible so you can see the mist lifting from the gorge where the James cuts through the Blue Ridge.  Not far downstream from the campsite you’ll see the Maury River enter on the left.  You’ll know it is the Maury because you’ll see a rail bridge crossing the Maury not far upstream of the confluence, and because the confluence is quite rocky.  After the Maury enters, you’ll enter the gorge, and it is all rapids until you reach the dam slackwater near Snowden.  Make sure you tie your gear down.  If you don’t put floatation in your boat and capsize you may well lose you boat on a rock.  The river can get real shallow in this stretch as it spreads out over a rocky bottom.  Balcony Falls is on river left as the river goes around a big curve.  The railroad on the left is supported by a stone block wall right next to Balcony.  Pull up to the right of Balcony on the giant boulder to scout.  At low water levels Balcony is runnable for somewhat experienced canoeists in a canoe loaded with camping gear.  At high levels, where large and irregular waves make swamping probable, look for an easy route to the right of the big scouting boulder.  There is a single narrow drop that is sudden but clear and easy when Balcony is too high to run with camping gear.  It is also possible to portage over the big boulder.  Once you’re through Balcony eddy out to river right of the rapid and swim through the rapid or take the inner tube out of your boat and float through on that.  This gorge, both above and below Balcony, is great fishing.  Cast into the eddies.  After going through Balcony there is another mile or so of rapids, then the river flattens out from the dam.  Take out is on river left.  The official take out is just downstream of the Appalachian Trail bridge over the James.   If you don’t enjoy paddling slackwater you can also take out about a half mile upstream and drag your boat over the railroad tracks.