Put In: Boaters will have to search to find a good put in for this section. The traditional put in for this reach was a campground on State route 615 at the intersection of route 621. This campground has been closed for several years. One possibility is at Silent Dell (Rt 817 ford), but this makes for a 16 mile run.
The takeout is under the Route 220 bridge at Eagle Rock just before the confluence with the James River. This is a state public landing.
This is a easy section of river, not much in the line of big rapids, but you must always keep an eye open for trees and strainers in these smaller streams.This is a good fishing stream with lots of smallmouth and redeyes. The reaches upsteam have a good pike population as well. On a recent outing we saw 2 beavers at different places, three or four great blue heron, several species of ducks, and a very suprised hawk that landed just over our heads. There is a nice rock formation on river right about a mile downstream. The wildflowers are abount and change with the season. There are alot of houses and cabins on this section, but there are not usually many people visable and there are lots of streaches of solitude.
If more exciting rapids are for you, and you like creeks, check out the Roaring Run reach on AW. Personally I would just as soon watch with my throwbag in hand, or just take the easy hike up to the falls. The hiking area is just up route 621 and worth the effort if you like creeks, slides and waterfalls. This area also has a catch and release trout fishing with barbless hooks only, for the flyfishermen out there.
See Also:
_Virginia Whitewater_, Roger Corbett (2000 ed.), p. 253.
_Exploring Virginia's Waterways_, Ed Gertler (2022 ed.), p. 180.