Run Map

Run Time Estimate

Put-in

Take-out

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Whitewater timing varies with scouting, portages, and group pace. Use as a planning baseline.

Description

Class II whitewater with one Class III section, 'Boulder Ledge Rapids'. The classic putin is below Sperryville about a mile down from where the two forks of the Thornton meet. Portage around the cattle fences at the beginning. It's about a mile down to the Class III rapid. The rest of the run is Class II, with the usual creeky hazards. There is a alternate takeout halfway through the run. The North Fork of the Thornton can be run in high water conditions. The South Fork also apparently has good stuff, but you end up taking a backyard tour of Sperryville. The Rock Mills takeout can also be used for short whitewater sections of the Covington and Rush. These are smaller streams that require more water. See Also: _Classic Virginia Rivers,_ Ed Grove (1992 ed), p. 85. _Virginia Whitewater_, Roger Corbett (2000 ed.), p. 185. _Exploring Virginia's Waterways_, Ed Gertler (2022 ed.), p. 146.