Greetings from Virginia

[MyKneesHurt]

Hello All,
Checking in from a relatively good paddling area, I hope to learn some tips and tricks and find some new places to paddle. -MKH

 

[UCanoe_2]

Greetings, MKH. Mine hurt, too, from paddling on Saturday. That's why I'm up at 4.30 AM applying Ben Gay.

Where are you in VA? There's plenty of good canoeing here. I paddled the Maury River near Lexington on Saturday, Class I-II.

You just missed the spring gathering of the Coastal Canoeists. It's a great club, highly safety-oriented, and full of sociable people. Dues are only $20. Coastals run a trip just about every weekend in good weather. Check out the website, and send me a PM if you have any questions. www.coastals.org

 

[Gamma1214]

Welcome. I've thought of seeing how much of the Shenandoah I could paddle but haven't gotten as far as looking for public land open to camping. What part of VA is home?

 

[MyKneesHurt]

Thanks for the welcome, fellas, glad to be here.
I've lived all over the Shenandoah and the Tidewater, but am now in the Roanoke area.
Ucanoe, I'll check out coastals, thanks for the tip. Seems like I'm always a step (stroke?) behind when it comes to things like that. I lived near Lyndhurst right on the Augusta/Nelson line for three years, right down the road from you.
Gamma, that's the achilles heel of the area, in my book - most of the shoreline is privately owned. You can camp on some islands below the high water mark, but I took a trip this month and paid 76 dollars for two nights in primitive campsites.

 

[UCanoe_2]

Guys, you are right about the unfortunate situation with private land ownership. $76 does not match my definition of "primitive camping." Would we were as enlightened as Scotland, where there is a "right to roam" law.

On the South Fork of the Shenandoah, much of the land on river left between the Inskeep and Bentonville public landings is National Forest where camping is permitted at no charge. This river is heavily used and close to DC. Sites where there is motor vehicle access can be heavily impacted, but except for those spots you should be able to find a decent campsite. In addition, the Shenandoah River State Park just downstream from Bentonville has a canoe-in campground.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Hello All,
Checking in from a relatively good paddling area, I hope to learn some tips and tricks and find some new places to paddle. -MKH

MKH, welcome to site membership! Feel free to ask any questions and to post messages, photos and videos in our many forums. Please read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

 

[Erica]

Welcome. I spent a few months in Blacksburg many years ago. Paddled the New River, some coastal areas and some other smaller rivers. We could paddle the river but could no touch the bottom.