Having evolved in an eternally dark environment, most are blind and lack pigment. Big Bend constitutes an unusual "peninsula" in the river; the river here loops for about 1.3 miles back to a point just 350 feet from itself. Here also, at river level, is a very prominent crag Eagle Rock. The marvels even extend underground, into extensive limestone caves. Have taken a raft down before. A man named Steele (given name now lost) was the first Smoke Holer, arriving sometime in the 1750s. Its caves are therefore protected during critical months. We ended up taking 3 canoes with Wingman Cooler stabilizers. We will camp Friday night near the put in at Jess Judy Group Campground and then Saturday night on the river. Be aware of private land and do not trespass. Marlinton: (304) 799-4334 It rained off and on while were paddling but it was pretty warm and the company and scenery was nice. Makes for a very long second day of paddling, especially if you are going all the way down to Eagles Nest to take out. It was a great time filled with swift waters, beautiful scenery, and big smiles. Campsite List Take time to enjoy it. Home Forums Trip Reports Smoke Hole Canyon, West Virginia, May 11 and 12, 2019. Follow 28/55 from Petersburg, WV, for 8 miles. This historic building was purchased by the, Calhoun, H.M. Sr. (19 November 1931), column in. Take a camera. That affects everything. This package of rocks is bounded on the lower and upper ends by two fairly competent sandstones: the Silurian Tuscarora and the Devonian Oriskany (Ridgeley), respectively. Views of the Canyon can be had along the 24-mile (39km) long North Fork Mountain Trail to the west where sods and cedar barrens can be visited. Class I-II+, Camping (Big Bend), Camping (Jess Judy), Fishing,Whitewater, https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/3329/, Book A Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to West Virginia. The fire grew through the first night, despite rapid response efforts by the Franklin, Seneca Rocks, and Upper Tract Volunteer Fire Departments, as well as crews from the USFS. Getting a raft down Smoke Hole Canyon - Website Toolbox Help the paddling community! Local constables sometimes cooperated with the "revenuers" in busting up the stills, but at other times were themselves participants in moonshine production and distribution. Spring beauties, bluets and dandelions are not far behind. I feel like 250 CFS would definitely be a minimal for raft, especially for a multi day trip when you are definitely going to drop water overnight. hudson valley. First of all, WOW that has to be the most amazing float trip that you can take in WV. Smoke Hole is a biologically diverse area classified as an upland limestone-based ecosystem. (304) 636-1800, Cheat-Potomac District Just curious if any of you all have taken raftsdown and what the levels were. [31], A number of small shelter caves in the Canyon are developed in the Oriskany Sandstone. Maybe McFishin will chime in. Caves are common in the Canyon slopes. Building on the success of the Campaign to Save North Fork Mountain (concluded in 1998), The Conservancy has completed a detailed conservation plan for this area. Have something to add? Shrubs Adjacent to this northwest limb is a highly folded and faulted zone that is representative of the designated Blue Rock synclinal "shear zone" complex of macroscale structures between the Cave Mountain and the Wills Mountain anticlines. From here a steep Forest Service road switchbacks 5.4 miles up to the former site of the North Fork Mountain Lookout Tower. Sign in to get trip updates and message other travelers. A variety of tiger beetle lives in the sandy, cobblestone habitats along the banks of the South Branch. Many features may not work properly without it. The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 53-0242652) under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Smoke Hole Canyon often referred to as just Smoke Hole, is an awe-inspiring gorge spanning 20 mi (32 km) in West Virginia. [4]) High above the river, on the north side of the gap, is a prominent range of limestone cliffs which represent the Cave Mountain Anticline. Trees Share sensitive information only [7] George Full built his home and a grist mill in the same vicinity. Bats are the most apparent inhabitants, including 40% of all the endangered Virginia big-eared bats remaining on Earth and the largest colony of endangered Indiana bats left in the East. We put the Silverbirch Broadland 15 and 16 to work on our two day canoe trip down Smoke Hole Canyon. This is a landscape in which surprises seem to lie beyond each ridge. 25198 Hwy 60, Madawaska, ON; 613-637-5508 . [32][33], Unnamed cliff (part of the Alt Cabin Anticline) along Smoke Hole Road, Exposed rock layers near Big Bend Campground, Blue Rock, composed of the Late Silurian Tonoloway Formation limestone, in the lower Smoke Hole Canyon, Bottomland in the lower Canyon (looking upstream). Did it last year in a 4-man shredder and camped near Blue Rock. Smoke Hole Canyon Trail - Trial Sherpa About 1.3 million visitors come to the Monongahela National Forest each year, and it's no surprise why. Don't forget there is a take out right in Petersburg soon as you cross under the bridge on the left, which is 3 miles up river of Eagles nest and Welton Park. smoke hole canyon by tonylehr61 A self-supported trip created by tonylehr61 Trip Overview Got a nice weather window and the river flow was excellent for a run through smoke canyon. what is the best place to park at the take out, for overnight? Map Information. Gnarlz Outdoors: Smoke Hole Canyon - YouTube Smoke Lake to Ragged Lake. When you get to the shallows you can then quickly unload the majority of you gear, put it on your back/ reduce canoe weight, and slide the canoes through the shoals without causing to much damage. on official, secure websites. Piped water and flush toilet are available April through October. Help the community if you have a paddling trip to share! Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Algonquin Bound Outfitters: Algonquin Park canoe rentals and camping Both of those places have good portage access if you want to avoid trouble. South Branch of the Potomac(US 220 to Smoke Hole Picnic Area) The river was a few inches higher and that made it a lot easier to pick lines and some sticky holes and surfable waves started to appear. Vivamus id nisl ligula. Reply. Directions: Pike Knob Preserve is open to the public and is located on North Fork Mountain. This area was the center of the "town of Smoke Hole" proper, site of an official post office for a time. No information on Parking & Fees has been added yet for this paddling location. The more gullible travellers believed that Smoke Holers were so uncivilized and violent that it was dangerous to go there and that "revenuers" (federal law officers) frequently disappeared in the Canyon. The Smoke Hole settlers were not generally slaveholders and became overwhelmingly Unionist during the War. I couldnt tell ya on a 2 day as Ive only ever done it in one. The nearby cavern known as "Big Cave", on Cave Mountain, was a source of saltpeter for the production of gunpowder from the earliest settlements through the War of 1812. [28], The canyon offers excellent class II - III whitewater paddling for several months in the spring when the water levels are high enough. Global sites represent either regional branches of The Nature Conservancy or local affiliates of The Nature Conservancy that are separate entities. A smoke hole ( smokehole, smoke-hole) is a hole in a roof for the smoke from a fire to vent. We had rain most of Saturday afternoon and during the night, but it did not bring the river up very much. The origin of the name "Smoke Hole" is undocumented. Furthermore, the Cave Mountain anticline is a doubly plunging fold showing a culmination at the Lower Silurian strata level near Big Bend in the center of the Smoke Holes. Coastal plain pine barrens atop Panther Knob. Inbox. 1 reply. Smoke Hole Canyon traditionally called The Smoke Holes [1] and later simply Smoke Hole is a rugged 20 miles (32 km) long gorge carved by the South Branch Potomac River in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, United States. Over 120 rare animals, plants and natural communities have been identified in this area, making it one of the richest concentrations of biological diversity in the East. Be aware of private land and do not trespass. White-tail deer were also exterminated from the area, as they were from the entire state, by about 1900. The first Smoke Hole settlers followed quickly on the heels of the first in the South Branch valley, which arrived in the late 1740s. The driver of the shuttle was actually a member of this forum (Stickbow maybe??). From high points, the Blue Ridge Mountains are visible to the east. The anticline appears to divide into several plunging folds upsection, at the Lower Devonian strata level, toward each end of the fold. Paddle World Magazine | The international all paddlesports magazine It is believed that the Canyon is the largest area of limestone forest left in this region of the country. The area is home to rare plant species and has been acknowledged as a biologically . If your URL is correct, you'll see an image preview here. Sunday morning we considered putting in at Big Bend and paddling down to Petersburg through the canyon as a day trip, but that would have involved running at least 3-hours of shuttle and paddling 15 miles from Big Bend to Petersburg. Area to Parsons), South Branch of the Potomac(US 220 to Smoke Hole Picnic Area), South Branch of the Potomac(Smoke Hole Picnic Area to Petersburg), South Branch of the Potomac (Petersburg to Sector), Williams River (Tea Creek to Three Forks). As you can imagine, there was no shortage of help (and helpful advice) in jacking up the car and changing the tire. I have heard it from a lot of guys that 250 cfs on the Franklin gauge is the lowest level you want to put on at Big Bend. | The forest is a drivable distance from cities like Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh, yet the density of flora, fauna and picturesque mountains seem like a world away from any city. White Sulphur Springs: (304) 536-2144, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=9916&actid=29, Winter Storm Warning in Effect - Caution Advised, Helicopter Logging Begins April 1 in West Fork Timber Sale; Two Areas Closing. , Footage From 1972! Hot showers are also provided. These plants are more commonly found west of the Mississippi River. About 185 million years ago, a seven-mile thick sheet of sedimentary rocks began to buckle and fold. However, the landslide rapid and the old dam rapid made me gladder I was in a raft. The southernmost forests of native red pine clothing Pike Knob. Squirrel and rabbit hunting is popular. U.S. Pensioners, 18181872 Record for William Eagle - PRIVATE, Eagle enlisted in the Continental Line at age 15 on 24 December 1776. This is a classic float/fishing trip in a long beautiful canyon that features massive See all. Smoke Hole Canyon traditionally called The Smoke Holes[1] and later simply Smoke Hole is a rugged 20 miles (32km) long gorge carved by the South Branch Potomac River in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, United States. 21 miles. We had nine boaters for the trip on May 11 and 12, 2019, including one kayak, one tandem canoe, one ducky, and five solo canoes. A 2010 documentary film The Search for Dillinger's Gold, directed by Cam Lemley alleged that infamous gangster John Dillinger (19031934) buried three boxes of gold bullion in a cave somewhere in the Canyon. Smoke Hole North Fork Mountain | The Nature Conservancy [23], During the Great Depression, many of the few people then living in the Canyon left to find better jobs, and their homesteads were consolidated among a smaller number of landholders. Experienced trail guides will take you & your family for a horseback ride to the very top of Seneca Rocks to enjoy the breathtaking view - nearly 1,000 ft. high! In my view, it's the most beautiful place in all of West Virginia, and that is really saying something. Had not many problems with shoals but there is a LOT of flatwater on the stretch between Blue Rock and Petersburg that made us wish we had a canoe to paddle instead. The roads into the area are narrow and winding: take your time and enjoy the scenery. Canoeing, fishing and hiking are popular activities. it would really be nice to run that rapid versus portaging gear.there were a couple other rapids that had some nice wave trains that were fun in the canoes but took on a lot of water. Grouse and turkey hunting is popular. Her father found her scalped, she died soon after, and he buried her nearby on a small promontory still known as "Susie Hill". Streams are stocked with rainbow and golden trout by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources from January through June and then again in October. Two paddlers and heavy on the camping gear. Smaller game animals include red and grey foxes, raccoons, opossums, beavers, mink, wild turkey, cottontails, squirrels, and quail. Get text updates from The Nature Conservancy: [{"countryCode":"hkg","countryName":"Hong Kong"},{"countryCode":"ury","countryName":"Uruguay"},{"countryCode":"gab","countryName":"Gabon"},{"countryCode":"ken","countryName":"Kenya"},{"countryCode":"nam","countryName":"Namibia"},{"countryCode":"syc","countryName":"Seychelles"},{"countryCode":"zaf","countryName":"South Africa"},{"countryCode":"tza","countryName":"Tanzania"},{"countryCode":"zmb","countryName":"Zambia"},{"countryCode":"aus","countryName":"Australia"},{"countryCode":"chn","countryName":"China"},{"countryCode":"hkg","countryName":"HongKong"},{"countryCode":"ind","countryName":"India"},{"countryCode":"idn","countryName":"Indoneasia"},{"countryCode":"mng","countryName":"Mongolia"},{"countryCode":"mmr","countryName":"Myanmar"},{"countryCode":"nzl","countryName":"New Zealand"},{"countryCode":"can","countryName":"Canada"},{"countryCode":"bhs","countryName":"Bahamas"},{"countryCode":"cub","countryName":"Cuba"},{"countryCode":"dom","countryName":"Dominican Republic"},{"countryCode":"hti","countryName":"Haiti"},{"countryCode":"jam","countryName":"Jamaica"},{"countryCode":"pri","countryName":"Puerto Rico"},{"countryCode":"vir","countryName":"Virgin Islands"},{"countryCode":"eur","countryName":"Europe"},{"countryCode":"arg","countryName":"Argentina"},{"countryCode":"blz","countryName":"Belize"},{"countryCode":"bol","countryName":"Bolivia"},{"countryCode":"bra","countryName":"Brazil"},{"countryCode":"chl","countryName":"Chile"},{"countryCode":"col","countryName":"Colombia"},{"countryCode":"cri","countryName":"Costa Rica"},{"countryCode":"ecu","countryName":"Ecuador"},{"countryCode":"gtm","countryName":"Guatemala"},{"countryCode":"hnd","countryName":"Honduras"},{"countryCode":"mex","countryName":"Mexico"},{"countryCode":"nic","countryName":"Nicaragua"},{"countryCode":"pan","countryName":"Panama"},{"countryCode":"pry","countryName":"Paraguay"},{"countryCode":"png","countryName":"Papua New Guinea"},{"countryCode":"slb","countryName":"Solomon Islands"},{"countryCode":"fsm","countryName":"Micronesia"},{"countryCode":"per","countryName":"Peru"},{"countryCode":"ven","countryName":"Venezuela"},{"countryCode":"usa","countryName":"United States"}], [{"stateCode":"al","stateName":"Alabama"},{"stateCode":"ak","stateName":"Alaska"},{"stateCode":"az","stateName":"Arizona"},{"stateCode":"ar","stateName":"Arkansas"},{"stateCode":"ca","stateName":"California"},{"stateCode":"co","stateName":"Colorado"},{"stateCode":"ct","stateName":"Connecticut"},{"stateCode":"dc","stateName":"District of Columbia"},{"stateCode":"de","stateName":"Delaware"},{"stateCode":"fl","stateName":"Florida"},{"stateCode":"ga","stateName":"Georgia"},{"stateCode":"hi","stateName":"Hawaii"},{"stateCode":"id","stateName":"Idaho"},{"stateCode":"il","stateName":"Illinois"},{"stateCode":"in","stateName":"Indiana"},{"stateCode":"ia","stateName":"Iowa"},{"stateCode":"ks","stateName":"Kansas"},{"stateCode":"ky","stateName":"Kentucky"},{"stateCode":"la","stateName":"Louisiana"},{"stateCode":"me","stateName":"Maine"},{"stateCode":"md","stateName":"Maryland"},{"stateCode":"ma","stateName":"Massachusetts"},{"stateCode":"mi","stateName":"Michigan"},{"stateCode":"mn","stateName":"Minnesota"},{"stateCode":"ms","stateName":"Mississippi"},{"stateCode":"mo","stateName":"Missouri"},{"stateCode":"mt","stateName":"Montana"},{"stateCode":"ne","stateName":"Nebraska"},{"stateCode":"nv","stateName":"Nevada"},{"stateCode":"nh","stateName":"New Hampshire"},{"stateCode":"nj","stateName":"New Jersey"},{"stateCode":"nm","stateName":"New Mexico"},{"stateCode":"ny","stateName":"New York"},{"stateCode":"nc","stateName":"North Carolina"},{"stateCode":"nd","stateName":"North Dakota"},{"stateCode":"oh","stateName":"Ohio"},{"stateCode":"ok","stateName":"Oklahoma"},{"stateCode":"or","stateName":"Oregon"},{"stateCode":"pa","stateName":"Pennsylvania"},{"stateCode":"ri","stateName":"Rhode Island"},{"stateCode":"sc","stateName":"South Carolina"},{"stateCode":"sd","stateName":"South Dakota"},{"stateCode":"tn","stateName":"Tennessee"},{"stateCode":"tx","stateName":"Texas"},{"stateCode":"ut","stateName":"Utah"},{"stateCode":"vt","stateName":"Vermont"},{"stateCode":"va","stateName":"Virginia"},{"stateCode":"wa","stateName":"Washington"},{"stateCode":"wv","stateName":"West Virginia"},{"stateCode":"wi","stateName":"Wisconsin"},{"stateCode":"wy","stateName":"Wyoming"},{"stateCode":"ab","stateName":"Alberta"},{"stateCode":"bc","stateName":"British Columbia"},{"stateCode":"mb","stateName":"Manitoba"},{"stateCode":"nb","stateName":"New Brunswick"},{"stateCode":"nt","stateName":"Northwest Territories"},{"stateCode":"qc","stateName":"Quebec"},{"stateCode":"ns","stateName":"Nova Scotia"},{"stateCode":"nsw","stateName":"New South Wales"},{"stateCode":"nt","stateName":"Northern Territory"},{"stateCode":"qld","stateName":"Queensland"},{"stateCode":"sa","stateName":"South Australia"},{"stateCode":"vic","stateName":"Victoria"},{"stateCode":"wa","stateName":"Western Australia"}]. Be aware of private land and do not trespass. (There is also a possible take out about 12 miles below Big Bend, but that increases the shuttle time.) Agawa Rock: Vision Quest - Northern Ontario Travel There are 113 registered voters in the Smoke Hole, and of these 81 are members of one of seven families, all early settlers, the Alts, Ayres, Judys, Kimbles, Selfs, Shreves, and Shirks, with the Kimble clan alone boasting 29 votes. Charitable Solicitation Disclosures [13], The earliest settler families were followed, a generation or two later, by a second wave the Kimbles, Alts, Stumps, Judys, Helmicks, and Kettermans. This is an extremely fun class III section that flows through the first five miles of the spectacular Smoke Hole Canyon. Did not see a trout after the put in at Big Bend. (Other locations rumored to contain the booty include Mercer, Wisconsin[39] and a farm in northeastern Ohio.[40]). Beyond the Big Bend, the Canyon has the character of a remote wilderness; it is one of the most isolated regions of the state and can be traversed only on foot or by boat. There was one tight place between a couple tall rocks that would have been tight for a raft but I bet it has changed a lot since then. Popular activities in Smoke Hole Canyon include fishing (rainbow and golden trout; largemouth and smallmouth bass), hunting (squirrel, grouse, turkey, deer, rabbit and bear), hiking, rock climbing, caving, canoeing and camping (Big Bend Campground). 'No, I reckon not,' is the reply, 'but hit'll hold nigh onto a bushel.'[22]. 2023 West Virginia University. Copyright 2023 VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. We may have detected a typo. This likely developed through an intermediate stage during which the South Branch (or its precursor stream here, the lower Briggs Run) traversed the future Smoke Hole region underground. Unchecked, the plant can spread in a manner almost impossible to abate. Many stories centered on the production of the illicit homemade liquor known as "moonshine". Kayaking and whitewater canoeing provide the best ways to see the Canyon, particularly the lower section where there are no roads or trails at river level. The only gauge on the South Branch of the Potomac River above Smoke Hole Canyon is at Franklin, WV, which is about 19 river miles above where we put in so, the readings from there are not a very good indicator of what is running down in the canyon. On Saturday at noon the Franklin gauge was reading 2.64 ft and 68 cfs. No description has been added yet for this paddling location. Then, switch to whitewater mode and paddle down to the whitewater of the Petawawa river. Located at the end of Smoke Hole River Road, the Big Bend Campground contains 46 campsites in three loops. Smoke Hole Cave - A Place of Legends and Mystery - YouTube State fishing licenses with a national forest stamp are required. I usually float with the water until I get to the confluence of the North Fork then gauge whether I need to paddle some or slow down and fish more based on what time I get to that point. The major Smoke Hole Fire effort came under the unified command of the West Virginia Division of Forestry and the USFS. LockA locked padlock Richwood: (304) 846-2695, GreenbrierDistrict Before running the rapid I took a look from the river left and noticed a NASTY STRAINER that was just below water surface extending right out in the tongue that you need to run. Some are home to the endangered Virginia big-eared bat and are therefore closed to visitors during critical nesting or hibernation periods. One such gorge is the Smoke Hole, where the South Branch of the Potomac River squeezes between North Mountain and Cave Mountain. This run is perfect for an intermediate paddlers first try at a small river/creek experience that includes fairly continuous rapids. (This is about 1.5 miles along Pendleton County Route 2 beyond the bridge where US Route 220 crosses the South Branch.) Smokehole Canyon - Denison University Trip Details Trip Dates: 5/29/2022-5/31/2022 I always stand up and back paddle as Im getting close to it just to double check. Bat guano and other organic debris support an array of invertebrates specially adapted to this bizarre ecosystem. 6 GREAT ALGONQUIN PARK CANOE ROUTES - Voyageur Quest Many exist nowhere else on Earth. Be sure to watch in HD. Help the community if you have information to share! His longest canoeing trip before this was three to four days down Smoke Hole Canyon in West Virginia. Cannan Valley has gentle, well-trained, sturdy horses to fit any rider. The roof of the vast subterranean channel then collapsed forming the karst topography seen today. Where the name really came from is uncertain. This area is managed for "catch and release" only all throughout the year. The area is rather isolated and remote with parts accessible only by boat or on foot. Fishing is good for trout and small mouth bass. South Branch of the Potomac(Smoke Hole Picnic Area to Petersburg) With most local men of military age away for the duration of the War, the depredations of local Confederate partisans known as the "Rebel Raiders" included a number of ambushes and killings.