It was here, at cave and spring, that Confederates operated a salt petre works during the Civil War. 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. Others I did the upper portion of the canyon to eagle rocks in a traditional kayak in the early/mid 90s in early June. 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. A man from Oklahoma, claiming to have been a member of Dillinger's gang, hired a local in 1965 to help him locate the legendary loot. We parked at Eagles Nest Outfitters and arranged a shuttle with them. Smoke Hole is a biologically diverse area classified as an upland limestone-based ecosystem. 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. It is recommended to camp at least 200 feet from streams, roads, and trails. Please enter a valid email address (formatted as name@company.com). Smoke Hole Canyon is a designated wilderness area, offering a unique opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the region in a pristine, untouched setting. The canyon offers a variety of campsites, from primitive to full hook-up, and there are plenty of activities to keep you busy, such as hiking, fishing, and kayaking. Most of the land in the Smoke Hole is managed by the Forest Service and is open to hunting and subject to West Virginia hunting regulations. In recent years, the Canyon has been overwhelmed with this invasive species, first introduced into the state in 1980. Last updated on September 24, 2021. Was generally not impressed with the fishing but the scenery is stunning. You will have to carry all your camping gear, etc., in your boat. Turn left onto the Smoke Hole Road, County Route 2. No trips have been created that use this paddling location. [27], On 10 November 2013, a fire started on private land adjacent to USFS land in the Smoke Hole. Hot showers are also provided. I made the whole trip without getting out to drag even once. Keep in mind that the popular camping spots around Blue Rock are only 1/4-1/3 of the way through. In the 1990s, limestone quarrying destroyed the regions highest quality cedar glade and another quarry currently may threaten the regions most significant cave. Inbox. [12] But it has also been suggested that a misty fog often lies along the river and ascends, thus evoking a "smoky hole", and that this is possibly the origin. Local constables sometimes cooperated with the "revenuers" in busting up the stills, but at other times were themselves participants in moonshine production and distribution. It rained off and on while were paddling but it was pretty warm and the company and scenery was nice. [1] Before the invention of the smoke hood or chimney, many dwellings had smoke holes to allow the smoke from the hearth to escape. Thus, for the first four decades of the 20th century, young Smoke Holers only knew about these "exotic" animals from the nostalgic hunting stories of their fathers and grandfathers. [35], The prairie-like regions and associated cedar glades around the Smoke Hole Canyon are the largest groupings of such habitats in the Central Appalachians, and a number of unusual disjunct or regionally endemic plant species are known from the Smoke Hole. [2] Before the river exits the gap it passes through a narrow channel with ferocious rapids locally known as the "Rock Break". South Fork of the Potomac River near Petersburg, WV. Squirrel and rabbit hunting is popular. Several crews, engines, and a helicopter worked to suppress the fire. If things go south, hike up any drain on the left side of canyon (looking downstream) and you'll eventually (couple miles uphill) hit SmokeHole Road and can flag someone down. A smoke hole ( smokehole, smoke-hole) is a hole in a roof for the smoke from a fire to vent. Definitely be careful at both areas mentioned, as dangerous at it gets for the South Branch floating. Obviously anything higher than 250 youd be fine longer. Paddling through the Barron Canyon is one of those canoe trips that is on everyone's bucket list due to the sheer natural wonder that it is. Ut et ultrices nisi. The canyon is known for its scenic beauty, including rock formations, waterfalls, and a river that runs through it, which could provide a fun and educational experience for children. Be aware of private land and do not trespass. No photos yet. Longtime residents of the gorge have insisted that the Indian "smoke house" cave story is the only genuine one and the only explanation that pre-dates the ones on the local state historical highway markers. Particularly noticeable are the numerous plunging anticlinal noses at the northeastern end of the Smoke Holes. This historic building was purchased by the, Calhoun, H.M. Sr. (19 November 1931), column in. 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. Elkins, WV 26241 Regardless, the canyon is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful areas in West Virginia. [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. In the 1920s, sympathetic Franklin attorney H. M. Calhoun Sr. (18661933) became a public champion of the Smoke Hole and its people. Good luck! (NB: Both Grant County Route 28/11 and Pendleton County Route 2 are indicated on maps as "Smoke Hole Road". 3,986 posts. Map showing recreational areas. We were loaded down with gear and really spread out the tripso we were also heavier than needed. The caverns are very pretty, you gotta see them for yourself. U.S. Pensioners, 18181872 Record for William Eagle - PRIVATE, Eagle enlisted in the Continental Line at age 15 on 24 December 1776. The origin of the name "Smoke Hole" is undocumented. The prairies support a wealth of species, such as prairie flax and side oats gramma, that are otherwise found west of the Mississippi. Anyone ever floated the upper portion of the canyon down to Eagle Rock? I would imagine that once it warms up we would have done pretty good in there.Take Out,We took out just past the big bridge in Petersburg, on the river left, So back to the title of this post, getting a raft down the smoke hole canyon. He served in the 3rd, 4th, 8th and 12th Virginia Regiments and was present at, Calhoun, H.M. Sr. (13 November 1930), "Tales of Historic Smoke Hole and Seneca Rocks Interestingly Told", from a column in. [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. Each site has a picnic table, lantern post, fire ring, and parking place. wefully swamped 2 canoes, that still refrained from fully sinking. The run on Saturday was low, but not intolerably scrapey considering we were paddling mostly unloaded canoes, and we had to pick our lines carefully to avoid the shallowest of the gravel bars. Here is a very different world from that of the sunlit surface above. The dominant trees covering the Canyon's wooded slopes are oak, black walnut, ash, mulberry and hickory; also abundant are ironwood, linden, flowering dogwood, eastern redcedar, birch, aspen, American beech, tulip poplar and six varieties of pine. The only gauge on the South Branch of the Potomac River above Smoke Hole Canyon is at Franklin, WV, which is about 19 . Level Contributor . To manage or opt-out of receiving cookies, please visit our. Vacation home developments have already spread across four of North Fork Mountains eight highest peaks. 1 reply. Lantz, Abraham Kile, and Isaac Ault. About two miles downstream of the entrance, the river bifurcates to create the low-lying Hermit Island (4.5 acres), formerly a popular picnicking ground and site of a two-storey log cabin that served as a community center ("Calhoun's Community Camp") from 1928. This is an overnight trip on the Smoke Hole Canyon section of the South Branch of the Potomac River. The name of this "gateway" to the Canyon is Cave Mountain Gap and it represents a half mile cut through the high ridge separating the ancient riverbed of the South Branch Potomac River (to the east) from the ancient bed of Briggs Run (to the west). One winter gathering of over 100,000 bats of several species constitutes the regions largest concentration of wild mammals. This stretches along the crest of North Fork Mountain from U.S. 33 (in the south) to where the Smoke Hole Road (28/11) nears State Route 28 just west of Petersburg (in the north). I wanted to toss out some post trip feedback and thank the group again for everyone who commented. I *think* you can park at welton park overnight there's a fair amount of parking someone more local might know better. Most of the land in the Smoke Hole is managed by the Forest Service and is open to hunting and subject to West Virginia hunting regulations. Gnarlz Outdoors: Smoke Hole Canyon theGnarlz 1.51K subscribers 6.5K views 5 years ago We put the Silverbirch Broadland 15 and 16 to work on our two day canoe trip down Smoke Hole. United States. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Pike Knob Preserve is open to the public and is located on North Fork Mountain. I am getting ready to take a overnight from Big Bend down to Petersburg and I'm trying to decide canoe or 12' raft with oar frame. The first Smoke Hole settlers followed quickly on the heels of the first in the South Branch valley, which arrived in the late 1740s. Here also, at river level, is a very prominent crag Eagle Rock. This run is perfect for an intermediate paddlers first try at a small river/creek experience that includes fairly continuous rapids. The Smoke Hole settlers were not generally slaveholders and became overwhelmingly Unionist during the War. Use the arrow keys to navigate between images and hit escape to close the gallery. About 185 million years ago, a seven-mile thick sheet of sedimentary rocks began to buckle and fold. The Canyon is home to about 40 percent of the world's Virginia big-eared bat population and the largest single colony of Indiana bats, another endangered animal in the eastern US. Look on the inner side of the bend for gold hung up in plant roots or cracks in. The area is rather isolated and remote with parts accessible only by boat or on foot. Flow on the Franklin gauge was 250 cfs and dropping rapidly. , Footage From 1972! The takeout is in Petersburg, WV. This species is so uncommon that the few small patches found among the rocks of the Canyon walls are thought to be the largest population in the world. The Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy are coordinating to find ways to stop the spread of both stiltgrass and the adelgid. Forty percent of all the endangered Virginia big-eared bats remaining on Earth and the largest colony of endangered Indiana bats left in the East reside here. Others say it was the moonshiner's stills that gave the gorge its name. The excess fabric at the top of the structure is the smoke hole and smoke flaps. Canoe and Kayak trip down the South Branch Potomac, just upriver of Smoke Hole Canyon, WV in April, 2015. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. $15 per adult to take the 1 hour tour of Smoke Hole Caverns. Entering Smoke Hole Canyon you will see Cave Mountain and Eagle Rock, two very noteworthy natural monuments. Smoke Hole Canyon Photo Jim Hopkins Tucked away in the Monongahela National Forest, Smoke Hole Canyon is unlike any place you've ever visited. 25198 Hwy 60, Madawaska, ON; 613-637-5508 . a couple class II + (Landslide Rapid upstream of Blue Rock and an old dam soon after joining the North Fork. Calhoun, H.M. Sr. (1 November 1929), "Tales of the Smoke Hole"; Reprinted (pp 151-153) in: Shreve, (2005). Then the plains themselves were violently uplifted and broken. it was a lot of fun but next time I would really like to take the raft for ease of packing along gear and getting to fish more efficiently. Another biological threat to the Canyon is the insect known as hemlock woolly adelgid. This cave (not to be confused with the commercially developed Smoke Hole Caverns, just outside the Canyon, or with Smoke Hole Cave in the Canyon itself) is now better known as Cave Mountain Cave. The main and traditional entrance into the Smoke Hole is from the south through a water gap between Big Mountain and Cave Mountain about two miles north of the community of Upper Tract. Stop at blue rock as it might be the best camping spot in wv. Richwood: (304) 846-2695, GreenbrierDistrict From here a steep Forest Service road switchbacks 5.4 miles up to the former site of the North Fork Mountain Lookout Tower. A massive lozenge-shaped boulder hovers in mid-air, trapped between two walls of an eroded crevice tapering from the clifftop down toward the lake. The biological richness of Smoke Hole's plant communities was demonstrated by a botanist in 1933 who documented 283 species of flora on the 4-acre Hermit Island alone. Address Example: 1550 University Ave, Morgantown, WV 26506. 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. A notable Tonoloway Limestone "fin" is "Blue Rock" in the lower gorge. This landscape contains some of the most stunning beauty found in our state, from the 11-mile long Smoke Hole gorge along the South Branch of the Potomac, to the dramatic, 4000+-ft. peaks on North Fork Mountain. Have something to add? (Eagle returned after the war and is buried near the 300-foot-high crag that bears his name. For those Tom Thomson fans, the area . The dry, prairie-like areas along the upper knobs and ridges of the Canyon are home to a variety of typically western plants such as prairie flax. Be sure to watch in HD. White-tail deer were also exterminated from the area, as they were from the entire state, by about 1900. [citation needed] The prairie flax (Linum lewisii) is a widespread western species quite rare in the east. Smoke Hole Canyon About 185 million years ago, a seven-mile thick sheet of sedimentary rocks began to buckle and fold. "This is something quite different," he said. Email:alex.kew@mail.wvu.edu. In West Virginia, Big Bend Campground lies along the South Branch of the Potomac River at Smoke Hole Canyon. [18] One result of this was that the Smoke Holers, previously staunch Democrats (along with most antebellum Virginians), became inveterate Republicans afterward. I always stand up and back paddle as Im getting close to it just to double check. This is truly one of the most beautiful areas in West Virginia. Traveling with other campers and adventurous treasure seekers, the film takes the viewer through raging rapids, unexplored mountain caves, and encounters with wilderness and wildlife native to the region. Due to the protective effect of surrounding mountains, rainfall in Smoke Hole is unusually light only about 30-32inches per year. Shrubs We did fully swamp one canoe but was still fine.Royal Glen Rapid.This one definitely has some nasty rebar scattered across the river but has a nice line on the river left. A variety of frogs include the wood, bronze, leopard, and green frog, along with spring peepers. Another dozen or so smaller caves have also been documented. Rapid after rapid. (Not uncommonly, an offender would serve his term, be released, and promptly resume production.) The anticline appears to divide into several plunging folds upsection, at the Lower Devonian strata level, toward each end of the fold. We put the Silverbirch Broadland 15 and 16 to work on our two day canoe trip down Smoke Hole Canyon. West Virginia University We had two boaters come all the way from Tennessee! Just bring your personal items and food and come for a weekend or week full of relaxing or sightseeing in our area to mention, Smoke Hole Canyon where it is stocked by the WVDNR in Jan, Feb, March, April and May and again in the fall Oct. This is one of the most recommended routes for beginners. It provides good practice of eddy hopping and boat scouting. The big-eared bat is highly sensitive and needs exacting conditions to hibernate. In addition to hiking, there are many other ways to discover this beautiful wildness. 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. There are long sections between Blue Rock and the North Fork confluence that have the lower Potomac character i.e. Global sites represent either regional branches of The Nature Conservancy or local affiliates of The Nature Conservancy that are separate entities. what is the best place to park at the take out, for overnight? This created a bitter legacy. Petersburg ; Hotels ; Things to do ; Restaurants ; Flights ; . Because of its proximity to the large eastern metropolitan areas, this landscape is rapidly changing. One thing I plan on doing different next time in a canoe,if lowwater is present, will be to use (X-Large)portage styledry bags. Post here so everyone can benefit. All the water goes left, which is where you run it, and the rebar is usually a couple of feet deep there so usually dont have to worry. Union-supporting Home Guards known locally as "Swamp Dragons" destroyed the works. 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. The political situation in the Smoke Hole is certainly unusual; until a few years ago it was said the Smoke Hole had "only one Democrat and lightnin' killed him", but recently there has been some swing of political allegiances. Home Forums Trip Reports Smoke Hole Canyon, West Virginia, May 11 and 12, 2019. (Other locations rumored to contain the booty include Mercer, Wisconsin[39] and a farm in northeastern Ohio.[40]). [14], A still extant log church Palestine Church was built as a Methodist Episcopal meeting house around 1850.[15]. First of all, WOW that has to be the most amazing float trip that you can take in WV. See Alerts and Notices Section for more information. I would not have enjoyed running those areas in anything other than a raft. [28], The canyon offers excellent class II - III whitewater paddling for several months in the spring when the water levels are high enough. 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! Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Water should be fine until after Memorial Day. Smoke Hole Canyon traditionally called The Smoke Holes and later simply Smoke Hole is a rugged 20 miles long gorge carved by the South Branch Potomac River in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, United States. Search our site to find more information about your next trip. Remember: Using others' images on the web without their permission may be bad manners, or worse, copyright infringement. Here's the deal, 250 CFs is at Franklin, which is a solid ten plus miles upstream. If you are planning a trip to Smoke Hole Canyon, be sure to consider some of the following: Are dogs allowed? | The driver of the shuttle was actually a member of this forum (Stickbow maybe??). The North Fork Mountain Trail follows the ridge top along the western rim of the canyon. [36] (This changed in the early 1940s when deer were reintroduced into the Canyon; they have thrived there since.). 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. In the latter year, their encampment was washed away in a river flood. I've done it, I'd have to look at my notes at home left big bend with 3.85ft/900cfs-ish . stayedonenight (Ithink? The marvels even extend underground, into extensive limestone caves. As of 22 November 2013, the 1,611 acre Smoke Hole Fire had been fully contained. 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. rock formations and great camping spots. The "revenuers" destroyed many "stills" (distilleries) during this period and sent many moonshiners to the state penitentiary the typical term of incarceration was one year. Follow 28/55 from Petersburg, WV, for 8 miles. A man named Steele (given name now lost) was the first Smoke Holer, arriving sometime in the 1750s. All I have to go from is American Whitewater recommendations from the Franklin Gauge, minimum of 2.5 feet. Under the 2006 Monongahela National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan,[26] over 3,000 acres (1,200ha) in the Smoke Hole area were set aside for non-motorized, primitive recreation and remote wildlife habitat. In addition to shuttle service for groups big and small, we also provide canoe and kayak drop-off with pick up . The area is known for its unique rock formations, including towering cliffs and natural arches. A cave with the largest concentration of wild mammals in the Central Appalachians. Sep 2020. Smoke Hole Canyon is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including black bears, bobcats, and bald eagles. The entire Smoke Hole river run from US 220 to Petersburg is about 25 miles (40km) long. 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. Definitely on my list to do again. Prominent named crags and caves along this section include Indian House Cave (mile 10.1), Castle Rock (mile 11.3), Blue Rock (mile 16.2), and Bulls Head (mile 16.6), just below which is Peacock Cave (mile 16.6). So, we opted to at least start with a day-trip on the section from the low-water bridge to the take out at Big Bend Campground, which is the end of the road into the canyon. After the morning paddle trip, some people went sight-seeing in Seneca Rocks, some took a nap, and at one went fishing. Chimney slide and the rapid at the old royal Glenn dam site. The populations of bison, elk and cougar that attracted the earliest settlers to Smoke Hole have long since gone. To get to the put-in's, take 220 south for about 16 miles to Smoke Hole Rd (cr 2). Save to Bookmarks. Spring beauties, bluets and dandelions are not far behind. Piped water and flush toilet are available April through October. (This is about 1.5 miles along Pendleton County Route 2 beyond the bridge where US Route 220 crosses the South Branch.) 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. Swiger, C.W. Water Levels.Friday put on @ 12:30 was 389 cfs @ Franklin (Plenty of Water)Saturday @ 12:30 was 307 cfs @ Franklin (still plenty of water)Sunday @ 12:30 was 249 cfs @ Franklin (scrappy on the shoals and some rock scraping on some of the shallow spots.) Adkins 220, Grant 4 would have been who your shuttle driver was. By this time about 50 families resided in the Canyon in 1941 there were 260 residents associated with the post office at Smoke Hole and another 49 around the one at Ketterman, three miles downstream[24] but World War II accelerated the out-migration and long-term population decline. The Smoke Hole bergamot (Monarda fistulosa var. ? Reply. The rivers that had previously rolled gently over the plains turned into raging torrents that cut deep gorges and canyons. About 3 miles on (mile 20.7), the river debouches from the Canyon. No description has been added yet for this paddling location. Bat guano and other organic debris support an array of invertebrates specially adapted to this bizarre ecosystem. Summer brings jack-in-the-pulpit, trilliums, anemones, wild geraniums, wild roses, lady slipper, wild columbine, rhododendron, black-eyed susans, field lilies, and ox-eyed daisies. The prairies and associated cedar glades of the Smoke Hole are the largest in the Central Appalachians. | A species of Asian beetle known to survive entirely by eating the adelgid is being considered for the Canyon, while a solution to the stiltgrass problem remains as yet unidentified. Even though I felt like I was going to squeeze by with water I choose to take the canoe to be on the same playing field as the group. ) or https:// means you've safely I was shedding man tear as I could feel some of the rocks on the bottom of my old town camper.thanks!! We didn't have to get out any but did scrape on one little riffle not too far after Bluerock where we camped.
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