River guideNorth Carolina and Virginia and West Virginia
New River
Compare trips by distance, difficulty and current conditions. Open a trip for its map, directions and planning tools.
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New River paddle planning
What to verify before you commit.
Water levels
These New River routes use 6 gauge references depending on the stretch.
Route options
Compare 14 routes (8 scored · 6 planning) across Ashe and Alleghany counties, Giles County / Glen Lyn, Grayson County / New River Trail State Park, New River Gorge / Hinton, New River Gorge / Lower New, New River Gorge / Sandstone, New River Gorge / Thurmond-to-Cunard transition, New River Gorge / Upper New, Radford / Pulaski County, Wythe County / New River Trail State Park. Open a route page for put-in, take-out, distance, data reliability, and access notes.
Difficulty
New River routes here are marked easy and hard and moderate, so choose the stretch that fits your group and conditions.
Quick answers
New River paddling FAQ
Where can I paddle the New River?
Paddle Today tracks 14 New River routes across Ashe and Alleghany counties, Giles County / Glen Lyn, Grayson County / New River Trail State Park, New River Gorge / Hinton, New River Gorge / Lower New, New River Gorge / Sandstone, New River Gorge / Thurmond-to-Cunard transition, New River Gorge / Upper New, Radford / Pulaski County, Wythe County / New River Trail State Park. Compare the route cards on this page, then open an individual route for put-in, take-out, distance, and access notes.
How should I check New River water levels?
Check the gauge notes for your stretch and its live score where available. This hub uses 6 gauges or gauge references. Planning routes have no live score; check their source guidance and current access notices.
Which New River route is best today?
Compare current scores where available, along with water level, recent trend, weather, access, and route difficulty. Planning-only cards provide trip information without a live paddling recommendation.