See all 2 routes on Clinch River
Virginia | Russell County / Clinch River Gorge
Clinch RiverPuckett's Hole to Nash's Ford
An 8.2-mile Class I-III Clinch River Gorge run between two Virginia DWR public shoreline accesses. American Whitewater ties the exact reach to direct USGS 03524000 and documents its ledges, access, and runnable flow range.
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Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.
Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A remote-feeling whitewater day run with two public shoreline accesses, a self-shuttle, no endpoint facilities or camping, sensitive Clinch River habitat, and a direct same-river gauge.
Access map
Put-in
Puckett's Hole DWR shoreline accessVirginia DWR lists Puckett's Hole and Nash's Ford as public shoreline accesses, not developed ramps; both have no facilities and access-site camping is prohibited.
Take-out
Nash's Ford DWR shoreline accessAmerican Whitewater describes the Puckett's Hole approach as narrow, gravel, and rough and places the Nash Ford take-out upstream of the bridge on river left. Verify both before committing to the run.
Road shuttle
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Access planner
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This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Puckett's Hole DWR shoreline access to Nash's Ford DWR shoreline access is about 8.2 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- Virginia DWR lists Puckett's Hole and Nash's Ford as public shoreline accesses, not developed ramps; both have no facilities and access-site camping is prohibited.
- American Whitewater describes the Puckett's Hole approach as narrow, gravel, and rough and places the Nash Ford take-out upstream of the bridge on river left. Verify both before committing to the run.
- The Clinch supports exceptional fish and mussel diversity. Minimize bottom contact, do not collect or disturb wildlife, and follow current DWR and posted habitat rules.
Watch for
- USGS 03524000 outside 600–5,000 cfs, rising rapidly, unavailable, or inconsistent with the put-in visual
- Double Ledges, strengthening holes at higher flow, submerged rocks or wood, cold water, storms, and daylight loss
- rough gravel access roads, limited parking, no endpoint facilities, a failed shuttle, or a current access closure
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.
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Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.
USGS measurements
More about this gauge
These measurements come from the gauge station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
Clinch River at Cleveland, VA. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Gauge detail
Water-level history and forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Hourly forecast
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Short-route forecast
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Route gallery
Photos
Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today’s call.
Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | Clinch River at Cleveland, VA |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | 800 cfs to 3,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 600 cfs |
| High threshold | 5,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Clinch River Gorge correlation: 600–5,000 cfs at USGS 03524000 |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Named public corridorPuckett's Hole to Nash's Ford; 8.2 miles; Class I-III
Virginia DWR lists both public shoreline accesses and coordinates; American Whitewater publishes the exact reach, distance, difficulty, and feature sequence.
- Direct live gauge and thresholdUSGS 03524000; American Whitewater runnable range 600–5,000 cfs
American Whitewater ties the exact reach to the Cleveland gauge; USGS supplies current discharge and gage height.
- Access, safety, and habitatTwo DWR shoreline accesses; Double Ledges; exceptional fish and mussel diversity
DWR prohibits camping at its access sites and documents the Clinch’s ecological importance; American Whitewater identifies the principal ledge hazards.
- Camping logisticsNatural Tunnel State Park regional basecamp; no access-site or on-route camping
Natural Tunnel currently offers two campgrounds, cabins, yurts, and primitive camping. It is a separate regional basecamp, not part of the river corridor.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
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Quick answers
Clinch River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Puckett's Hole to Nash's Ford route on the Clinch River?
Paddle Today watches Clinch River at Cleveland, VA and treats 800 cfs to 3,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does the Puckett's Hole to Nash's Ford route on the Clinch River start and end?
This route starts at Puckett's Hole DWR shoreline access and ends at Nash's Ford DWR shoreline access, 8.2 river miles on the water.
Is the Puckett's Hole to Nash's Ford route on the Clinch River suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
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