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Virginia | Appomattox and Buckingham counties / Bent Creek–Gladstone
James RiverBent Creek Boat Ramp to James River State Park
A 9.3-mile Class I–II James River float from the maintained Bent Creek public ramp to the public river accesses inside James River State Park. American Whitewater ties the exact corridor to direct USGS 02026000 flow, and Virginia State Parks actively programs the Bent Creek-to-Canoe Landing trip.
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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 full-day Class I–II float with a maintained upstream ramp, two possible state-park landings, direct Bent Creek telemetry, and reservation-based camping at the downstream park.
Access map
Put-in
Bent Creek public boat rampBent Creek is a maintained concrete public ramp at Routes 60 and 26. Keep the ramp clear and verify its current status before launch.
Take-out
Park Road river access, James River State ParkThe primary takeout is the Park Road river access at James River State Park. Canoe Landing is an earlier park access, not permission to land or camp elsewhere along the corridor.
Road shuttle
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Access planner
Choose your launch and take-out
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Bent Creek public boat ramp to Park Road river access, James River State Park is about 9.3 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- Bent Creek is a maintained concrete public ramp at Routes 60 and 26. Keep the ramp clear and verify its current status before launch.
- The primary takeout is the Park Road river access at James River State Park. Canoe Landing is an earlier park access, not permission to land or camp elsewhere along the corridor.
- DWR boating access facilities are for launching, retrieving, and fishing; camping, swimming, loitering, and public alcohol display are prohibited at those facilities.
Watch for
- USGS 02026000 below 800 cfs, above 6,000 cfs, rising rapidly, unavailable, or inconsistent with the launch visual
- wood, strainers, shallow rock, stronger current, cold water, thunderstorms, heat, poor visibility, or insufficient daylight
- a closed park gate or landing, obstructed ramp, failed shuttle, inadequate drinking water, or pressure to use private property
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
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Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
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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
James River at Bent Creek, 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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Route gallery
Photos
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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 | James River at Bent Creek, 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 | 1,200 cfs to 4,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 800 cfs |
| High threshold | 6,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Bent Creek–James River State Park correlation: 800–6,000 cfs at USGS 02026000 |
| 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 corridorBent Creek Boat Ramp to James River State Park; 9.3 miles; Class I–II
American Whitewater publishes the exact reach, distance, difficulty, endpoint coordinates, and an intermediate Canoe Landing access.
- Direct live gauge and thresholdsUSGS 02026000; American Whitewater 800–6,000 cfs
American Whitewater identifies the Bent Creek gauge as primary and applies the numeric runnable limits directly to this reach; USGS supplies current discharge and stage.
- Public access and park continuityMaintained Bent Creek ramp to two James River State Park accesses
DWR’s current access service confirms Bent Creek; Virginia State Parks documents the park boundary, landings, facilities, and active Bent Creek-to-Canoe Landing programming.
- Camping logisticsReservable endpoint camping at James River State Park
Camping is kept within separately managed state-park facilities and is not implied at Bent Creek, islands, or private banks.
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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More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.
Quick answers
James River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Bent Creek Boat Ramp to James River State Park route on the James River?
Paddle Today watches James River at Bent Creek, VA and treats 1,200 cfs to 4,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does the Bent Creek Boat Ramp to James River State Park route on the James River start and end?
This route starts at Bent Creek public boat ramp and ends at Park Road river access, James River State Park, 9.3 river miles on the water.
Is the Bent Creek Boat Ramp to James River State Park route on the James River suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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