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Virginia | Henry County / Bassett–Fieldale

Smith RiverBassett River Access to The Great Road River Access

A planning-only approximately five-mile Smith River Blueway float from the public Bassett access to the public Great Road access, with Class I–II moving water, cold tailwater, rustic launches, and rapid changes from Philpott Dam releases.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 5 river miles
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAllow 2–3 hours depending on release
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Smith River in fog in Henry County, Virginia.
River contextSmith River in Henry County; same-river context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by MarmadukePercy via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceApproximately 5 river milesBassett River Access to The Great Road River Access
DifficultymoderateThe Blueway describes Class I–II rapids and a rustic public access sequence. Cold water, release changes, shallow periods, rocks, structures, and industrial/private banks make this a moving-water trip rather than guaranteed flatwater.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at The Great Road access, then drive to Bassett River Access. Confirm current parking, rustic ramp conditions, the carry, road access, and any release-related changes before unloading.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific permit is published. Follow Virginia boating and PFD law, Henry County access rules, posted closures, and all private-property boundaries.
CampingDay tripNo on-route or endpoint camping is assumed. Use separate lawful lodging or a designated regional campground; the public access pages document day paddling, parking, and shuttle needs rather than camping.
SeasonMar-NovPhilpott generation controls the tailwater and can change conditions quickly. Check direct Bassett telemetry, generation timing, recent rain, water temperature, debris, daylight, and the access status before launch.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A public Blueway day float through Bassett and Fieldale with direct Bassett gauge context, Philpott release dependence, rustic access, cold water, and no on-route camping.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

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Start

Put-in

Bassett River Access / North Bassett Canoe Access
Open mapDirections to put-in

Henry County operates the public Bassett and Great Road access points, but the stored coordinates are access-area/address anchors; confirm the exact wetted-edge entry, carry, parking, and current facility status.

Finish

Take-out

The Great Road River Access
Open mapDirections to take-out

The Blueway separates the five-mile Bassett-to-Great Road section from the downstream Fieldale section. Do not drift past the selected Great Road take-out into the next reach without a new plan.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Henry County operates the public Bassett and Great Road access points, but the stored coordinates are access-area/address anchors; confirm the exact wetted-edge entry, carry, parking, and current facility status.
  • The Blueway separates the five-mile Bassett-to-Great Road section from the downstream Fieldale section. Do not drift past the selected Great Road take-out into the next reach without a new plan.
  • The 65–1,400 cfs value is a documented release context, not a safety limit. Generation timing, local rainfall, shallow rocks, fish weirs, cold water, and debris control the actual launch decision.

Watch for

  • USGS 02072500 unavailable, rapidly rising, outside the documented release context, or inconsistent with the Bassett put-in visual; also confirm the Philpott generation hotline
  • low water, release-driven current, slippery or muddy launches, rocks, fish weirs, bridge current, strainers, cold water, storms, and industrial/private banks
  • closed or full access, failed vehicle shuttle, missing parking/carry, a missed Great Road take-out, or loss of daylight

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.

Trip schedule

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

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Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

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Checking trend.

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

The Smith River in fog in Henry County, Virginia.
Smith River in Henry County; same-river context river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by MarmadukePercy via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: CC BY-SA 3.0

Sources

Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

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 moving-water corridorSmith River Blueway Bassett River Access to The Great Road River Access; approximately 5 miles; Class I–II

    The current Blueway access list names both public endpoints, distance, class, access addresses, and estimated trip time.

    Source

  • Direct gauge and release-specific guidanceUSGS 02072500 at Bassett; 65–1,400 cfs release context and Philpott generation hotline

    The county brochure documents the release context and the local access pages direct paddlers to USGS and the generation schedule. No station-specific recreational threshold is inferred.

    Source

  • Endpoint access and coordinatesBassett 36.76992, -80.00147; The Great Road 36.7272223, -79.9487802

    The public Blueway and Henry County tourism pages identify the access addresses and public use. Coordinates are address/access-area anchors and require exact wetted-edge confirmation.

    Source

  • Safety and camping postureRapid Philpott release changes, cold water, rustic ramps, Class I–II water, no on-route camping

    Henry County access pages provide PFD, cold-water, slippery-launch, moving-water, and release warnings; use separate lawful lodging or camping.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in Virginia

All 49 routes
Virginia route guideBrowse every tracked Virginia route.Henry County / Bassett–FieldaleJump to routes in this region.

More on Smith River

All 8
Fieldale River Access to Doe Run River AccessHenry County / Smith River BluewayModerate · Approximately 5 river milesFrith Drive River Access to Smith River Sports Complex River AccessHenry County / Smith River BluewayModerate · Approximately 3 river milesMarrowbone Creek River Access to Mitchell Bridge River AccessHenry County / Smith River BluewayModerate · Approximately 3.4 river milesPhilpott Dam Tailrace to Bassett River AccessFranklin and Henry counties / Philpott tailwaterHard · Approximately 6.4 river miles

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Pigg RiverWaid Park to Lynch Park · about 14 straight-line mi awayEasy · Approximately 8 river milesMayo RiverDeshazo Mill Access to Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach Access · about 16 straight-line mi awayModerate · approximately 1.5 river milesMayo RiverAnglin Mill / Mayo Beach Access to Hickory Creek Access · about 16 straight-line mi awayModerate · approximately 3.5 river milesMayo RiverAnglin Mill / Mayo Beach to Business 220 · about 16 straight-line mi awayHard · 10 river miles

Quick answers

Smith River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Bassett River Access to The Great Road River Access route on the Smith River?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Bassett River Access to The Great Road River Access route on the Smith River start and end?

This route starts at Bassett River Access / North Bassett Canoe Access and ends at The Great Road River Access, Approximately 5 river miles on the water.

Is the Bassett River Access to The Great Road River Access route on the Smith River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

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