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Virginia | Henry County / Fieldale

Smith RiverThe Great Road River Access to Fieldale River Access

A planning-only approximately 3.3-mile Smith River Blueway float from the public Great Road access to Fieldale River Access, with Class I–II rapids, industrial and residential banks, and a downstream dam boundary at Doe Run.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceApproximately 3.3 river miles
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAllow 1–2 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 3.3 river milesThe Great Road River Access to Fieldale River Access
DifficultymoderateA short Class I–II industrial-river section with cold water, release-driven current, rustic access, private-bank boundaries, and a hard downstream dam boundary.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at Fieldale River Access, then drive to The Great Road access. Confirm current parking, rustic carry, road access, and any release-related changes before unloading.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is published. Follow Virginia boating and PFD rules, Henry County access rules, posted closures, and all private-property boundaries.
CampingDay tripNo endpoint or on-route camping is claimed. Use separately verified lawful lodging or a designated regional campground; do not camp at the accesses or industrial banks.
SeasonMar-NovCheck direct Bassett telemetry, generation timing, recent rain, water temperature, debris, daylight, and both public access areas immediately before launch.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A public 3.3-mile Smith River Blueway section with Class I–II water, direct same-river gauge context, Philpott release dependence, and a hard Fieldale/Doe Run downstream boundary.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

The Great Road River Access
Open mapDirections to put-in

The Blueway identifies Great Road and Fieldale as public access points; confirm current parking, carry, ramp condition, and wetted-edge entry/exit before relying on either endpoint.

Finish

Take-out

Fieldale River Access
Open mapDirections to take-out

The 65–1,400 cfs value is release context, not a safety limit. Compare telemetry, generation timing, and the water-level visual before launch.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • The Blueway identifies Great Road and Fieldale as public access points; confirm current parking, carry, ramp condition, and wetted-edge entry/exit before relying on either endpoint.
  • The 65–1,400 cfs value is release context, not a safety limit. Compare telemetry, generation timing, and the water-level visual before launch.
  • Fieldale is the last access before the Doe Run and Martinsville dam boundary for this route. Do not continue beyond it without a separate verified plan.

Watch for

  • USGS 02072500 unavailable, rapidly rising, or inconsistent with the Great Road visual; also confirm the Philpott generation hotline
  • Class I–II rapids, rocks, strainers, bridge current, industrial structures, cold water, storms, and floating debris
  • closed or full access, slippery carry, private banks, missed Fieldale take-out, or the Martinsville dam boundary

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

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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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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 corridorSmith River Blueway Great Road to Fieldale; 3.3 miles; Class I–II

    The Blueway brochure names both public access points, distance, class, addresses, and typical travel time.

    Source

  • Gauge and release guidanceUSGS 02072500 at Bassett; 65–1,400 cfs release context and Philpott generation hotline

    The Blueway and access pages direct paddlers to the current gauge and release schedule; no station-specific recreational cutoff is inferred.

    Source

  • Endpoint access and boundaryGreat Road 36.7272223, -79.9487802; Fieldale 36.6909, -79.9328; exit before Doe Run/Martinsville dam

    Henry County access records and the Blueway identify the public endpoints and the hard downstream boundary.

    Source

  • Safety and camping postureClass I–II, cold water, release-driven current, industrial/private banks, nearby basecamp only

    Official access guidance requires PFDs, cold-water preparation, release checks, and legal public accesses; no endpoint camping is claimed.

    Source

  • Duplicate separationDistinct Great Road–Fieldale section, separate from Bassett–Great Road and Fieldale–Doe Run options

    This short Blueway section has its own named public endpoint pair and ends at Fieldale before the dam boundary.

    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

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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 / FieldaleJump to routes in this region.

More on Smith River

All 8
Bassett River Access to The Great Road River AccessHenry County / Bassett–FieldaleModerate · Approximately 5 river milesFieldale 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 miles

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Mayo RiverDeshazo Mill Access to Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach Access · about 13 straight-line mi awayModerate · approximately 1.5 river milesMayo RiverAnglin Mill / Mayo Beach Access to Hickory Creek Access · about 13 straight-line mi awayModerate · approximately 3.5 river milesMayo RiverAnglin Mill / Mayo Beach to Business 220 · about 13 straight-line mi awayHard · 10 river milesMayo RiverHickory Creek Access to Mayodan Access · about 15 straight-line mi awayModerate · approximately 7.5 river miles

Quick answers

Smith River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the The Great Road River Access to Fieldale 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 The Great Road River Access to Fieldale River Access route on the Smith River start and end?

This route starts at The Great Road River Access and ends at Fieldale River Access, Approximately 3.3 river miles on the water.

Is the The Great Road River Access to Fieldale 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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