Virginia | Campbell County / Long Island–Brookneal
Staunton River
Long Island DWR ramp to Brookneal DWR ramp
Check current paddling conditions for this Staunton River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A named Staunton River scenic reach with direct Brookneal stage monitoring, a conservative 5 ft local operating screen, difficult Class II–III rapids, and two public DWR ramps.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
DWR Long Island public boat rampUse only the DWR Long Island and Brookneal ramps as endpoints; the nearby Clarkton Bridge access is permanently closed and is not a substitute.
Take-out
Brookneal DWR public boat rampThe Long Island ramp has riffles above and below that limit motorboat access; inspect the launch and take-out and confirm current parking conditions.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Use only the DWR Long Island and Brookneal ramps as endpoints; the nearby Clarkton Bridge access is permanently closed and is not a substitute.
- The Long Island ramp has riffles above and below that limit motorboat access; inspect the launch and take-out and confirm current parking conditions.
- Do not camp or picnic on private bottomland without landowner permission, and carry emergency supplies because the reach is remote in places.
Watch for
- USGS 02062500 below 5.0 ft, rapidly rising, unavailable, or inconsistent with the river visual
- Class II–III rapids, riffles, strainers, cold water, and rapid-rise or warning-siren conditions
- private-bank constraints, ramp closures, thunderstorms, debris, and failed daylight or shuttle plans
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Roanoke (Staunton) River at Brookneal, VA |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | 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 |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 5.00 ft |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Old Dominion Expeditions Brookneal water-data report: 5–6 ft ideal for kayaking |
| 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 corridorStaunton River scenic reach; Long Island to Brookneal; approximately 11 river miles
Virginia DWR names the reach, both public ramps, distance, and Class II–III character.
- Direct live gauge and thresholdUSGS 02062500 gage height; 5.0 ft conservative minimum screen, 5–6 ft local ideal band
Old Dominion Expeditions publishes 5–6 ft as ideal for kayaking at Brookneal. The product records 5.0 ft as a conservative minimum screening criterion and clearly labels the source as outfitter/community guidance.
- Access and hazard documentationDWR Long Island and Brookneal ramps; difficult Class II–III rapids, riffles, rapid rise, and private bottomland
DWR documents the endpoint facilities, rapid character, warning-siren response, and private-bank restrictions.
- Camping logisticsNo on-route camping assumed; nearby basecamp only unless private permission is obtained
DWR explicitly requires landowner permission before camping or picnicking on adjoining bottomland.
- Rights-clean image decisionNo route-specific image copied; approved public-domain Brookneal river context image used
The preview uses the approved public-domain Brookneal Roanoke River image as same-river context for the Staunton reach; it is not presented as a full endpoint photograph.
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
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
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Quick answers
Staunton River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Staunton River?
Paddle Today watches Roanoke (Staunton) River at Brookneal, VA and uses 5.00 ft as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Staunton River route start and end?
This route starts at DWR Long Island public boat ramp and ends at Brookneal DWR public boat ramp, about Approximately 11 river miles on the water.
Is this Staunton River route good 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.