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West Virginia | Southern West Virginia / Big Coal Water Trail
Big Coal RiverJM Protan Community Center / Orgas to John Slack Park
Big Coal River JM Protan Community Center / Orgas to John Slack Park is a 13.25 mi Class I run documented by official route and access sources.
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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
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Long beginner Class I Big Coal Water Trail reach with a public Orgas launch, John Slack Park take-out, and a downstream Ashford gauge proxy.
Access map
Put-in
JM Protan Community Center / Orgas accessThe Orgas endpoint is a community access; confirm hours, parking, and event conflicts before unloading. Do not substitute an unverified roadside bank.
Take-out
John Slack Park public boat accessJohn Slack Park is the published public take-out, but confirm the current ramp/shoreline condition, parking rules, and overnight vehicle policy before leaving a shuttle car.
Road shuttle
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- The Orgas endpoint is a community access; confirm hours, parking, and event conflicts before unloading. Do not substitute an unverified roadside bank.
- John Slack Park is the published public take-out, but confirm the current ramp/shoreline condition, parking rules, and overnight vehicle policy before leaving a shuttle car.
- At 13.25 miles, carry water, food, spare layers, and a repair kit; arrange the shuttle before launch because cell coverage is unreliable.
Watch for
- USGS 03198500 discharge outside the 400–4,000 cfs route-family screen, a sharp rise after rain, or a mismatch between Ashford telemetry and local conditions upstream.
- Shallow riffles, strainers, submerged debris, coal-truck traffic on access roads, private banks, cold water, long exposure, and no cell service.
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
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Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.
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
Big Coal River at Ashford, WV. 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.
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 route corridorJM Protan Community Center / Orgas to John Slack Park; 13.25 mi; B-2
The Coal River Water Trail brochure names B-2 and gives the full route distance; the route-family flow screen is a conservative reuse because American Whitewater does not publish a separate B-2 correlation.
- Public access endpointsOrgas 38.063838,-81.574858 to John Slack Park 38.1375,-81.6464
Orgas reuses the B-1 community access; WVDNR identifies John Slack Park as a public Big Coal River access. Confirm parking, signage, and any event or maintenance closure before staging.
- GaugeUSGS 03198500 discharge telemetry
Official same-river gauge used for the route planning screen; verify current value and trend before launch.
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.
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Quick answers
Big Coal River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the JM Protan Community Center / Orgas to John Slack Park route on the Big Coal 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 JM Protan Community Center / Orgas to John Slack Park route on the Big Coal River start and end?
This route starts at JM Protan Community Center / Orgas access and ends at John Slack Park public boat access, 13.25 mi on the water.
Is the JM Protan Community Center / Orgas to John Slack Park route on the Big Coal River suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a easy 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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