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West Virginia | Southern West Virginia / Guyandotte River Water Trail
Guyandotte River
Baileysville public access to Guyandotte Campground
Check current paddling conditions for this Guyandotte 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
Short 5.5-mile Guyandotte float from Baileysville to the developed Guyandotte Campground, stopping before the downstream R.D. Bailey lake/tailwater hazards.
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
Baileysville WVDNR public accessBaileysville is an inventory access anchor that needs local confirmation of the actual river entry and parking; do not stage on a bridge shoulder or private drive.
Take-out
Guyandotte Campground public accessUSACE says the campground has a camper boat launch and developed camping; confirm day-use launch permission, fees, hours, and current campground status before relying on it as a take-out.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Baileysville is an inventory access anchor that needs local confirmation of the actual river entry and parking; do not stage on a bridge shoulder or private drive.
- USACE says the campground has a camper boat launch and developed camping; confirm day-use launch permission, fees, hours, and current campground status before relying on it as a take-out.
- The campground is the hard route boundary. Do not continue toward lake backwaters, R.D. Bailey Dam, or tailwater facilities without a separate current-flow and access plan.
Watch for
- USGS 03202400 discharge outside the conservative 60–2,500 cfs screen, a sharp rise, or a mismatch between gauge conditions and the campground reach.
- Low-water scraping, fast water after rain, strainers, submerged debris, cold water, private banks, campground traffic, and the downstream Class III/lake transition.
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 | Guyandotte River near Baileysville, WV |
| 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 |
| Target band | 100 cfs to 800 cfs |
| Low threshold | 60 cfs |
| High threshold | 2,500 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Conservative local planning screen from USGS 03202400 daily discharge history (1997–2026: about 30.5 cfs minimum, 105 cfs 25th percentile, 236 cfs median, 893 cfs 90th percentile, 18,100 cfs maximum) and the WVDNR-listed 5.5-mile float; no official runnable range published |
| 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 route corridorBaileysville to USCOE/Guyandotte Campground; 5.5 mi; Class I-II planning profile
WVDNR’s District 4 float-trip table lists the 5.5-mile Baileysville–USCOE campground trip; the access guide identifies Guyandotte Campground as a public Guyandotte River lot.
- Regulated downstream boundaryGuyandotte Campground is the planned finish; R.D. Bailey lake/tailwater is separate
American Whitewater reports flatwater/Class I before campground areas and a later Class III feature, while USACE identifies the downstream lake and dam recreation complex. This card intentionally stops at the campground.
- GaugeUSGS 03202400 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.
- WVDNR District 4 fishing and float-trip guide
- WVDNR boating and approved water trails
- American Whitewater Simon to R.D. Bailey Lake context
- USACE R.D. Bailey Lake recreation and campground
- R.D. Bailey Campground reservations
- Guyandotte River Water Trail guide
- Town of Gilbert Guyandotte paddling image context
- USGS 03202400 monitoring location
- USGS 03202400 current conditions
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.
Quick answers
Guyandotte River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Guyandotte River?
Paddle Today watches Guyandotte River near Baileysville, WV and treats 100 cfs to 800 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Guyandotte River route start and end?
This route starts at Baileysville WVDNR public access and ends at Guyandotte Campground public access, about 5.5 mi on the water.
Is this Guyandotte River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.