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West Virginia | Southern West Virginia / Little Coal Water Trail
Little Coal RiverDonald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center to Upper Waterways Park
Little Coal River Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center to Upper Waterways Park is a 7 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
Shorter Little Coal L-2 reach from Donald Kuhn to the Upper Waterways public access, with an upstream Danville gauge proxy and nearby campground context.
Access map
Put-in
Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center public accessDonald Kuhn and Upper Waterways are public access anchors, not permission to use adjacent private, railroad, or utility property; confirm the carry paths and signs before unloading.
Take-out
Upper Waterways Park public accessThe brochure also identifies Lower Waterways Park as a possible take-out. This card intentionally selects Upper Waterways to keep the endpoint named and separately auditable.
Road shuttle
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- Donald Kuhn and Upper Waterways are public access anchors, not permission to use adjacent private, railroad, or utility property; confirm the carry paths and signs before unloading.
- The brochure also identifies Lower Waterways Park as a possible take-out. This card intentionally selects Upper Waterways to keep the endpoint named and separately auditable.
- Carry water, spare layers, and a repair kit; the route is shorter than L-1 but still has limited exits and unreliable cell service.
Watch for
- USGS 03199000 discharge outside the 80–1,100 cfs conservative screen, a sharp rise after rain, or a mismatch between upstream gauge telemetry and local conditions.
- Shallow riffles, restoration structures, strainers, submerged debris, private banks, cold water, and Corridor G road/bridge traffic.
Plan this paddle
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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
Little Coal River at Danville, 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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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 corridorDonald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center to Upper Waterways Park; 7 mi L-2 variant
The current Coal River Water Trail brochure names L-2 and describes 5- or 7-mile Water Ways take-outs; WVDNR separately lists Don R. Kuhn and Upper Waterways Park as Little Coal River public access lots.
- Public access endpointsDonald Kuhn 38.1375,-81.8365 to Upper Waterways 38.1811,-81.8491
WVDNR District 5 lists both endpoints as public lots. Confirm current parking, ramp/carry path, and campground/event closures before staging.
- GaugeUSGS 03199000 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
Little Coal River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center to Upper Waterways Park route on the Little 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 Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center to Upper Waterways Park route on the Little Coal River start and end?
This route starts at Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center public access and ends at Upper Waterways Park public access, 7 mi on the water.
Is the Donald R. Kuhn Juvenile Center to Upper Waterways Park route on the Little 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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