See all 4 routes on West Fork River
West Virginia | North-central West Virginia / West Fork River Water Trail
West Fork River
Good Hope Public Access to West Milford Public Access
Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.
Route location
Loading the route coverage map.
Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.
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
Checking weather.
Loading today's forecast.
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
Six-mile beginner-friendly West Fork River Water Trail float from Good Hope to West Milford, using the Mount Clare station as a downstream proxy and requiring a local debris/rainfall check.
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
Good Hope Public Access Site behind Hawks Nest Convenience StoreGood Hope is behind Hawks Nest Convenience Store and has a public carry-down, but do not assume store or adjacent private parking is included; confirm signs and staging with the access manager.
Take-out
West Milford Public Access / Island ParkWest Milford Public Access/Island Park can host community events. Confirm the ramp, parking, and any Float the Fork or maintenance closure before leaving a shuttle.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Good Hope is behind Hawks Nest Convenience Store and has a public carry-down, but do not assume store or adjacent private parking is included; confirm signs and staging with the access manager.
- West Milford Public Access/Island Park can host community events. Confirm the ramp, parking, and any Float the Fork or maintenance closure before leaving a shuttle.
- Intermediate banks are not automatic bailouts. Land only at open, signed public properties and keep vehicles off shoulders and private drives.
Watch for
- USGS 03058975 discharge outside the 100–3,000 cfs conservative screen, a sharp rise, or a mismatch between the downstream Mount Clare proxy and local Good Hope conditions.
- High or muddy water after rain, shallow riffles, strainers, submerged debris, bridge turbulence, private banks, cold water, and limited cell service.
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
Data and sources
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 | West Fork River near Mount Clare, 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 | 200 cfs to 1,000 cfs |
| Low threshold | 100 cfs |
| High threshold | 3,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Conservative West Fork screen inferred from USGS 03058975 daily means (2010–2026: about 34.7 cfs minimum, 124 cfs 25th percentile, 243 cfs median, 620 cfs 75th percentile, 9,510 cfs maximum) and the documented beginner float; no official Good Hope 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 corridorGood Hope Public Access to West Milford Public Access; 6 mi
Guardians of the West Fork names the six-mile float and identifies Good Hope behind Hawks Nest Convenience Store as the public launch; its festival and cleanup materials identify West Milford Public Access/Island Park as the take-out.
- Public access coordinatesGood Hope 39.176407,-80.437942 to West Milford 39.19845,-80.40611
Guardians publishes the Good Hope GPS coordinate; the Float the Fork festival listing publishes the West Milford endpoint GPS. Confirm carry paths, parking, and event or maintenance closures before staging.
- GaugeUSGS 03058975 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.
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
West Fork River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling West Fork River?
Paddle Today watches West Fork River near Mount Clare, WV and treats 200 cfs to 1,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this West Fork River route start and end?
This route starts at Good Hope Public Access Site behind Hawks Nest Convenience Store and ends at West Milford Public Access / Island Park, about 6 mi on the water.
Is this West Fork 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.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.