See all 4 routes on West Fork River
West Virginia | North-central West Virginia / West Fork River Water Trail
West Fork River
Weston public parking below Weston Dam to Jackson’s Mill Public Stream Access
Check current paddling conditions for this West Fork 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
Five-and-a-half-mile Weston-to-Jackson’s Mill riffle/pool float using the direct Weston stage gauge and a conservative 6.5–8.5 ft screen.
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
Weston public parking below Weston Dam near Trans-Allegheny Lunatic AsylumThe Weston put-in is public parking without a boat ramp; confirm the carry-down, legal staging, and no-parking boundaries near the asylum and below-dam area.
Take-out
Jackson’s Mill Public Stream Access / paved concrete rampJackson’s Mill has a paved concrete ramp, but confirm the lot, ramp reach, and any event 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
- The Weston put-in is public parking without a boat ramp; confirm the carry-down, legal staging, and no-parking boundaries near the asylum and below-dam area.
- Jackson’s Mill has a paved concrete ramp, but confirm the lot, ramp reach, and any event or maintenance closure before leaving a shuttle.
- Intermediate riverbanks are not automatic bailouts. Land only at open, signed public properties and never use the dam, railroad, or private drives as access.
Watch for
- USGS 03058020 stage outside the 6.5–8.5 ft conservative screen, a sharp rise, or a mismatch between the gauge and local water.
- Fast Weston current, riffle rocks, strainers, submerged debris, muddy carries, cold water, private banks, 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
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 | West Fork River at Weston, WV |
| 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 |
| Target band | 6.70 ft to 7.50 ft |
| Low threshold | 6.50 ft |
| High threshold | 8.50 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Conservative Weston stage screen inferred from USGS 03058020 daily gage-height history (2010–2026: about 6.22 ft minimum, 6.70 ft 25th percentile, 6.83 ft median, 7.12 ft 75th percentile, 9.05 ft maximum) and the documented 5.5-mile riffle/pool 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 corridorWeston public parking below Weston Dam to Jackson’s Mill; 5.5 mi
Guardians documents the 5.5-mile float, the public parking coordinate near the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, the no-ramp carry-down, and the Jackson’s Mill concrete ramp take-out.
- Direct gauge relationshipUSGS 03058020 at Weston near the put-in
The USGS Weston station is a same-reach stage reading near the documented put-in; treat the 6.5–8.5 ft screen as a conservative planning inference, not an official runnable range.
- GaugeUSGS 03058020 stage 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 at Weston, WV and treats 6.70 ft to 7.50 ft 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 Weston public parking below Weston Dam near Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum and ends at Jackson’s Mill Public Stream Access / paved concrete ramp, about 5.5 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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.