Ed's Ranked River List (Expert->Novice)

This list, and a similar ranked list from Monocacy Club provides a nice way to find rivers most likely within your paddling skill range.

***HOW TO USE THE RANKING CHART:

Mark the river sections that you have done. These are the rivers that you should be familiar with. Then compare an unpaddled river that you may be contemplating for an upcoming trip. If the new river is higher than you have previously done, you may have reason to be concerned about whether you may be prepared to run that particular river and you should ask many questions or otherwise become familiar with what you are up against before you set foot at the put-in.

    Expert

  1. Lower Meadow, WV
  2. Blackwater Canyon, WV250CFS
  3. Great Falls, Potomac (Va & Md)
  4. Upper Yough @>3’, SangRun @1.5-2’
  5. Upper Shavers Fork, WV
  6. Watauga Gorge (added)
  7. Upper Gauley, WV [Release Level]
  8. Lower Big Sandy, WV Rockville>6’
  9. Chatooga Section 4 (added)
  10. Top Yough, MD
  11. Stony Creek, WV [upper & Lower]

    Advanced

  12. Middle Fork Tygart,WV4’Belington
  13. Tygart Gorge, WV Belington @3.5
  14. Lower Moose River (N.Y.) (added)
  15. Upper Tellico (added)
  16. John's Creek, VA
  17. Kitzmiller, N.Br., @ 4-5' MD/WV
  18. Lower Gauley, 2400 CFS WV
  19. Chauga Gorge (added)
  20. Tygart,Arden Section,WVPhil@2.5’
  21. New River Gorge @>1', WV
  22. Cheat Canyon @>3', WV
  23. Gooney Run @ 6", VA
  24. Lower Bear Creek, Md 250CFS
  25. Savage River @ 1000CFS, MD
  26. Georges Creek, MD
  27. Buckhannon River,(Alton-Sago)WV
  28. Maury River/Goshen, VA
  29. Laurel Fork, Cheat, >1' WV
  30. #Wills Creek,below FairhopePa @4’
  31. Ocoee (added)
  32. New River Dries, WV
  33. Upper Stonycreek,PA(above US 33)

    Intermediate

  34. Cranberry or Williams, WV
  35. Upper Meadow, WV
  36. Big Laurel Creek (added)
  37. Upper Big Sandy, @6.5, WV
  38. Little Sandy, WV
  39. Chatooga Section 3 (added)
  40. Lower Yough, @> 2.5' PA
  41. Trout Run, WV
  42. Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho (added)
  43. Lower Tellico (350 CFS) (added)
  44. Nolichucky (added)
  45. Seneca Creek or Red Creek, WV
  46. Stonycreek, PA @ 2' Holsopple
  47. #Shavers Fork, Bemis/Bowden,WV
  48. Loyalsock River, PA
  49. Lost River Gorge @ 1', WV
  50. French Broad (added)
  51. James River fall line @> 5.5', VA
  52. Upper Tye, VA 250CFS
  53. Bullpasture Gorge, VA BV @ 2.9’
  54. North River Gorge, VA
  55. Upper Conway, VA
  56. Little Falls, Potomac @>3.1',MD
  57. S. Fk. Hardware River, Va.
  58. Moorefield Canyon, WV
  59. Smokehole Canyon, WV
  60. Brush Creek, PA
  61. Middle Meadow @ 500 CFS, WV
  62. Blacklick Creek, Pa. @ 4’ Josep. 1
  63. TohickonCreek,PA @normal release
  64. Upper Rapidan,(above Wolftown)VA
  65. Shade Creek, PA
  66. Pigeon River (below dam release)
  67. Rock Creek,DC(below Military Rd)
  68. North River, above Rio WV "
  69. Slippery Rock Creek, PA
  70. Covington River @ 1' P.I., VA
  71. Cub Run fall line @> 6", VA
  72. Dry Fork, Cheat @ 3' Hendrix, WV
  73. Clear Shade Creek, Pa.
  74. Hopeville Canyon, WV
  75. Nantahala River (added)
  76. Pohick Creek, VA
  77. Cheat Narrows, WV @ 2' Albright
  78. Sligo Creek (Maple-N.H. Ave) MD
  79. Cabin John Creek, Md.
  80. Bloomington,Pot.@>1100 CFS,MD/WV
  81. Passage Creek, @ 6" VA
  82. "Shen. Staircase" @>2.5', WV/VA/MD
  83. Casselman River, [Fort Hill] PA
  84. Dry Fork, US 33-Jenningston,WV
  85. Lower Gunpowder, Md @>6”
  86. Little Gunpowder, MD
  87. Muddy Creek, PA @ >1'
  88. Cartacay River (added)
  89. Little Patuxent R./Savage MD
  90. Lehigh Gorge @ >1000 CFS, PA
  91. Patapsco R.,above Ellicott City
  92. Rush River. Va @ 6”
  93. MatherGorge,PotomacVA/MD@>4.'
  94. North Anna fall line, VA @>1'
  95. Rappahannock fall line, VA @>1'
  96. Marsh Creek, PA @ 6"
  97. Glady Fork, WV
  98. S.Br. Patapsco, MD(Gaither Gorge)
  99. S.Br. Potomac, Petersburg Sect.,WV
  100. James River, Balcony Falls, VA
  101. Northwest Branch, Anacostia R. MD
  102. Nescopek Creek, PA
  103. Codorus Creek, PA
  104. Big Cove Creek, Pa.

    Novice/Intermediate

  105. New River, Prince to Cunard, WV
  106. Robinson River, VA
  107. Middle Creek, PA @ 3"
  108. Appomattox River, VA @ 6" P.I.
  109. Upper Dry Fork, Cheat WV
  110. Aquia Creek, VA
  111. Quemahoning Creek, Pa.
  112. 15 Mile Creek, MD @ 3"
  113. Laurel Hill Creek, PA
  114. Rappahannock/Kelly's Ford, VA @5'
  115. N.Br. Potomac, Bloomington/Keyser
  116. Maury River, Lower, VA
  117. Potomac, Needles Section, MD
  118. Tuckaseigee (added)
  119. Pine Creek Gorge, PA
  120. Octoraro Creek, Pa/Md.
  121. Thornton River, VA
  122. Hiawassee River (below dam) (added)
  123. Hughes/Hazel River, VA @ 6"
  124. Little Seneca Creek, MD
  125. Lower Shavers Fork, Cheat WV @ 3"
  126. Cacapon River,rt.50/rt.127,WV@ 6"

    Novice

  127. Rap. Rap. rivers, VA
  128. South River, Shenandoah, VA
  129. Upper Muddy Creek, PA
  130. Paw Paw Section, Potomac, MD
  131. Middle Yough, PA @ 2' Ohiopyle
  132. Goose Creek/Golf Course run, VA
  133. Cedar Creek, VA
  134. N. Fk. Shenandoah @ Cootes Store
  135. Catoctin Creek, Va.
  136. Antietam Creek, MD @>3'
  137. Sideling Hill Creek, MD
  138. Violettes Lock,Potomac MD/VA@>5.'
  139. Lost River, WV above rt. 55 br.
  140. Rappahannock above rt. 211, VA
  141. Compton section,Shenandoah R., VA
  142. Newport to Luray,Shenandoah R.,VA
  143. Catoctin Creek, Md.
  144. Deer Creek,MD (NOT Rocks section)
  145. Conococheague Creek, PA (PA only)
  146. S.Br. Potomac Trough, WV
  147. South Anna River (fall line), VA
  148. Upper Rock Creek, Md./D.C.
  149. Upper Gunpowder,MD(Masem.-Monkton)
  150. Difficult Run,VA(rt. 7 to rt.123)
  151. Sleepy Creek, WV
  152. Seneca Creek, MD @>2.5'
  153. Upper Goose Creek, VA
  154. Monocacy River, MD @>2.5'
  155. Mattaponi River/Pamunkey River,VA
  156. Opequon Creek, VA/WV

NOTE: You must know the "normal" sections of rivers run above for correct comparisons and what are "normal" water levels. Strainers, etc. can affect difficulty on a particular trip.

#=Wills Creek has changed with recent flooding and would now be rated as harder.

#=Shavers Fork has changed with recent flooding and is now generally easier.

Not included above:expert runs on Great Falls (many routes), Cl. 4-5+ and Lower Difficult Run, Cl. 2-4+/7 Some Southern US area comparisons were added.

Watauga Gorge would be below Upper Yough

Chatooga Section 4 would be below Lower Biog Sandy

Upper Tellico would be below Tygart Gorge

Chauga Gorge would be below Lower Gauley

Ocoee would be below Wills Creek

Big Laurel Creek would be below Upper Meadow

Chatooga Section 3 would be below Little Sandy

Lower Tellico (350 CFS) would be below Trout Run listed above

Nolichucky (1200 CFS) would be below Trout Run as listed above

French Broad (Bernard-Hot Springs) would be below Lost River Gorge

Pigeon River (below dam release) should be below Shade Creek

Nantahala River would be below Hopeville Canyon

Cartacay River would be below Muddy Creek

Tuckaseigee would be below Potomac Needles

Hiawassee River (below dam) would be below Thornton

Other: Lower Moose River (N.Y.) would be below Tygart Gorge

Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho would be below Trout Run