Big Sandy Creek, West Virginia, US
|
|
2. Bruceton Mills to Rockville (Upper Big Sandy)
| Usual Difficulty |
III-IV (for normal flows) |
| Length |
5.8 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient |
29 fpm |
| Max Gradient |
50 fpm |
Falkenstein Falls
Falkenstein FallsPhoto of Bruce Fleckenstein taken 05/01/05
Gauge Information
River Description
This is an easier alternative to the Lower Big Sandy. It can be combined with
the Lower Big Sandy for those who'd like a longer day, or for groups that have some people who'd
like to taste some of the ledgy Big Sandy action without taking on the Big Stuff that the Lower
Big Sandy is famous for. A similar run is the Little Sandy.
The character of the run is similar to the Little Sandy: lots of ledges, some of which are blind
or semi-blind. It gets more difficult toward the end, with a blind rapid which many paddlers
scout. The last rapid before the Rockville bridge is most difficult, giving a taste of what the
Lower Big Sandy is about.
Directions: The putin is easy to find; just take the Route 26 exit off of I-68. You can
park in the large Little Sandy's parking lot and put in at the back of the parking lot.
To the Rockville takeout: Head south from Bruceton Mills (I-68) or north from Albright on
WV 26 to Valley Point (just about 6 miles from either direction). Look for the turn-off to Hudson
Road (WV 15), take it west for 4.8 miles, and turn right down towards the river. Continue another
couple miles (bear left at the next fork) to the bridge across the river. This access ends with a
mile of rutty, muddy road to the Rockville Bridge and parking is limited on busy weekends. Those
who don't have good 4WD often carry or drag their boats down to the bridge.
See the Lower Big Sandy for
directions to the Jenkinsburg takeout, if you're up for the beeeg rapids.
StreamTeam Status: Verified
Last Updated: 2008-07-26 17:46:46
No rapids entered. If you know names, and locations of the rapids please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. 
User Comments
waste dump plan). The statement that the confluence rapid is the very first one is completely
inaccurate. There are about a half dozen class II+ rapids on the Big Sandy above the mouth of the
Little Sandy, one Class III, and many of lesser difficulty. The "miles of flatwater" statement is
also misleading. The flat water section of the Upper Big Sandy is somewhat longer than the flat
water section of the Little Sandy, but I'd say it's only about 1.5 times as long, the scenery is
pretty once you leave the interstate, and once the rapids start they are quite continuous. The
difficulty builds slowly, which makes it nice as a confidence builder for a person with Class
II-III skills. I often take Class III paddler friends down the Upper BS who are looking for
something lively but not too intimidating. Like Robert, I prefer the Little Sandy to the Upper BS,
and I agree that the Little Sandy is a bit more difficult, more interesting, and more fun than the
Upper BS, but there is plenty of II+ fun on the Upper BS above the Little Sandy.
Little Sandy. Check it out, and voice your opposition, please! Go to
http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApTopStories/201106030350.
http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=100986 Send letters to: Preston County Solid
Waste Authority c/o Mr. Fred Taylor 118 Lick Run Rd. Newburg, WV 26410 and also Preston County
Commission 106 W Main Street, Room 202 Kingwood, WV 26537
holes. After that the only thing to watch for is the tree that is down across the right side. It
apparently just changed and split in two, the safest bet is the small channel on far left, you can
cut over after passing a little bushy island. The rapid above Rockville bridge is not difficult,
just be ready to eddy out at the bottom for your takeout (the surf wave at the bottom can be
enticing) Its split into three channels at high water-- go right for easiest, left or center just a
little more complex. At lower water go with the center channel heading right.
rapid/ledge, so you miss only one pretty much insignificant rapid, unless you want to carry
upstream and do it. (I'm not sure how feasible that is.) This avoids miles of flatwater on the
Upper BS. (The Little Sandy is much more exciting/interesting than the upper Upper BS.) But the
flatwater is nice, too, sometimes, if you like that sort of thing. . .
the confluence with the Little Sandy. There is a bus-sized boulder on river left to center and the
undercut is on the right side of this boulder next to the main channel of water.