Gihon, Vermont, US

VT 100C to covered bridge

Art studio

Art studio
Photo by Corey O'Brien @ 10/28/03

Gauge Information

River Description

Simon Wiles shared:

The photos show extremely high water. Not sure you'd want to boat it at this level. At normal flows I'd say this was Class 4.

There are two normally run sections to the Gihon, the lower section runs down into town, taking out just after the bridge by the Art studio. This section holds a number of Class-4 rapids / drops, and is perhaps 2 miles long. The first drop, named "Bedhead," is probably the most tricky since it is twisty and confined. It can be portaged on the left, but inspected from the right.

Posted on the VPC message board by Eric Bishop
The put-in is off 100C and the take-out just below the collapsed covered bridge. In between are 6 or 7 good sized drops. We had serious trouble only at the 2nd drop and I would recommend that most would want to carry this one. The rest were far more straight-forward and a good time was had by all.

Dan House shared:

Gihon River
North Hyde Park, VT to Johnson, VT
July 9, 2009
Gauge: Lamoille River at Johnson 1000 cfs. (This is a perfect level. I have not run this river at other levels to determine a logical upper or lower limit. Also, this gauge is only a correlation as there is no gauge on the Gihon. The Gihon joins the Lamoille just downstream of Johnson and is the Lamoille’s largest tributary to that point.)
 
This run is one of the hidden gems of New England paddling. Most locals don’t even know what river you’re talking about when you mention the Gihon.

The trip is logically divided into 3 sections. The entire trip is about 8 miles, but I will give distances in the time it takes me to cover the section rather than miles. I was paddling alone in a creek kayak with no play stops and minimal scouting.

Put in on Route 100 about ¼ mile north of intersection of Routes 100 and 100C in North Hyde Park. There is a good put in about 100 yards downstream of the Route 100 bridge over the Gihon on river left.

0 minutes: Put in

5 minutes: Route 100C Bridge

25 minutes: Wilson Road Bridge
    Up until just 50 yards upstream of the bridge, this is an easy Class1-2 stream with a very natural feel. Trees are generally not cleared, and there were a few strainers on the outside of bends that require accurate paddling, but nothing really tight of scary. I paddled under two trees that required ducking as low as possible. There were several nice rock beaches for picnics or rock skipping or otherwise relaxing.
    As the Wilson Road Bridge comes into view 50 yards downstream, the river enters a noticeably more difficult rapid (Class 2-3) with a sharp S-turn followed by a 2-foot boulder ledge. The trees on the rocks that make the S-turn would be very unnerving for a novice paddler, but when I was there the trees were benignly out of the main current. The ledge was also the first significant drop on the river and someone comfortable with the easy Class 1-2 stuff upstream could be thrown about unexpectedly in the drop. Scouting and portaging would require bushwhacking, but would not be hard on either side of the river.
    The Wilson Road Bridge would be a relatively easy access point for a take out.

25-38 minutes: The river gets easier as the surrounding terrain opens into rolling fields. Many more rock and sand beaches for breaks.

38 minutes: Another Ledge, but easier and more straightforward than the last with about a 3 foot sloping slide. Again, no scout or portage trail, but the bushwhacking would be easy and short. There is an easy slide on the river left end of the ledge.

40 minutes: Whitcomb Island Road Bridge
    Another easy access point and this is the end of the first section and the takeout for anyone not wanting Class 4.

42 minutes: Dam/Mill with house on the left. This is an approximately 20-foot man-made drop. A kayaker would probably survive the left side of the drop as the bottom slopes out a bit, but this is an obvious portage. No trail per se on the river right, but the walking is easy even where it is steep. There is a barbed wire fence that I didn’t see until I ran into it, but it was easily ducked under.
    When you put in below this dam, you are entering a narrow and fairly steep gorge with several Class 4 drops. After a few edgy boat scouts if you’re comfortable with that sort of thing, you’ll come to a set of drops that require a scout down the river left side. If the run is free of trees, the first two pitches can be skirted far river right to line up a dramatic plunge into the narrow, frothy pool that is, as far as I can tell, a clean landing with gentle run out. This is clearly the signature drop of the run. Following this gorge drop, the river rapidly opens up into a mile of relative flat water for about a mile.
    If you do a lot of scouting or have a large group, progress through here will be very slow, so adjust the time estimates accordingly.

67 minutes: Rocky Road Covered Bridge: this is the putin to the most commonly run section of the river.

The next few miles of river is relatively easy Class 2 fun punctuated by about 7 or 8 Class 4 ledges. All are easily scouted, safety set ups are easy and most are boat-scoutable for advanced creekers. To get a good feel of this section prior to the run, scout the drops visible from Route 100C just north of Johnson. There is one just upstream of the School Road covered Bridge (this is also a potential takeout) and just upstream of the 100C bridges. If those look like fun, you’ll like this stretch.

100 minutes: School Road covered bridge. Take out on river right just upstream of the bridge. Good parking on river left upstream of bridge on 100C.

110 minutes: There are a couple more drops on the way into Johnson. Take out on the left and the Johnson Woolen Mill parking lot. This is by far the easiest access point in or around Johnson. The folks at the Woolen mill store are very nice (and sell some great sweaters). Check in with them and to see if you can use their parking lot. If the factory is operating, they will still probably let you take out there, but may ask you to park elsewhere.

Further downstream there are a few more fun rapids, another 100C bridge and then eventually the Lamoille River which will likely be brown and swollen if there is enough water to paddle the Gihon, but the Lamoille is only moving water for many miles from this point down. You could doubtlessly find takeouts downstream on the Lamoille as well.