Tye, Virginia, US

2. US 29 to James River

Usual Difficulty	I-II(III) (for normal flows)
Length	13.5 Miles
Avg. Gradient	8 fpm

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
TYE RIVER NEAR LOVINGSTON, VA
usgs-02027000	120 - 10000 cfs	I-II(III)	01h00m	120 cfs (rc= 0.0 )
	Upper limit for best boatability uncertain. Please help your fellow boaters with a comment or report.

River Description

"It was freaky and fun, but more fun than freaky."
- 3rd grader and Nelson local Peyton G. after his first Lower Tye float.

This section of the lower Tye River is a class II float, perfect for novice boaters, fishermen, or anyone looking for a scenic float with a reliable dose of wildlife viewing. This section is listed as "Rt. 29 to James River," but the access options at Rt. 29 itself are not great, and the access at the James River is not good either. A better bet is to abreviate the run by putting in a couple miles below Rt. 29, and then take out 2 miles above the James at Rucker Run. This shortened (7.5 mile) run, the "Race Run", is the section of river used as the course of the annual Nelson County Down River Race This event, put on by the Nelson County Paddlers and Nelson County Parks and Recreation, is a low-key, family-oriented gathering.

If you do choose to put-in at Rt. 29, please be aware of a dam just downstream of the Rt. 29 bridge that could be a real hazard for most boaters.



Shuttle:

Like the man said, "Getting there is half the fun": Access the put-in from Rt. 29 by turning east onto Tye River Rd. (Rt. 739). This is around 1/4 mile north of the Tye River on Rt. 29. (around 8 miles south of Lovingston, VA). After passing under the railroad through a one-lane tunnel, turn left onto South Powell's Island Rd. (Rt. 662). Travel down South Powell's until you reach a convenient, legal, roadside access; perhaps immediately before the road turns away from the river. To reach the take-out, proceed farther up South Powell's until it merges into Variety Mills Rd. (Rt. 655). Continue on Variety Mills to an intersection with Cedar Creek Rd. Turn right onto Cedar Creek Rd. The take-out is less than a mile up Cedar Creek at the bridge over Rucker Run.

For shorter runs, you can use the bridge at Falling Rock Rd. as an access point. This is around 2 miles below the South Powell's Island put-in. A DeLorme Atlas/Gazeteer is highly recommended.