Elk River, Back Fork,

2. Confluence of Sugar Creek(Skelt) to Big Sycamore(Breece) (Three Falls Section)

Usual Difficulty	II-IV (may vary with level)
Length	4.6 Miles
Avg. Gradient	55 fpm
Max Gradient	55 fpm

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
ELK RIVER BELOW WEBSTER SPRINGS, WV
usgs-03194700	5.80 - 7.00 ft	II-IV	00h54m	5.51 ft (rc= -0.2 )

River Description

Logistics: Take WV 20 north out of Webster Springs, cross the Back Fork, and bear right on CR 24 (Back Fork Elk River Road). You'll head up the hill and then after the pavement ends, dip back down along the river. After about 5 miles you'll reach Sycamore Park. There is good access a couple hundred yards downstream of a foot bridge. To reach the put-in, head back to WV 20 and go 11.2 miles north to WV 18 (Holly River Rd.). Take this road through the town of Jumbo and 3.5 miles from WV 20 bear right. It's another 2.7 miles down to the put-in where the road first comes along Sugar Creek which is a tributary of the Back Fork. If If Sugar Creek is too low, you can turn around on CR 22 and go back up the hill a short distance until you quickly come to the second dirt road heading downstream in reference to Sugar Creek. The first dirt road is at creek level and only goes a short distance down Sugar Creek. The second dirt road will have a black mailbox on it. It is not a driveway. You can even see it on any WV Atlas and Gazetteer. Take it and after about 1/2-3/4 mile, you will come to the Back Fork.

Description:
The run starts out with a fun ledge on Sugar Creek and then you quickly join the Back Fork Elk. The first half of the run is mostly class II and it's a scenic float through mellow rapids. Just as you're beginning to wonder when the action starts, you arrive at the the "Three Falls" section where you will find six major (4-12') ledges. At levels below 6.2' the top half of the run will be a little boney and you might scrape a bit over some of the ledges, but they are still fun.

There are some more fun rapids and then a couple more ledges as you cross under a road bridge and then the foot bridge to Sycamore Park. The take-out is on the right.

Lat/longitude coords are approximate, from TopoZone.