| Difficulty | II-III |
| Length | 8.2 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | White River at West Hartford, Vt |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 390 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 15, 2026 |
The White River is a special Vermont river that offers an incredibly fun II-III trip that will appeal to beginners (at appropriate flows) through advanced paddlers alike. This section (previously listed as Rochester to Bethel) represents the most commonly paddled section of the White and is home of the annual Peavine Race put on every May by Ridgeline Collective, a local outdoor adventure sport organization. With spectacular water color and clarity, fun rapids, easy access and a riverbed that can accommodate nearly any type of craft from Kayaks and Rafts to SUPs and Open Canoes, this one is a crowd pleaser.
This run has many access points for paddlers to break off as much as time and ambition allows. The heart of the run comes in a ~5 mile stretch between Stockbridge and Gaysville, with the ~2 miles above Gaysville (putting in at the Blackmer Blvd bridge) giving the best bang for the buck if time is sparse. In this 2 miles expect a half dozen or so class III- rapids (at normal flows) through boulder gardens, down wave trains and snaking through bedrock.
The run can be extended in either direction if looking for a longer day on the river. Putting in upstream (you can go all the way up to Granville) will provide mostly moving water with some class II thrown in, but is best done in higher water conditions. It is possible to continue downstream all the way to the Connecticut river. Doing so will connect one through the stretch known as the 'Lower White' for which there is a separate reach description.
At least one 'source to sea' (or in this case source to Connecticut River) trip has been done in a single day on high flows starting in the National Forest above Granville.
I would agree with the previous assessment that this stretch (at normal flows) is a step up from Fife Brook (not counting Zoar Gap) and a step down from the West River.
Flow ranges (on the White River at West Hartford Gauge) -
800 - 1800 is appropriate fo
Large pull-off known as Peavine Park ~3/4 mile up Pit Road from route 100.
Pull off with room for several cars. Cuts off ~2 miles of mostly moving water from the Peavine Put-In
Alternate Put-In cutting off ~3½ miles of mostly moving water and class II from the Peavine Put In
Alternate Take Out removes ~2½ miles of class II+ from lower take out.
2½ miles after the Gaysville Bridge look for a very large parking area river right.
Apr 29, 2018
Yesterday, April 28th, 2018, I ran the White River in the RASTA Disastour, which is an awesome event - https://www.rastavt.org/
The section of the White River from D's Doghouse near Buffalo Farm Road to roughly the USFS Rochester Ranger Station at about Quarry Hill Farm Road where the White River flows under Route 100 was in perfect condition at this water level.
The conditions at the Ayers Brook gage read 241.00cfs on 04/28/2018 at 11:42:56 just as we were on the river. All I can say is that the river flow was perfect for a delightful paddle: Plenty of fast moving water, some good riffles and some nice waves; perhaps, a couple of Class 2 (maybe) rapids.
There is, however, a mandatory portage for a river wide strainer that exists just as you pass the Hancock Building Supply. You'll see the old sheds on the right. Continue and make the next right turn in the river, but as it straightens again, you must exit on the rocks to the left. Portage down the very convenient beach, rocky shore and put in just below the strainer.
The river flow was perfect in this section at these levels.
Ran the Stockbridge to Bethel section on 4/28/13. Had not run this river or section before, but since there is a dearth of published info on this section post Hurricane Irene, I figured this might help. We put in just downstream of Stockbridge Center on a roadside pull-off on Rt. 107. Took out about 7 miles downstream at another Rt. 107 roadside pull-off which is downstream of Gaysville center and just upstream of the Tosier (sp) Restaurant. We ran the river at what I would describe as a lowish medium level. The online Ayers Brook gage was reading about 75 cfs and the White River at West Hartford Gage was reading about 1700cfs. In only a few spots where the river had really gotten scoured and made wide by the Hurricane did the boats scrap the bottom. All the rapids were full enough and most had clean multiple lines. In my opinion there were two rapids that approached the Class 3 level. Both were upstream of Gaysville. The first one (of these two) encountered was a relatively straight forward abrupt drop and chaotic follow-up with some hole dodging required. It was boat scouted. The second one was probably slightly harder and is better described as an S –turn with holes and some large boulders (again this was upstream of Gaysville). This second rapid (the S turn) was followed by about 75 yards of very fast water flowing into a river wide pine tree strainer. The strainer at this level was a mandatory portage. If you swam in the S turn there is plenty of time to swim to shore before the strainer, but boat retrieval would be difficult. The strainer is beefy, healthy, and new – having come down in late winter or early spring. The strainer is also visible from the road if you are heading towards Bethel on Rt 107 (again before you get to Gaysville). This was the only river-wide strainer on this stretch at this point in time. All the other downed wood was fairly obvious and relatively easy to avoid for competent beginners. After the strainer, there was one more probably Class 2 plus rapid before you reach the bridge at Gaysville. After Gaysville to our take-out, the river became increasingly easier.
There is widespread evidence of Hurricane Irene’s damage all along the entire stretch. Fresh rocks, gravel and sand bars towering high above you; embankments stripped, eroded, and raw; debris piled high in the trees and this is more than a year after the Hurricane. Yet the river still retained some beauty.