Smith
6. Sports Complex to Mitchell Bridge
| Difficulty | II(III) |
| Length | 5.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Smith River at Martinsville, Va |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 149 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 4, 2024 |
River Description
This beautiful section of river is excellent Class II paddling with several ledge and some longer gravel bar rapids. There are several batteau sluices on this section.
The largest rapid on the Smith River is in this section. Eggleston Falls is a moderate Class III rapid that drops 5-6 feet overall. Eggleston Falls comes about 2 miles into the run about a quarter mile above the alternate putin at Marrowbone Creek.
See Also:
Virginia Whitewater, Roger Corbett (2000 ed.), p. 547.
Exploring Virginia's Waterways, Ed Gertler (2022 ed.), p. 316.
Smith Reaches:
1. Iron Bridge Rd(Route 704) to Union Bridge Rd at backwater of Philpott Lake, Class II-III
2. Philpot Dam to North Basset, 6.4 miles, II+
3. North Bassett to Fieldale, 8 miles, II
4. Fieldale to Doe Run, 5 miles, II
5. South Martinsville to Sports Complex, 4 miles, II
River Features
Take Out
Put In
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportDon't know who designated the river levels, but 300 cfs (minimum run) is scrapy all the way down, whereas 800 cfs (flood state according to account) is what I consider a moderately low run. Here are my observations based on dozens of runs:
500-800= low (few play holes)
800-1200= medium (best novice/int. playboat run)
1200-2000=high (actually easier,as rapids and holes start washing out)