Cheat
2. (Canyon) Albright to Jenkinsburg Bridge(Canyon)
| Difficulty | III-IV |
| Length | 11 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 25 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 30, 2025 |
River Description
The Cheat is a local favorite, with 10 miles of wilderness paddling, impressive rock formations, and more than a handful of III-IV rapids with great play at many levels.
Every year, on the Friday of Cheat Fest (the first weekend in May), this river is host to the ' Cheat River Mass-Occurrence,' a truly legendary race. With a mass start of as many as 150 paddlers, this race begins with chaos and ends with a phenomenal party.
Charlie Walbridge adds:
Mountain Streams and Trails, the new owner of the Jenkinsburg Access, asks that private paddlers running the Cheat and Big Sandy use the Upper Parking Lot during Cheat Fest Weekend. The Lower Parking Lot should be kept clear for outfitter trucks and buses. Vehicles parked there make maneuvering these big rigs difficult or impossible. So please park where you're supposed to and give a big THANK YOU to any MS&T employees you see on--or off--the river.
Lat/Longitude coords verified by GPS.
River Features
Put In #1 - Rt. 26 bridge, Albright
River right at Rt. 26 bridge
Put In #2 - Muddy Creek
Put-in - 1 mi north of Albright. From Interstate 68, head South on Route 26. After about ten miles, take a very sharp Right into Teter's Campground, and then take a left into land owned by Friends of the Cheat (donate $2 at the parking lot). This is an AW paddlers' easement at the mouth of Muddy Creek. Or you can put in at the bridge on Rte. 26 (where the paddlers' gauge is located) at Albright.
Decision
This first rapid is a series of offset holes. If you have much trouble here, you can make the Decision to hike back upstream to the putin.
Beech Run
Mostly big waves and scattered holes.
Big Nasty
In the approach, run just right of the holes on the left side, then cut HARD left to miss the big hole in center at bottom of rapid. Below 2.5 on the bridge gauge it becomes a good rodeo hole.
Even Nastier
Multiple paths at various water levels.
Teardrop
Right side of river is the easiest line.
High Falls
Can be scouted from river left. Best line is left of center heading left through large waves and holes.
Named for Falls coming into river on left side.
Coliseum
Run is on left side side of river where you will encounter a almost channel-wide hole (Recyclotron), playable a very low flows. Run just left of the hole and cut back toward center left to avoid Particle Accelerator, the hole in the second drop. All can be scouted from the right side.
Pete Morgan - Lower Coliseum
This rapid is named for Pete Morgan, who owned a gas station in Albright and often read the gauge for paddlers in the pre-internet days of the 1960's. Last drop is run in the center of the left channel. The last part of this drop changed two years ago, and is much more difficult. At lower water, run the main 'V' and launch off the drop just to the left of the large boulder in the middle of the river.
Take Out
Take-out - about 200 yards below Jenkinsburg Bridge on river right, at the confluence of the Cheat and Big Sandy. Steep trail up to parking lot offers a workout for those neglected legs.
Driving south on 26, look for the turn-off to Hudson Road (WV 15), about 6 miles South of I-68. It's just after a right bend in 26, and immediately in front of a Kwik Stop convenience store. Drive west for about 7 miles to Jenkinsburg. At a confusing intersection, take the straighter option (Mt. Nebo Rd.).
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