Shenandoah

Park at the Power Transformers. There have been reports of break-ins at this location. Putting in at the outfitters put-ins downstream cuts out some flatwater and is more secure.

Dinks Campground (now owned by Rivers & Trails Outfitters) and the Blue Ridge river access (now owned by the Harpers Ferry Adventure Center) each have put-ins that can be used by arrangement.  River Riders outfitters also has a put-in further downstream, but it is unknown whether private boaters can arrange to use it.   Fees for using the outfitters put-ins vary from $20.00 to $10.00 on weekends and $10.00 to $5.00 weekdays, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, depending upon who you talk to (and what their mood is that day).

The flatwater pool from the put-ins to here drops into a series of small Class II rapids, some of which can be played, but none of which are particularly noteworthy. It ends in another pool above 'Bull Falls.'

Class III (III+ at higher and particular water levels). A large ledge rapid with numerous chutes and channels to choose from depending on water levels. The primary chute is the third from the left bank, although lately there has been an increasing use of the second chute from the left bank. The first chute against the left bank was once rumored to have some metal in it, either rebar or railroad debris, but it also is increasingly run for a boof move in that chute. There is a great playhole ('Smackdown Hotel') just below the third chute. \*\*Bull Falls Playspot Levels'\*\* Slot 1 - \*\*Boof Move\*\* \*\*2-4'\*\*\\\[Millville gage]. Slot 2 - straight through at all levels - the hole at the bottom easily punched on right side - more of a stopper to the left. Slot 3 - classic standard line - set right angle and keep paddling - power through. \*\*'Rodeo Drive'\*\* \*\*3.5-4.5'\*\* (best \*\*4.0'\*\*) \\\[Millville gage] \*\*'Smackdown Hotel'\*\* \*\*5-7.5'\*\* (no best level, stickiest at \*\*6-6.5'\*\*)\\\[Millville gage] Slot 4 - not considered runnable because there's no real feature, but pins are likely - no reward, much pinning risk. Slot 5 - \*\*4.5 and above\*\*\\\[Millville gage] \*\*.\*\* Located at the right side of the main ledge. Usually considered a high water sneak when Slot 3 is deemed too high. Far Right Creek Channel \*\*5.0 or higher\*\*\\\[Millville gage]- above the 'Bull Falls' ledge is an entrance on the right side of the river to a high water side channel that sneaks around the 'Bull Falls' ledge on the right. It has a number of Class III creek slides and can be fun. Two important considerations: 1.) this channel collects wood - expect it. 2.) You'll miss 'Bull Falls', Bull's Tail, and 'Lunch Rock Follies' as it joins the main channel below them.

Wave train after the 'Bull Falls' pool.  The diagonal waves encourage river left to right moves, but the current generally pulls to the center.  There is a surfing ledge/wave at the bottom, mainly on river left, with the main current in the middle before it shoals out.  Some of the best surfing on the river is here.

'Bulls Tail' playspot levels:  2.5'-as high as it gets (best around 6') [Millville gage]

AKA 'Rocky Road', AKA ''Round the Mountain'. Small waves and ledges. The name ''Round the Mountain' might be better thought of as a specific (class II+) way of running this rapid, which is to run just to the right of a large rock at the beginning right of the rapid, but then stay as left as possible and run a tongue across the face of the rapid. Where this tongue confronts the main current in the middle of the rapid, this line necessarily becomes a ferry, then where the two currents merge, a tongue again. A great way to learn how to run a rapid with conflicting currents.

Back in the day, a Dam was built to divert water to the Patowmack canal. Lots of rebar and other sharp metal can be found in the dam remnants. The canal can be seen on river left. Run the left most channel at low flows. At higher flows the right side is preferred. **'Spike Dam' playspot levels:** **Spike Dam waves** (River Right) **2-4'** \[Millville gage] - Small wave on left side of right channel right where spikes are located. **'Waves at Rock'** (River Right) - one or more waves off a rock a little below 'Spike Dam' **2-4'** \[Millville gage]. **Left 'Canal' waves**(River Left) - stay left until see canal lock, turn right into small channel **2-3'** \[Millville gage] **.**

The sight of the Hwy 340 bridge signals the start of the 'Staircase.' Again, the alignment of the ledges and waves encourage river left to right moves and surfing river right to left. The ledges and rapids continue for more than half a mile. **'Staircase' playspot levels:** **Staircase Waves - 2'-as high as it gets**\[Millville gage] - wave after wave of front surfing, side surfing and play. **'Dragon’s Tongue'** - **2-4'** \[Millville gage] - Towards the end of the Staircase rapid, just downstream of the Upper (WV) US 340 bridge, an offset ledge creates a chute to river left that fans back out river right. The river right eddy line at this chute is very catchy and schwerly. The odd shaped wave at the ledge can be surfed.

Put-in is river left just under US 340, just after the turn onto Shenandoah Street after the WV US340 bridge. This short put-in may be used when the river is low that allows for some play at 'Hesitation Ledge' and 'Roller Coaster' without dealing with the scrapy upper river. Also good for quick weekend evening runs. There is a small national park parking area, just off Shenandoah Street (good luck).

Double ledge on the center & right of the river, ledges spread out more on river left, making a river left run easier. \*\*'The Ruins' (Far River Left) 2.7'-high water\*\* \\\[Millville gage] - (better the higher the river gets). As the ledges spread out on the river left side of 'Hesitation Ledge' they form a series of nice slides and surf waves along the ruins on the left shore. \*\*'Carter's Crescent\*\*' (River Rightish - just to left of some shrubbery) \*\*2-4'\*\*\\\[Millville gage] - catch eddy river left between the ledges, peel out, take the second drop and keep moving left in a crescent. \*\*'Hesitation Ledge' Waves\*\* (River Center) \*\*1.7'-high water\*\* \\\[Millville gage]

Series of Diagonal waves. There are many lines here, the most common are river left (a slide into a wave and then a right turn, punching or surfing one or more additional waves), or center (a straight slide through a series of waves). Some of the best surfing on the river is here. (This rapid begins to be flooded out as the Potomac gage rises over 5' [Point of Rocks gage] and is pretty much flooded out by the Potomac above 5.5' [Point of Rocks gage].)

'Roller Coaster' playspot levels:

'Baby Swimmers' (center channel, second ledge at 'Roller Coaster') 3.5-4.5' (best at 4') [Millville gage]

Roller Coaster Waves 1.7-4' [Millville gage]

'Shenandoah/Potomac Confluence' Playspot Levels & Surfing Waves:

'Wake Up Call'(river left in first rapid after confluence) 2.5-5[Point of Rocks gage] - wave/hole good for front surfing, spins and cartwheels.

'Maui Wave' (river center) 7 feet to high water[Point of Rocks gage], perfect at 9-10- wave good for front surfing and spins. 'Mavericks' (river right) 12 feet to high water[Point of Rocks gage], reaches incredible status at 14' and above - dynamic wave good for all kinds of wave moves. 'Squirtland Ledge' or 'Sunset Blast'(second rapid river center) 6-10 feet[Point of Rocks gage], perfect at 7.5-8.5' - wide hole good for spins, blasts and cartwheels.

After the confluence, there is a set of Class II waves called Mad Dog Rapids. The West Virginia/Virginia state line comes down the river right side ridge to the Potomac (the Potomac river itself is always Maryland), so from here, the river right side of the Potomac is in Virginia. 'Mad Dog' Playspot Levels: 'Mad Dog Wave' (river left) 2-4 feet \\\[Point of Rocks gage] - small smooth wave good for front surfing.

Class III set of larger irregular waves known as 'White Horse' Rapid. Main channel is to the left, where it forms a fairly large ledge wave with a series of runout waves. Lots of good play. There are also popular playspots ('Cogler's Hole,' '100 Yard Dash,' 'Dash's Hole,' 'Mouse Hole') located more in the river center or among the rocks on river right. **'White Horse' Ledge Playspot Levels:** **'White Horse'** (river left) as low as the water goes to **10** feet \[Point of Rocks gage] - mix of squirt eddies and breaking wave holes that are fun for surfing and cartwheels at higher flows, the eddy line at the top is a favorite for squirt boaters at low flows. **'Rush Hole**' (just right of ' **White Horse'**) **9-12** feet \[Point of Rocks gage] - fun large hole for spinning. **'Cogler’s Hole'** (next channel right of Whitehorse) **3-6** feet \[Point of Rocks gage], best between **4-5** feet - breaking wave/hole good for spins, cartwheels and loops. **'Dash's Hole**' or **'Bobby's Hole**' (river center at top of **'100 Yard Dash**') **3.5-5.5'** \[Point of Rocks gage], best at **4** feet - fun left hand cartwheel pourover, can give out endless lefties at the right water level. **'Tumble Dry**' (river right below **'Bass Rock'**) **6-11** feet \[Point of Rocks gage], best at **8-9'** - wide hole good for spins, cartwheels and loops. **'Spin Wash'** - (right right near the bank parallel to **'Tumble Dry**'), **7-11** feet \[Point of Rocks gage], best at **9-10'** - powerful hole that is good for spins, cartwheels and big loops. **'Mouse Hole**' - Alternative name for either **'Tumble Dry'** or **'Spin Wash'**

River right take-out. This takeout (Potomac Wayside) is on the Virginia side immediately before the lower (MD) 340 bridge. There is space for loading and unloading here, but there are only three parking spaces where you can leave a car. Other parking options near Potoma Wayside are very limited and/or expensive. An empty parking lot near the gas station once was sometimes used, but now it is almost always being used for fireworks sales and other intermittent activities. Finally, the Harpers Ferry Adventure Center has a take-out just downstream that can sometimes be used during the week (Mon-Thurs) by prior arrangement (It depends upon who you talk to and what they think about their constraints).The whole parking and traffic situation on the VA side can be somewhat daunting because of the narrowness of the shoulder and the speed of the heavy two lane traffic.

Other take-outs include: 'Weverton' which is 1 1/2 miles of flat and moving water downstream from the US 340 bridge on the Maryland side. This take-out is hard to see from the river and requires a long walk through the woods and down the tow-path, but it does have an authorized on foot at-grade Railroad crossing.

The 'Brunswick' take-out (also on the Maryland side) requires an additional 5 miles of paddling, with the last 3 1/2 miles consisting of flatwater; however, there is an authorized at-grade railroad crossing for vehicles and a boat ramp offers the convenience of easy access and close parking.