Staton's Creek
Staton's Falls to Pedlar River
| Difficulty | V |
| Length | 0.6 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 500 fpm |
| Gauge | Pedlar River at Forest Road Near Buena Vista, Va |
| Flow Rate as of 13 minutes | 15 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 8, 2025 |
River Description
Statons Creek is a steep half-mile of back-to-back slides, waterfalls, and technical boulder drops falling through a mossy, narrow 'gorge' reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest. And it's all runnable for the competent class V paddler...unless wood is in the way. Statons is a perfect compliment to the many other steeps creeks in this area, but Statons has a more pool-drop character than most of the other nearby runs (North and South Tye, South Fork Piney, South Rockfish, etc.). On Statons, you'll be presented with a sampler platter of whitewater delicacies. Enjoy tilted slides, chunky cascades, and a tricky waterfall. Finish it off with a slew of technical boulder gardens thrown in for spice. Most of the drops are pure bedrock drops, unlike the boulder gardens typical of this region. You'll start this steep sprint right at the base of towering '140-foot' Statons Creek Falls. The first drop, Chunderslide, sets the tone for the creek. After that you'll encounter a 15' waterfall, another good slide, a cascade, and the infamous 'Log Flume' drop, and more. Wood is always a factor on Statons Creek. This was once a virgin hemlock forest, but the invasive wooly adelgid beetle devastated the region's hemlock trees. For many years this creek remained unrun due to the massive wood piles that blocked the streambed. Two days of careful and laborious wood-removal led to its first-descent. Wood will continue to be a factor on this creek. Please scout the drops for wood on your first lap and watch out for each other. The gorge is steep, narrow, very rocky, and riddled with downed deadfall hemlocks. You do not want to hike out of here with your kayak. This is a steep creek with guaranteed wood, please bring the appropriate skills, equipment, and crew to enjoy this fun sprint of a creek!
WARNING: The 15' waterfall on this creek ('Johnny Wise's Hole') is a deceptive hazard. Setting safety here is recomended. There have been at least two very-close calls in this
...River Features
Put In
Put-in near the base of Statons Falls. There is a rough trail from the road down to the creek on river-left. You will be launching at the top of Chunderslide rapid.
Chunderslide
Chunderslide rapid. Statons Creek starts off with a bang: Paddlers launch just a few strokes above this exciting slide. For bonus points, catch the small eddy at the very top of the slide. Chunderslide dumps paddlers into a large pool at the bottom. This will be the only significant flatwater for the next half-mile.
Johnny Wise's Hole
'Johnny Wise's Hole' (or 'Johnny Wise's Falls') is a 12-15' slightly-sloping waterfall into a slick-sided pool. WARNING: This drop has a surprisingly dangerous recirculation. There have been at least two close calls with paddlers swimming at the base of the falls. The hole at the base of the falls is very sticky and hard to escape. The slick rock walls do nothing to help swimmers escape the water. Locals claim that a fisherman lost his life here many years ago. Set safety at the base of the falls.
Duck and Run
This straightforward slide once had a huge tree trunk laying horizontally across the slide, with enough room to duck under it as you sped down the slide. Hurricane Isabel (2003) flushed the wood, but the name remains.
Cascade
The cascade is a ~10-foot sloping ledge with at least a couple different possible routes. The most popular is a slide-to-roostertail line on the far right side.
Skate Park Drop
'Skate Park' is one of the only boulder garden rapids on this creek. You'll feel like you are jibbing your way through a skate park as you railslide and ollie your way through this short, technical drop.
Take Out
The take-out is a small, dirt parking area located near where Statons Creek flows under Pedler River Rd. This is about 200 yds above the confluence of Statons Creek and the Pedlar River. Travelling north on Pedlar River Rd you'll see a small dirt road on your right, just before crossing Statons Creek. The parking area is 100 yards up this small dirt track.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportHeath styles the tricky boof at 'Johnny Wise's Hole' on Statons Creek, VA. Photo by Gordon Dalton.
how low in cfs can you run those 'park and huck' drops does anyone know if like at low low levels(10-20)cfs if they are runnable or immpossible?-cam hall likes male action
Michael running Cascade- ~400cfs
Note the log wedged under the mossy rock behind the boater's stern. The log is chocked in a very undercut crevice. No problem if you're on-line and in your boat, but could be heinous if you had come out of your boat upstream.
Great low-runnable level. The hole at the bottom is benign at this level, but beware as it approaches 180 cfs.
Level was 125 cfs. Great low level. At this level, you don't have to worry about the hole at the bottom. As the level climbs to 180 cfs, you better have a rope ready to pull you out if the hole decides to bite you.