Pedlar
1. US 60 to Lynchburg Reservoir
| Difficulty | II-III(IV) |
| Length | 8 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 68 fpm |
| Gauge | Pedlar River at Forest Road Near Buena Vista, Va |
| Flow Rate as of 14 minutes | 15 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | May 28, 2025 |
River Description
Expect numerous strainers and logjams (possibly a dozen or more) in this narrow (15-20 feet), fast-moving river. Even at minimum flows, the upper Pedlar requires constant vigilance for wood, and requires constantly locating micro-eddies to avoid being pushed into wood. In addition, be on the lookout for Panther Falls, a 10-foot drop near the halfway point (scout/portage river right). Other than Panther Falls and the rapid immediately below it, the upper Pedlar is fast, continuous class II-III, but probably requires class IV skills due to scrambling for micro-eddies above logjams. There's likely a very small window of 'just right' in terms of flow, to have enough water to avoid scraping rocks all the way down, and on the other hand being pushed downstream faster than is safe. The sweet spot is probably 250-300 cfs. Despite the multiple portages, this is a beautiful, very enjoyable wilderness run.
River Features
Put In - Rt. 60
Put in river right under the Rt. 60 bridge.
Panther Falls
Panther Falls is about a 10-foot drop with water pushing into the boulder on the left. Scout/portage river right across a large rock shelf. There is a half-mile trail to the falls from a FS road on river right, and on warm days this is a popular spot to swim and sunbathe. Just below is a second class IV rapid with a strong hole. After this the river resumes its class II-III character to the takeout.
Take Out
Take out river right at the first FS road bridge, where the gauge is located. 4.4 on the staff gauge is roughly the equivalent of 200 cfs which is the minimum recommended.