Greenbrier River
09. Talcott to Willowood Bridge (WV 3&12)
| Difficulty | I-II(III) |
| Length | 11 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 10 fpm |
| Gauge | Greenbrier River at Hilldale, Wv |
| Flow Rate as of 39 minutes | 1.54 ftlow runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | May 1, 2025 |
From a comment, 2009:
There are two decent rapids on the upper stretch of the river. One is a class III (maybe) called Bacon Falls, which I have found to be best when the river is around 4 1/2. The other is a slide with a pretty decent hole at the bottom.
You can also shorten the trip by using the public access at Barger Springs but keep in mind the rapids worth running are on the upper half so if I was going to shorten I would run from Talcott to Barger Springs because there really isn't much after that.
The Talcott put-in is on river right just upstream of the Barger Springs bridge near the intersection of Hwy. 12 and Barger Springs Rd. Ramp and parking but no toilet.
Bacon Falls is the first rapid below Talcott, where the flow channels on the right against a cliff face. At higher flows it can be skirted on the left. At moderate to low flows it has two parts. The first part is a small ledge angled to the right, which can be run in various places. Or you can simply begin on the far right near the bank, avoiding the ledges. There is a wave train along the cliff, usually with an eddy on the left and decent surfing waves. For the second part of the rapid, angle left to avoid rocks on the right.
Lindsey Slide is a riverwide slanted ledge that can have strong holes in places. Far right and far left may have weaker holes. Shallower on river left with a bit more of a green tongue. River left is a popular gathering spot for locals and can be reached on Doc Fox Rd. Photo taken at 2.8 on the Hilldale gauge.
The Barger Springs takeout on river left will probably be used by most people, since the remainder of this segment is mostly flat. Good ramp and parking, but no bathroom facilities.
On county road 29 (4-H Camp Rd.) look for Angler Lane which leads to the takeout. Good signage in both directions ('fishing access').
Willowood Bridge access is river right in the right-of-way, though it is a bit overgrown. Probably better to get permission from the campground next to it, or use one of the pull-overs on Hwy. 12.
Mar 27, 2023
