Dismal Creek
Half a mile above falls to a mile below falls(Dismal Falls Run)
| Difficulty | III-IV |
| Length | 4.3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Reach Info Last Updated | February 1, 2025 |
River Description
Locals have been running this one since the mid to late '90s, but it runs so infrequently that it has remained mostly unknown outside the New River Valley. Many runs in VA are kept secret by those 'in the know' to protect access, but since this one is squarely in the Jefferson National Forest I see no reason not to let this one out of the bag.
Dismal Creek is a small creek with its headwaters forming along the Appalachian Trail as it heads down Sugar Run Mountain. The run is short, only 1.5 miles of worthwhile rapids. Multiple easy access points from the (unnamed) forest service road that follows the creek make it an easy 'choose your own adventure' high water alternative for folks in the area. Dismal Falls can make a nice 'park and huck' while headed to or returning from other area rivers.
The nature of the streambed and its rapids remind me a lot of a smaller version of the Tellico in TN. There are a few technical boulder rapids, some easier class II-III boogie and two bigger bedrock ledges. For the most part it is class III+ with a few places warranting at class IV rating (Dismal Falls being one of them). However, this creek has a lot of wood in its fairly small streambed and some badly placed wood could easily create class V hazard.
If anyone else has pictures please add them. If anyone knows more named rapids or has any additional information, please post comments or e-mail me to let me know.
Lat/longitude coordinates are approximate, to get the intrepid paddler into the ballpark.
River Features
Put-in
Use one of the many roadside pull-offs and hike down the bank.
Dismal Falls
Second Ledge
Not long after you leave dismal falls you will approach another horizon line. This is a simple 5' ledge, go anywhere but far left where the water goes into some pin rocks and trees. I've also heard the ledge can have a bad hole at really high flows.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportThis thing really does take a lot of water to run. The ground was already saturated and the rain gage in the area recorded about 2' of rain and the falls were at a good boatable flow. Everything else we drove by on the way was up in the trees.
This is a really fun drop though, the approach looks like it would be shallow and scrapy but it isn't bad at all. Only downside is if you managed to swim or miss the eddies on either side right after the falls it'd likely be a good long while before you or your boat would find a nice eddy.
This was Adam Goshorn's 2nd run during an evening park and huck session. It was about 30 degrees and had just stopped sleeting.
Herb Crimp and Adam Goshorn in the classic scouting pose at Dismal Falls, VA
A very cold day... notice the ice on the trees. It was about 30 degrees and had just stopped sleeting.
This was Herb's first class IV and his first time paddling at temps below freezing. He aced the line with a sweet boof!
Cold weather scouting on Dismal Creek VA.
Herb Crimp hits his line on his first class IV. The Mr Clean made a fine creekboat this day.
This is the view downstream as seen from the river right bank downstream of Dismal Falls.
This is the view of the lead into the 2nd ledge from a rock outcropping up on the river right bank. Although hard to see in the photo you can see the horizon line of Second Ledge.
This picture kinda shows the trashy nature of the river right cascade.
After getting skunked many times, we finally caught Dismal Creek running. It was late in the evening so we had to settle for a Park and Huck session at the falls. Adam went first, here he launchs the boof.