New River — Virginia
🏔 Scenic River
Giles / Pulaski / Carroll Co. · 162 mi · Class I–III
1,950CFS/ 1.76 ft
Optimal
Stable
Optimal: 1500–6000 CFS · USGS #03168000
Flow data is live from USGS·Rapid classifications and CFS ranges need community verification·Know this river?
162 mi
Length
Class I–III
Difficulty
1500–6000 cfs
Optimal
3,400 cfs
Avg Flow
3,100 cfs
Hist. Median
#03168000
USGS Gauge
Virginia Scenic River · New River Trail State Park (57-mile rail-trail) · Part of New River Gorge NP complex

One of the oldest rivers in the world — the New River predates the Appalachian Mountains and flows northward through the ridges it carved 65+ million years ago. In Virginia the river delivers Class III–IV Breaks Interstate Park whitewater and the famous Narrows of Virginia, before crossing into West Virginia and becoming America's newest national park. Extraordinary fly fishing.

Trip sections
Headwaters to Radford — Class I–II, upper valley
Claytor Lake tailwater — Class I–II, consistent flows
Narrows of Virginia to WV border — Class III–IV, the Virginia gorge section
Outfitters
New River Outdoors
New River Virginia trips and rentals
Wild Virginia
New River Narrows guided kayak trips
72-Hour Flow Forecast
NOAA NWPS
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10-Year Flow Patterns
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Data Quality

River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and trip sections may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level. If you spot an error, use the Improve This River button at the top of the page — your local knowledge is what makes this atlas accurate.