Russell Fork, Upper and Lower (Not The Gorge) Oct. 23-25
Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2026 4:04 am
Russell Fork, Upper and Lower (Not The Gorge) Oct. 23-25
The Russell Fork is located in Breaks, VA. The Upper Russell Fork is the section above the Class V gorge and the Lower Russell Fork is the section below the gorge. The put in for the Upper is below the John W. Flannagan Dam on the Pound River with a couple miles of the Pound before it confluences with the Russell Fork. Take out for the Upper is at Garden Hole, which is also the put in for the gorge. Put in for the Lower is at the take out for the gorge and take out for the Lower is in Elkhorn City, KY. The Park has camping and hotel rooms.
For Friday to run the Lower, let's meet at 2:30 at the Ratliffe Hole Access Point.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TMepCAuFaDA24Gdr7
Meet at the Rhododendron Lodge and Restaurant parking lot in the Breaks Interstate Park on Saturday morning, Oct 4 at 10 am. Plan is to run the Upper, putting on at the dam. Usually some want to run the Lower after the Upper trip.
https://goo.gl/maps/cQTJSZwigo4eDQhFA
On Sunday we will put on at Bartlick on the Russell Fork for an abbreviated trip on the Upper. Meeting time and place is the same as Saturday.
AW on the Upper Russell Fork:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/cont ... /2011/main
A video on the Upper Russell Fork plus Meatgrinder on the Lower:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZM6sIg2b0s
Another video on the Upper Russell Fork:
https://youtu.be/yEO-SXZrFok?si=qFhVHzeL1UQ8gn4E
AW on the Lower Russell Fork:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/cont ... l/675/main
The Russell Fork is located in Breaks, VA. The Upper Russell Fork is the section above the Class V gorge and the Lower Russell Fork is the section below the gorge. The put in for the Upper is below the John W. Flannagan Dam on the Pound River with a couple miles of the Pound before it confluences with the Russell Fork. Take out for the Upper is at Garden Hole, which is also the put in for the gorge. Put in for the Lower is at the take out for the gorge and take out for the Lower is in Elkhorn City, KY. The Park has camping and hotel rooms.
For Friday to run the Lower, let's meet at 2:30 at the Ratliffe Hole Access Point.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TMepCAuFaDA24Gdr7
Meet at the Rhododendron Lodge and Restaurant parking lot in the Breaks Interstate Park on Saturday morning, Oct 4 at 10 am. Plan is to run the Upper, putting on at the dam. Usually some want to run the Lower after the Upper trip.
https://goo.gl/maps/cQTJSZwigo4eDQhFA
On Sunday we will put on at Bartlick on the Russell Fork for an abbreviated trip on the Upper. Meeting time and place is the same as Saturday.
AW on the Upper Russell Fork:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/cont ... /2011/main
A video on the Upper Russell Fork plus Meatgrinder on the Lower:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZM6sIg2b0s
Another video on the Upper Russell Fork:
https://youtu.be/yEO-SXZrFok?si=qFhVHzeL1UQ8gn4E
AW on the Lower Russell Fork:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/cont ... l/675/main