Kayaking the Pristine Upper James River Balcony Falls Class III With the American Bald Eagle
The Upper James River is one of the most unspoiled rivers in the Mid-Atlantic, with protected wilderness, Class III whitewater and the best small mouth bass fishing in Virginia. There are a couple river outfitters in the area, though I have only found one that has their own private James river camping right on the river, which is Wilderness Canoe Company.
Wilderness Canoe Company is headquartered about 5 miles east of Virginia's Natural Bridge at the entrance to the James River Face Wilderness Area. It offersmile of pristine shoreline on a gentle stretch of the river. Wilderness Canoe Company is the oldest outfitter on the Upper James River. They provide various river trips, including canoeing, kayaking and tubing trips. Their most popular trip is Alpine the Wilderness Canoe Campground.
This is the perfect half day trip. Alpine Farms is located along the James River between Arcadia and Natural Bridge. On the far edge of the farm land near an old storage building, they will drop you off with a Kayak or Canoe and you begin your 10 mile adventure back to the Wilderness Canoe Company private take-out. Along the way you'll encounter Class I and II rapids made from natural ledges and rocks. You'll have to navigate through these rapids by judging the water and obstacles and picking the best route.
Between the rapids you'll enjoy quiet, peaceful slow moving water perfect for fishing, swimming or relaxing. There are islands and pebble beaches for stopping to have a picnic. This is a "at your own pace trip", so its up to you how long you spend on the river. This trip generally takes at least 3 hours but can take all day if you want. You'll go past the Yogi Bear campground, and one more rapid before the take-out. The last rapid is made up of debris left behind from the James and Kanawha River Canal project in the 1850's. This rapid can be tricky to navigate in low water and can be daunting in high water. After the last rapid, you enter Wilderness Canoe territory where you will see a yellow sign on a tree at the take-out. Once on land, you can spend the rest of the day fishing, picnicking and swimming at your leisure. I have found no other place that combines such hospitality, huge campsites, un-crowded river access and professional river staff in the entire area.
Wilderness Canoe Company is headquartered about 5 miles east of Virginia's Natural Bridge at the entrance to the James River Face Wilderness Area. It offersmile of pristine shoreline on a gentle stretch of the river. Wilderness Canoe Company is the oldest outfitter on the Upper James River. They provide various river trips, including canoeing, kayaking and tubing trips. Their most popular trip is Alpine the Wilderness Canoe Campground.
This is the perfect half day trip. Alpine Farms is located along the James River between Arcadia and Natural Bridge. On the far edge of the farm land near an old storage building, they will drop you off with a Kayak or Canoe and you begin your 10 mile adventure back to the Wilderness Canoe Company private take-out. Along the way you'll encounter Class I and II rapids made from natural ledges and rocks. You'll have to navigate through these rapids by judging the water and obstacles and picking the best route.
Between the rapids you'll enjoy quiet, peaceful slow moving water perfect for fishing, swimming or relaxing. There are islands and pebble beaches for stopping to have a picnic. This is a "at your own pace trip", so its up to you how long you spend on the river. This trip generally takes at least 3 hours but can take all day if you want. You'll go past the Yogi Bear campground, and one more rapid before the take-out. The last rapid is made up of debris left behind from the James and Kanawha River Canal project in the 1850's. This rapid can be tricky to navigate in low water and can be daunting in high water. After the last rapid, you enter Wilderness Canoe territory where you will see a yellow sign on a tree at the take-out. Once on land, you can spend the rest of the day fishing, picnicking and swimming at your leisure. I have found no other place that combines such hospitality, huge campsites, un-crowded river access and professional river staff in the entire area.