A (Virtual) Ride Down James River

The main section of the James River Park System begins at about the Boulevard Bridge on river right. This section contains hiking trails, a canoe/kayak launch, the visitor center, along with several parking lots off Riverside Drive . Pedestrian bridges and stairways allow visitors to cross the railroad tracks that border the south side of the park. This section of the park was opened in the early 1970s and the bridges and visitors center built in 1974. On river left, a portion of the park less used is the Texas Avenue Section of the James River Park. A pedestrian bridge crosses the CSX tracks and makes the river accessible on this side as well.

Following the the main flow of the river, we maneuver through a rock garden and begin a bouncy ride through Mitchell’s Gut Rapid, a class 2 wave-train.

After the Mitchell’s Gut Rapid, we begin moving to river right so we can make a stop at Reedy Creek takeout and launch site. The site is behind a series of islands. A sign placed by James River Park indicates the route. A parking lot is a short distance from the river across railroad tracks. This is the take-out for paddlers doing the class 1-2 “upper” section; it is the put-in for paddlers running just the “downtown” section containing Class 3+ / 4 rapids. Since we have some paddling experience, we will just stop for a short time and then continue on downriver.

When returning to the river from Reedy Creek, it is important to take the channel straight ahead; otherwise, we will find ourselves in a tangle of islands.