Boy, have kayaks taken off. You see cars and vans hauling them down the road all the time. Kayaks, unlike jon boats and canoes, can easily be handled by one person, making most any body of water accessible.
To all you kayakers out there, here’s a tip for a fun float. The Jackson River below Gathright Dam.
Even though it’s August and 90 degrees in the shade, the water here is cold. It comes out of the base of Lake Moomaw at around 60 degrees, and it takes quite few miles to warm up. So, it’s refreshing to say the least. You can just float along and enjoy the wildlife and scenery, or you can take a fishing pole and try to entice some wild trout to bite.
The Game Department suggests that you put in just below the Gathright Dam and look for lots of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife along the way- common ravens, wood ducks, herons, Eastern painted turtles, American bullfrogs, tiger swallowtails, and beavers, to name a few. There are lots of put-in and take-out places along the 12 miles from Gathright to Petticoat Junction. Take a break at Johnson Springs, Smith Bridge, and Indian Draft. Small rapids at Indian Draft add a bit of excitement to this otherwise relaxed trip suitable for all experience levels.
