Recreation

Fishing

Summersville Lake is one of the best small and largemouth bass fishing lakes in the state of West Virginia. The lake is also stocked with trout at the tailwater bi-weekly in the fall. The assortment of fish includes walleye, bluegill, an occasional rainbow trout, crappie and channel catfish. The 30-50 foot deep water with buoys marking fish attractors make this lake optimal for fishing with the entire family. Night fishing and using minnows for bait is permitted. When fishing for walleye, bottom bouncing night crawlers, crank baits, or trolling is recommended. Catfish pursue chicken livers and bass tend to prefer plastic bait or top water plugs. On the lake, there is unlimited horse power with clearly marked no wake zones and speed zones.

West Virginia’s rivers also offer an abundant variety of fish. The hard-fighting smallmouth bass finds prime habitat in the rich ledges provided by the New River and Summersville Lake. The Gauley River shelters the gigantic, elusive muskie. Some of the best trout fishing in the nation can be found in the rivers flowing from eastern and northern parts of Nicholas County and WV, such as the Cranberry, Williams, Cherry, Upper Gauley, and the Muddelty.

 

Mountain Biking

West Virginia was recently rated as one of the top five mountain biking destinations in the United States by Mountain Biking magazine. You can explore the banks of Summersville Lake on its network of trails, ride through the Monongahela National Forest, or try the new Cranberry/
Tri-Rivers Rail Trail in Richwood. Many outfitters offer guided tours that range from beginning riders to more advanced terrain.

 

Rock Climbing

The Summersville Lake has become internationally famous over the past few years for the enormous number of vertical cliffs available to rock climb or rappel. With over 2,800 acres of water and 60 miles of shoreline, much of its shore is lined with towering rock cliffs and boulders which offer breathtaking scenery and some of the most accessible, and yet challenging, rock climbing and rappelling in the United States. The rock at Summersville Lake is composed of Nuttall Sandstone. The sandstone cliffs range from 30-80 feet in height, and the walls range from slightly overhanging to extremely overhanging. The cliffs offer enjoyable face climbs and overhanging routes with horizontal edges, pockets, and jugs.

With over 100 different climbs, climbing and bouldering are popular among visitors. Satisfaction Area, Rats Hole, Jeff’s Bunny Hop, That Eight, and Hippie Dreams are some favorite spots among climbers. For those who boulder, in the fall and spring water levels recede and expose many boulders such as those in Pirates Cove. Click here for a climbing index and other resources.

 

 

 

Boating

Boating activities are extremely popular on Summersville Lake due to the clarity of water and the 68-80 degree water temperatures from June to September. Waterskiing and knee boarding are favorite activities and boats may be rented at the lake. Many groups of friends and families also simply spend the day relaxing, talking, swimming, and exploring the shoreline in search of the best swimming hole. Enjoy cliff jumping and swimming at Long Point, Whippoorwill cliffs, and Waterfall cliffs. Scuba diving and snorkeling are also very popular in this oligotrophic lake. Bubbles Cove and Long Point are favorite spots to snorkel and scuba in what Skin Diver magazine refers to as “The Little Bahamas of the east.” At Long Point, the area is roped off just for access by scuba divers, snorkelers, and swimmers. Visibility and water temperature are optimum for diving between 35-45 feet. While diving, cliffs which exist about 100 feet below the surface, rock walls and overhangs may be seen.

 

 

 

Summersville/Muddelty Walking/Bicycle Trail

Walk or ride through nearly 3 miles of trails under a canopy of mature trees. The trail provides an easy walk with wide, improved trails, bridges at water crossings, and gentle hills. Muddelty Creek runs alongside the trail, providing the sounds and magic of flowing waters. Fishermen need a West Virginia fishing license. Picnic facilities for families and groups are located in the Jones Hole area. Fire pits and barbecues are provided at each picnic site. The nearby creek and cleared forest area make a great playground. Sturdy bridges make water crossing easy going. They also give scenic panoramas from the “creek viewpoint,” letting trail visitors admire the hillsides and forest. The trail and forest are home to a wide variety of animals and plant life, including several varieties of wild orchids. Several historic sites are found along the trail including the Starbuck Textile Mill, the Campbell Power Plant, and the first 4H Camp in Summersville.
Download Muddelty Trail Map

Whitewater Rafting

The Gauley River

Prepared by West Virginia Professional River Outfitters Association
Good Gauley, Miss Molly! Rafting just doesn’t get any better. It’s not about mastery (no one really masters this river) as much as communion with an incredible force. It is a combination of adventure, camaraderie and scenery that leaves rafters in a state of sheer euphoria at the end of the day – and planning their next ride on the “Beast of the East.” The Mountain State’s pride and joy ranks seventh among the world’s raftable rivers and second only in the United States to the Colorado River. Unlike the rivers in distant lands, the Gauley is close at hand, with the best of equipment and après raft amenities. In 1988, the Gauley River National Recreation Area was established to protect this precious resource.

 

 

 

Today the National Park Service oversees 25 miles of the river and 11,000 acres of surrounding wilderness. It is a remote, wild region accessible only by raft or kayak – and an area of incomparable beauty. Outfitters advise rafters to polish their paddling skills on the New, and then graduate to the lower section in preparation for the Upper Gauley. To really enjoy this big whitewater ride, you need to have some mileage on your paddling skills. With more Class IV and Class V rapids than any other Eastern river, it is one of the most intense experiences in commercial rafting and sheer nirvana for experienced paddlers.

The Gauley is twice as long and twice as steep as the New. Dropping 668 feet in 28 miles, the river churns through 100 rapids. Fifty of them are major challenges ranging from Class III to Class V-plus, pushing the boundaries of raft ability. Often the rapids come in quick succession – each presenting a different technical challenge. The river can be rafted from spring to late fall depending on natural flows, but the legendary “Gauley Season” begins when water is released from Summersville Lake for six weeks after Labor Day. The season is short but so sweet that rafters come from all over the world to make the run. When the Corps of Engineers opens the gates on Summersville Dam, wild, rolling water gushes out as fast as 2,800 cubic feet per second. Rafts launch into this maelstorm and are quickly caught up in the raging waters.

One of the first major rapids is misnamed “Insignificant”, which is amusing once you’ve negotiated it – dodging rocks, slipping over a rock shelf, scuttling across the flow and dropping into a watery chasm. It’s a significant wake-up call for the Class V+ Pillow Rock, an 80-yard stretch of the most difficult whitewater on the Gauley. Water pillows against the face of a massive boulder and delivers a powerful blow to daring rafts that climb too high. Negotiating this rapid can mean the difference between a smooth ride and learning how to high side. Then there’s Lost Paddle, a half-mile chute with five big drops including a perilous passage through 10- to 12-foot waves. Sweet’s Falls, a 14-foot drop on the upper Gauley, was considered impossible to navigate until John Sweet ran it in 1968, hence the name. The Lower Gauley lacks the sustained frenzy of the Upper, but it’s not to be taken lightly. It has up to Class V rapids with evocative names such as Upper and Lower Mash, Koontz’s Flume, Gates of Heaven and Pure Screamin’ Hell.

 

 

 

 

The New River

 

Prepared by West Virginia Professional River Outfitters Association
What’s New about the New River? Certainly not its age. It is one of world’s oldest river systems, second only to the Nile. But every year thousands of first-time rafters have a “New” experience that leaves them forever hooked on white water and returning year after year. Many who rafted here in the ‘70s come back – as do their children and grandchildren – generation after generation having its first taste of whitewater on one of the most popular rafting rivers in the Eastern United States. New River fans are a diverse group. From family float and duckie trips for novice rafters (Class II - III) on the Upper sections to exciting whitewater adventure on the Lower section (Class IV - V), the New River can be enjoyed by almost anyone.

The “Grand Canyon of the East” is nothing like its barren namesake, for it is clothed in a lush deciduous forest which shelters a variety of wildlife. The river is raftable from spring to late fall, so visitors are treated to ever-changing water levels and foliage in the gorge. A high-volume river coursing through a narrow canyon, the New drops 240 feet in one 14-mile stretch. This creates friction against the rocky bottom and sides, and generates the big, oscillating waves rafters crave. The gorge is strewn with boulders that have withstood the torrent’s assault, so the water is channeled in many ways at once – dipping, dodging and diving through rapids with names such as Surprise, the Keeney’s, Double Z, Bloody Nose and Thread the Needle. If you don’t get wet enough in this moving water battle, there are opportunities to take the plunge from Jump Rock, or float through Swimmers Rapid. Over time you’ll come to know the rapids by heart, and look forward to your next adventure on the New River.

The New River flows through a spectacular wilderness, and early rafters worked hard to ensure it would remain so forever. In I978, the New was designated a National River adding it to the National Park system which spared it from the threat of hydroelectric dams. In 1998, it was named one of 14 American Heritage Rivers, recognizing the New River Gorge’s wealth of history and folklore. When the 20th century was young, the gorge rang with the sounds of timbering and coal mining and the rumble of trains carrying these riches to faraway cities. The effect on the canyon was devastating, but time has restored the wilderness to its primordial beauty and few traces remain of man’s tenure here.

 

 

 

Golf Courses

Try Nicholas Memorial Golf Course (304-872-9850), a nine hole public links located north of Summersville on Route 19, or play nine holes of golf in the scenic mountains of Richwood at Cherry Hill Country Club (304-846-9876).

Diving

“Skin Diver Magazine” calls Summersville Lake “The Little Bahamas of The East!” for good reason. It is the cleanest, clearest freshwater lake east of the Mississippi River. Average summertime visibility is 20 - 45 feet depending upon rainfall! Summersville Lake Marina is a full-service facility offering seasonal boat slips, overnight boat slips, gasoline, pontoon boat rentals, jon boat rentals, hot sandwiches, snacks, ice, bait, fishing and marine supplies. Call 304-872-1331 for more information.

Sarge’s Dive Shop provides NAUI / YMCA scuba certification classes and lessons, scuba, swimming & snorkeling charters or trips, and lake tours. Sarge’s diving season runs from mid-May through mid-September. 2009 marks its 33rd year of providing the public, law enforcement and first responders with excellent scuba diving training, certification and scuba equipment sales and service. Call 304-872-1782 for more information. Sarge’s Dive Shop is located on right on Summersville Lake – it literally floats on the lake! You can drive up to Sarge’s in your car or in your boat!