Apply Now!

Water sports on the Russell Fork

A

aristotle

Veteran Expediter
The Russell Fork tributary is a popular whitewater stream flowing through Dickenson County, Virginia and Pike County, Kentucky. The wilds of Appalachia have many such streams, but this one is my favorite as I grew up about 10-15 miles away Elkhorn City, Kentucky. As a teenager, my friends and I would spend weekends camping and fishing along the Russell Fork. The roar of the river in that deep canyon can make it difficult to hear another human voice more than 50 feet away. It never occurred to us back then, late 70's/ early 80's, that kayaking or rafting would become popular on the Russell Fork. For one thing, just getting down to the river was done on footpaths in steep, rugged terrain.

A long stretch of the river runs through Breaks Interstate Park which is jointly administered by the Commonwealths of Kentucky and Virginia. In recent years, the park system has cut narrow roads down to the river making watersports more accessible.

Here are a couple videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpHlc9gLhd4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=lGchqKEstGU&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6dZVl9X9vo&feature=related

I like the following footage as it was shot during bright sunlight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u84tUu6vL4&feature=endscreen&NR=1
 
Last edited:
A

aristotle

Veteran Expediter
For the sake of clarification, Pike County, KY has 2 well known rivers. The Tug Fork(think Hatfield/McCoy territory) and the Russell Fork.

To avoid confusion: Tug Fork = peaceful river/ wild people.
Russell Fork = wild river/ peaceful people.
 
A

aristotle

Veteran Expediter
Trivia question: when rain fills a creek in Richmond, Virginia, the creek flows into a river leading the water to the Atlantic Ocean. So, when it rains in Dickenson County, Virginia, the creeks lead to the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River. Which great body of water eventually receives the heavy rains of Dickenson County, Virginia?
 
A

aristotle

Veteran Expediter
cheri1122 said:
Eventually: all of them.;)
Click to expand...

I was thinking more along the lines of immediate watershed. Rain filled streams in Haysi, Virginia fall on the western slope of the Appalachian Mountains making their way to the Russell Fork to the greater Big Sandy which flows into the Ohio River feeding into the Mississippi River which ultimately leads our Dickenson County waters to the Gulf of Mexico.

Whatever amount of physical water makes it to the Gulf, without being picked off as water vapor along the way, could eventually end up anywhere over time due to ocean currents and moisture drawn up in the tradewinds. Today's rainfall in Haysi, Virginia could form a cloud over Mexican seaside resort a month from now and be part of a Norwegian iceberg 50 years later. Just guessing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top