Paddle the Dan River, Jessup's Mill to Hart Access

Fun day on the Dan River it was August 17th and had rained all day the 16th.  Paddling the Dan in August is a treat because the water is usually too low.  This section putting in at Jessup's Mill on Collinstown Rd. was a special treat because we do not get to do it very often because of low water.  I have never paddled this set ion below 2 ft on the Fransisco water gauge and heard it was very boney below that.  Today the gauge was 1.85ft and 195 cfs.  It was a little challenging to find a line down river without getting stuck but was still very enjoyable.  We will be definitely be doing this section at 1.8ft and up again.  Also be sure to check with the owner of Jessup's Mill to check if there are any strainers.  The owner of Jessup's Mill also runs a shuttle if you contact him the day before.  The river narrows at a place called lunch rock and strainers get lodged there and it can be very dangerous.  This section and many class I and II rapids.  FUN!

Jessup's Mill to Hart Access on the Dan River

Today Dennis and saw the river gauge at Fransisco at 2.18 and we thought it would be a good time to do Jessup's mill run on the Dan River.  We dropped a car at the Hart's access and put in at Jessup's Mill.  It is around a 6 mile run.  The folks at Jessup's Mill are very nice, tubing and let us park our car there.  I can not wait until they get everything fixed up there.  It is a work in progress.  Jessup's Mill has camping and music a couple of times a month. http://jessupmill.com/?page_id=538

When we got into to the water I noticed the painted river guage on the bridge said 1.9ft and the water was very muddly from the rain last night.  This was a fun run but I would have liked it at a 2.00ft or higher.  It is very hard to read the river lines in shallow water when the water is so muddy.  We bumped and scraped our share of rocks that we could not see coming.  Came the closest I have come yet to flipping today, twice.  I did a 360 degrees spin on two occasions stuck on a rock as well.

I found a new fishing technique today.  Just paddle our orange liquid logic coupes down the Dan River and trout just jump out of the water into the back of your boat, at least that what happened to Dennis.  Discovered that the river guage for Fransisco is close to the Hart access. It stated a 1.9 when we got out. I'll have to remember that.

Hart Access to Lynchburg Rd (268) ( Dan River)

Today is supposed to be 102 degrees.  Dennis and I decided to beat the heat and get on the river early.  We got on the Dan river at Hart Access at 7:00am.  We left home at 6:15am.  The dam was releasing yesterday from 2-6 and we thought maybe we would still have some water since it takes 12 hours to reach the Fransisco river guage.  At 7:00 the gauge was 1.6 but by the time we got out at 10:00 the gauge said 1.5ft.  The temperature was 71 degrees at 7:00 but at 10:00 it was 92 degrees.

It was a fun day but the water was so low it was not as fun as it was the last time at 1.8ft.  I rubbed more rocks today than I have in the last 6 months.  I will wait until we have more water to do this section of the Dan river again.  Also the access at the Big Creek bridge is very steep and you have to paddle up the Big creek to get out and the creek was real low.  Only a small path was deep enough to get to the take out.

Hart Access to Moores Springs campground

Fun run.  The gradient is 12ft/mile. That day the water gauge was a 1.83 ft.  I do not think you could run this much lower.  It had many shallow spots because of the gradient change.  This is my second favorite run on the Dan River so far.  It is about 8.3 miles long.  Dennis paddled his Liquid Logic Coupe and I used our Peception Sport recreation boat.  This is a beautiful run with such pretty surroundings.  It is so enjoyable because of all the rapids even though they are small they are frequent. Even though it has action and beginner could do this fine.

The only negative is the out access at Moores Springs road.  You have to call the campground and get permission and it cost $10 to park there even if you are not camping.  You get out at a creek which is nasty and the road is washed out to the access so you have to carry your boat 100 yds to your vehicle.

I hope the water gets up again so I can do this again soon.