In an effort to improve public access to West Virginia’s Gauley River, the National Park Service recently announced that it is purchasing two plots of private land for public put-in sites. Thanks to cooperative landowners, Woods Ferry and Mason Branch have been established put-in and take-out sites for kayakers, canoeists, and rafters, but the sale puts the launches under the management of the New River Gorge National River and Gauley River National Recreation Area, ensuring they will be protected for future use.
“As an organization dedicated to conserving and restoring America’s whitewater resources and encouraging people to use them safely, we appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in this acquisition, which ensure that the public will have access to the river,” said Mark Singleton, executive director of American Whitewater.
