The New River typifies big West Virginia style whitewater. Within the park it has two very different characters. It is a big powerful river, but very beautiful, always runnable, and providing excellent fishing and camping. There are a number of different river access points, and trips can run from several hours to several days. The rapids are imposing and forceful, many of them obstructed by large boulders which necessitate maneuvering in very powerful currents, crosscurrents, and hydraulics.
Some rapids contain hazardous undercut rocks.
My previous rafting experience was on the Kennebec River in Maine about 10 years ago with my friends Keith, Sean, and Mike. The Kennebec Gorge in The Forks, Maine is one of the most popular rafting runs in the country. It combines a beautiful wilderness setting with big water action in a cavernous gorge. A scant 200 yards below the put-in the river accelerates. The raft hurdles through the Rock Garden, Big Mama and Alleyway rapids lurching over 7-8 foot waves.