Kayaking The Upper James River - Buchanan to Arcadia | 4K

My family, friends, and I enjoyed a beautiful Saturday in July kayaking on The Upper James River in Virginia going from Buchanan to Arcadia (approximately a 6.5 mile float). Along this section we encountered several sections of rapids (can vary on Class I and Class II depending on water levels), mountain view’s, a small waterfall, and a rope swing. The Upper James River is absolutely beautiful and I can not recommend enough to go check it out. The Arcadia takeout does have a broken up and somewhat steep gravel road to the parking area and fills up quickly on the weekends. I hope you enjoy watching the trip and even better yet plan a trip out there yourself and enjoy this beautiful river. Be sure to bring plenty of water, food, sun screen, and life jackets. Though the water is not very deep that makes it that much easier in the event of a fall out of your boat to hit your head on a rock.
Below is a full trip description provided by The Upper James River Water Trail website along with links that I highly recommend you check out when planning a trip on the James River:
Buchanan to Arcadia Description:
This 6 mile (2 1/2 hours) float is a fun float with good rapids and current. The trip includes three Class II rapids that can be challenging in higher water conditions (above 4 ft on the Buchanan River gauge). The trip is very popular with local paddlers, especially on the weekends. The trip features some impressive Mountain View’s and is fairly remote once you leave the Buchanan area. Remains of Wasp Dam from the James & Kanawha Canal era can be found about 3 miles into the trip on the river left. Trip ends at the Arcadia boat landing (on the river right) under the Arcadia (Route 614) bridge.
Links:
HTTP://WWW.UPPERJAMESR...
HTTP://WWW.UPPERJAMESR...
HTTP://WWW.UPPERJAMESR...
WATER LEVEL GAUGE: HTTP://WATER.WEATHER.G...

[@BackpackingWithJason]

Beautiful river with some whitewater fun!!! Looks like a fun area.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Sure is bud! Thanks for watching.

[@KathysOutdoorAdventures]

Makes me ready for summertime! I love to kayak but I don't fell good enough to try it on the river. Looks like you had fun

[@JourneyontheTrail]

It was a great time! Definitely missing those days during the winter. The water was only a couple feet deep in a lot of areas. Thanks for watching and commenting!!

[@DumpsterDivingMoe]

Absolutely beautiful!🤗

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Definitely! Thanks for watching!

[@RodKrisBisdakMotovlog]

That's tremendously awesome and amazing place to see my friend. Keep it up and more vidz to come. Thanks

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Really appreciate it!!

[@pegleg00]

This video is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Awesome! Glad it was helpful!!

[@JooUpdate]

nice video my friend. keep a good work and posting. see you

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@ASTHECROWFLIESHIKING]

Great video! James River looks like a great kayaking trip. ✌️

[@JourneyontheTrail]

The upper sections are a blast!! Thanks for watching bud!

[@bigloaded8324]

Nice! Beautiful river. Looks like your Jackson Journey maneuvers pretty good through the rapids? Great section of river to paddle.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thanks for watching! Yeah the Journey is a great boat! Not the faster 14’ yak but turns like a white water. Jackson did a great job on them…sad they had to stop making them.

[@bigloaded8324]

@@JourneyontheTrail Actually Jackson started reproducing the Journey in 2023 again. All the accessories are available on their website too. I’m excited because I own a couple Journey’s myself.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

@@bigloaded8324 oh wow great to know!! Thanks for sharing…definitely checking that out.

[@NicoleHikesalot]

New sub. Awesome kayak adventure. Beautiful location and some good action over the rapids.. I miss summer.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thanks for watching and the comment!! Summer will be upon us here soon now.

[@hoadocuocsongsec]

Very nice ❤️❤️❤️

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thank you!

[@SouthernHike]

Thank you for checking out our video!! We LOVE kayaking! New sub!

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thank you for watching and the sub! I've definitely been enjoying your channel (and subbed as well).

[@GeoterricsOutdoorsAustralia]

Spectacular scenery - great video guys! New sub here from Australia 👍🇦🇺

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thank you so much for watching, commenting, & the sub!!

[@delilapipoly]

Beautiful upload 🥰🥰🥰

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thank you!

[@rosebrust9335]

Love the video..is there any shuttles? Start in Arcadia and go to Buchanan..take a shuttle back to Arcadia?

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Start in Buchanan and go to Arcadia. We had multiple cars in our group for shuttling but there are some liveries in the area that may provide shuttling as well. I’d start with Twin River Outfitters in Buchanan. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@dubyasoutdooradventures2896]

We are headed there this weekend.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Which section are you doing? We were just there last weekend and had a blast.

[@dubyasoutdooradventures2896]

@@JourneyontheTrail we are doing Buchanan to Alpine Farms. Thats our favorite float. Im new to filming and trying to video log each section we go on.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

@@dubyasoutdooradventures2896 awesome! I’ll sub and look forward to checking your video out when it releases.

[@dubyasoutdooradventures2896]

@@JourneyontheTrail thank you!

[@gsgs7739]

Splendid! Great Intro it bring us into your page smoothly. We are still fighting pandemic. How's your country? Enthralling stuff i am moving on to the next video! Keep on dancing! I will be 1, click, away. see ya.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Thank you for the kind comment and watching! We’re still fighting it here as well.

[@Backpacksandtrails]

Great to see another hiker/kayaker! Have you checked out our Suwannee river 43 mile trip video?

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Not yet but definitely plan to! Thanks for the sub and watching. Looking forward to seeing more of your content.

[@jacobcastle2741]

Would you be able to share where you took out for Arcadia? And have you ever taken out at Glasgow? If so can you send info on that as well? Thank you!!!

[@JourneyontheTrail]

Check out the following link…has good information on the exact locations for put-ins/take-outs upperjamesriverwatertrail.com/plan-a-trip/access-points/ I’ve not taken out at Glasgow but I have put in there to go through Balcony Falls (Glasgow to Snowden). There is a rapids section right there near the access so you’ll want to spot out your approach.

[@jacobcastle2741]

@@JourneyontheTrail Thanks! I ended up using this actually. We went a few weeks ago and it was a blast! Beautiful river

[@JourneyontheTrail]

@@jacobcastle2741 Awesome!!! Glad you had a great trip. It’s definitely one of my top river destinations.

[@Meomeo123]

Hi💞🧡💓💝

[@roxannefebuary6823]

I imagine native Indians in their canoes around there in the 1500-1600s.

[@JourneyontheTrail]

I’ve thought the same thing!! Last of the Mohicans soundtrack has run through my mind many times on the trails. Thanks for watching!

[@Meomeo123]

Hi🧡💓💞💞💝

[@flushot6513]

What you got for kayaks

[@JourneyontheTrail]

In this video we’re using a Jackson Journey and Jackson Ibis. Thanks for watching!