Shenandoah River
Float Planner
Plan a float on the South Fork, Main Stem, or North Fork Shenandoah River, including supported downstream connections from the South Fork or North Fork into the Main Stem. Use published river-mile distances between supported public access points, then review the route breakdown, known hazards, intermediate access, and driving-shuttle information before heading to the water.
Plan a Float
Select a put-in and take-out
Choose a supported put-in and downstream take-out to see published river mileage, individual float sections, known hazards, intermediate access points, and shuttle directions.
Only downstream access pairs connected by supported published-distance sections are selectable. South Fork and North Fork trips can continue into the Main Stem once the transition sections are included in the validated route data.
Select a put-in and take-out to view trip details.
How It Works
Published mileage, not straight-line distance
The planner uses published river distances for supported Shenandoah River float sections. Longer trips are calculated by combining consecutive downstream sections rather than measuring straight-line distance between access points.
When the route data supports it, consecutive sections can continue from the South Fork or North Fork through Riverton and into the Main Stem. The planner does not create a route across a break in the supported downstream section graph.
What the planner does not estimate
- Fishing or float duration
- Current navigability
- Whether a rapid is appropriate for your skill level
- Current ramp or parking availability
- Current dam or portage conditions
- Whether water levels are safe for a particular vessel
Those factors can change substantially with streamflow, weather, vessel type, fishing pace, obstructions, and local conditions.
Before You Launch
Use the planner with current access and river information.
The Float Planner is only one part of trip preparation. Check the actual access site, current river conditions, weather, agency alerts, and any known hazards before committing to a float.