Kayak Love

Virginia · river

Cowpasture River near Clifton Forge

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

98

Favorable weather

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:45:00 GMT.

River observation: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:30:00 GMT.

Page checked: Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:57:37 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Cowpasture River near Clifton Forge
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — The Beginning and the End (5871255784).jpg by jpmueller99 from Shenandoah Valley of VA, USA, CC BY 2.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

2 mph

gusting to 2 mph

Air temp

59°F

0% chance of rain

River flow

76.9 cfs

low for this date

Weather outlook

Tuesday · 100

  • Tue

    100

    Best

  • Wed

    100

  • Thu

    100

  • Fri

    83

  • Sat

    87

  • Sun

    88

  • Mon

    96

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
7a11
8a22
9a12
10a13
11a25
12p34
1p23
2p22
3p33
4p34
5p55
6p45

Is this flow normal for September 29?

Today's 76.9 cfs is 25% below the median for this date — which counts as low water here.

The median flow on this date is 103 cfs, across 99 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 2 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0
  • Cold — 59°F air temperature — cool weather; water temperature is not measured-2

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

All paddling spots in Virginia →