GAULEY SEASON! The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! From our first campers in 2010 from the World Class Kayaking Academy to the orphaned group from Swiss who started the Not Swiss Fest in 2012, private boaters and kayakers have always been a big part of Tawney Farm's Gauley River Wild & Woolly Primitive Campground.
At the end of every summer, the US Corps of Engineers starts the winter lowering of the Summersville Lake with weekend releases of water. The huge amounts of water released from the dam creates massive Class II-V rapids on the Gauley River. This is the beginning of the Gauley whitewater season! The season always starts the weekend after Labor Day and runs through Bridge Day at the New River Gorge Bridge which is always the 3rd weekend of October. So depending on when Labor Day falls, it is either a 6 or 7 weekend season. Thousands of boaters from across the country and around the world descend on the Beast of the East, the Gauley River to test their whitewater skills and meet up with old friends. The river is divided into sections, the Upper, Middle and Lower Gauley. Gauley River Wild & Woolly Primitive Campground is perfectly located on the Middle Gauley, just minutes away from the take-out for the Upper and put-in for the Lower. Super convenient for private boaters because it cuts down on shuttle time. More time to sleep in and more time to relax and/or celebrate! During Gauley season, we discontinue our private camping and open our field to hundreds of boaters from practically everywhere!
GAULEY SEASON 2023 The 2023 season begins September 6 and ends October 22. The first weekend is a huge celebration as we welcome back friends who have been camping at Tawney Farm every weekend of the season for years now. Camping is festival-style in our large pasture field and at Sites 4, 7 and 8 on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $20 per person per night. Children ages 12 and under are free. Pre-payment is not required, but you can let us know you're coming by filling out the Request Reservation page and save time at check-in by filling out the Guest Registration & Liability form prior to arrival. Be sure to also read the Campground Rules.
THE RED CREEK SESSIONS SCREENING We're so excited to be kicking off the season differently this year with a screening of The Red Creek Sessions, on Saturday, September 9, 2023. Join us as Justin Harris of Mountain River Media presents his multi-award winning documentary about Appalachian geology, in particular the Cheat River watershed and we watch some of our West Virginia local boaters take on the Class V+ rapids of Red Creek. Winner of the National Paddling Film Festival's Viewer's Choice Award!
PETS SORRY, BUT NO PETS ALLOWED DURING GAULEY SEASON.
LATE CHECK-OUT We don’t mind that you guys leave your stuff here until you get back from your run on the river. However, you need to have your stuff packed and out of here by 5:00 pm on the day you check-out or you will be charged for another day. FIRE PITS Tawney Farm will provide a limited number of fire pits and are considered communal. We will provide one wheelbarrow of wood per day for the communal fire pits. You can bring your own off-the-ground fire pit, but you must get approval from us before you use your own fire pit. We will provide a burn mark barrier for you to use, so make sure you check with us before using your own fire pit. Please do not bring firewood from outside the area to prevent the spread of insects and disease. There will be firewood available at a minimal cost of $5/wheelbarrow.