buffalo,wvtowinfielddam

Kanawa River

Buffalo, West Virginia (Mile 22.5) to Winfield Lock and Dam (Mile 31)

September 2024

Today I put in for the second time amid the community of Buffalo, West Virginia. They have a really nice ramp here that lies in the midst of quite a few ball fields alongside the town's high school (directions at the bottom). Puzzling to me today, however, was a bus that was parked across almost all the parking spaces the boaters use. I don't understand the way we treat each other. All that's needed to show goodwill is to project it through our actions. Anyway, as you can see from the photos even I can't take a bad shot from this location!

Today I put in about noon. I'd eventually find that with a little current and a fairly steady wind that it would take me 4 hours to get upriver to the Winfield Lock and Dam and only 2 1/2 hours to get back. :) The dam is in a really interesting spot. Wait til you see it!

Starting out, however, you'll pass by a light and day marker on your right side as you round a 90 degree left curve that extends for about 2 1/2 miles up to the Buffalo Highway Bridge near mile 25. Twentyfive Mile Creek comes up on your right side just before you reach said bridge. I've provided a few photos as I thought this was a pretty one. The slack water extends nearly 1/2 mile and possibly more, but I didn't go any further. Your see, I was getting really close to some dwellings at that point. My rule of thumb is that if I could potentially be interrupting someone's peace or if it could occur that an overzealous pet could take a bite out of me in a flying leap from the bank that I've gone far enough!

Back on the Kanawha you'll pass the bridge (the first photo below is a look back downriver at it) and then continue along a straight stretch of water. The second photo shows one of a few nice areas of beach along this stretch...

What comes next was really interesting to me. Note on your left a large stretch of stone wall. This is what's left of an old lock and dam structure - old Lock and Dam 9. I'd passed old Lock and Dam 10 in the last section but found that only a trace of it was left. Here you can see the entire wall.

Little Buffalo Creek enters the river a little further up on the same side at mile 26. You can get in a little way for some nice photos. Note the stone culvert in the back which is the extent of navigation.

It was near this point on the other side of the river that I spotted something else that was really interesting - a cool looking barn and an incredibly nice old house that were just visible from the water. I figured that these might be notable and as I look them up now I find that both are part of a place called Once Upon A Farm. It looks like you can have your wedding here.

You'll pass another light and day marker at mile 27. This one is named for the community of Midway that's here. Midway extends for about a mile of shoreline down to about mile 28 where you'll find Buffalo Creek (as opposed to the Little Buffalo Creek that I just mentioned). This time I didn't find the stream to be navigable.

From this point you're looking at another long straight section that extends for about another 2 1/2 miles and down at the end you'll note what looks like a large pile of sand. Well, that pile lies directly across the river from the point at which the lock chamber deposits the boats coming downriver. You can't see the lock wall yet or even the dam itself due to the sharp curve down there.

However, prior to reaching the spot you'll find Hurricane Creek on the right at mile 29. I wasn't able to get into it for lack of time, but I hope to explore it at some point. I did, however, note a pleasant spot at the point of a sand bar just upstream on the same side...

Next comes a long, stone embankment that extends upriver for 4,000 yards according to some signs here. Thus begins the Winfield Lock and Dam grounds. According to the link provided, these grounds are quite notable as they contain five recreation areas, a visitors center, an overlook, some observation areas, several wildlife ponds and all of this area can be used for fishing acess. You'll note what look like walkways down to the river in the second photo below. As I paddled by I wondered if they'd allow you use these to put a kayal in. That sure would make it easier for me to come back and see how far back Hurrican Creek goes!

As you're paddling upriver you'll note a new distance sign every 500 yards - you're getting a countdown as to how much farther you have to go before - Peek-A-Boo!!! The lock wall! Below are some photos from the area as I (very carefully lest I get blown up by a barge coming around the corner) paddled across to the other side to get a better, more all encompassing view...

...and finally, the mound of sand that I'd been seeing all this time... They must have to dredge this area quite a bit. In fact, I'm puzzled as to why they'd want to construct the dam at this particular point. I've only ever seen dams along straight stretches of river.

Last note - Little Hurricane Creek does enter up there very near the dam so I didn't get too close, but I wouldn't think it would be navigable given all the sand that must accumulate. At this point I headed on back downriver to Buffalo. I'll be curious to see how things look upriver from the dam on my next trip.

DIRECTIONS:

If you just type "Buffalo Boat Ramp" into Google Maps it'll come up and you can plot directions. It's pretty easy to find if you keep your eyes peeled while driving through town. It's just beside the high school and just past the library if you're coming in from the north. Look for a brown sign with white lettering the indicates the ramp.