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SUMMARY:Paddle the Smith River with DRBA! (First Saturday Outing)
DESCRIPTION:The Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) will host the May 2\, 2026\, First Saturday Outing on the Smith River from the Bassett Access to the Great Road Access for a 5-mile paddle. Wayne Kirkpatrick\, avid paddler and a DRBA Outings Committee Member\, will coordinate the trip.\n \nWhere to Meet:\nParticipants are asked to meet by 9:00 a.m. at the Bassett Canoe Access\, 271 Trent Hill Drive\, Bassett\, VA (GPS 36.76992\,-80.00147) to unload boats and gear and set the shuttle. Constructed through a partnership of DRBA and Henry County\, both the Bassett and Great Road accesses are part of the Smith River Trail System\, a growing network of blueways and greenways designed to connect riverside communities through Henry County\, VA\, downstream to Eden\, NC.\n \nAbout the Access:\nThe Bassett Canoe Access\, opened in 2006\, is located at the now dormant J. D. Bassett Chair Factory\, which “stands as a silent testament to an historic furniture industry that once supplied America\,” according to “An Insider’s Guide to the Smith River.” As the Smith runs through the town of about 1\,030 residents\, remnants of the past remind paddlers of the river’s history. In the 19th century\, Smith’s River Navigation Company built rock wing dams and sluices to enable long\, narrow batteaux to haul iron and grain to market in Danville. Although commercial navigation on the river was short-lived\, the company’s wing dams survived and were modified by twentieth-century riverside industries for water intakes. Shortly below the put-in\, paddlers will pass the “Leaning Tower of Bassett\,” one of these later structures.\nOn river left\, the Norfolk Southern Railway line parallels the river the full length of the float\, serving past and present factories in this important industrial center. About a mile into the trip\, on river right is the Bassett Historical Center\, which houses a wealth of local historical and genealogical materials used by patrons from around the world. Just downstream is the third of six bridges that span this section of the river.\n \nA short distance below the fifth bridge is Blackberry Creek\, entering from river right. The Great Wagon Road crossed the Smith River nearby\, providing a route for settlers migrating through the region in days gone by.\n \nFrom Blackberry Creek for a half mile is “The Hayfields\,” where the river is shallow and “trout fishing is best accomplished by wading\,” according to avid trout fisherman Brian Williams. Trout thrive throughout this portion of the river. The take-out is at the Great Road Access which opened in September 2010. Solutia Performance Films granted easements for the access and for an adjacent 500-foot-long trail.\n \nWhat to Bring:\nParticipants in the outing are asked to bring boat\, paddle\, life jacket\, water\, snacks and/or lunch; wear water-shedding artificial fabric or wool (not cotton\, and certainly not blue jeans) Since the river may be shallow in places\, wear shoes appropriate for wading. All participants will be asked to sign a waiver.\n \nDirections:\nGoogle Maps: https://share.google/6STGHtMwoEUOLKSRS\nFrom US 220 north of Martinsville\, take the VA 57 West/Fairystone Park Highway exit towards Stanleytown/Bassett. In Bassett\, turn right onto Trent Hill Drive (Rt. 666). You will immediately cross the Smith River\, continue along Trent Hill Dr. to the Bassett Canoe Access to 271 Trent Hill Drive (GPS 36.76992\,-80.00147) which will be on the left beside the factory building.\n \nBE SAFE OUTDOORS! Be sure to check DRBA’s safety tips for hiking and paddling before you head out for an outdoor adventure! https://www.danriver.org/besafeoutdoors\n \nOutings and meetings of the Dan River Basin Association are open to the public without charge.\nFor trip information\, contact trip coordinator Wayne Kirkpatrick at wynbtyk@embarqmail.com or by phone at 540-570-3511.
URL:https://www.visitmartinsville.com/event/paddle-the-smith-river-with-drba-first-saturday-outing/
LOCATION:Smith River – North Bassett Access\, 271 Trenthill Drive\, Bassett\, VA\, 24055\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free Event,Outdoors
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.visitmartinsville.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Photo-May-06-2025-10-54-04-AM.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Dan River Basin Association":MAILTO:drba.nc@danriver.org
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