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James River
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
98Good out of 100 for your dates
2 days tie for best
Tue 3 · 100 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 21°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 100 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 18kn
- Air
- 23°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Thu 5 · 99 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 22kn
- Air
- 24°C
- Rain
- 3 mm
Fri 6 · 97 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 16kn
- Air
- 22°C
- Rain
- 21.6 mm
Sat 7 · 98 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 14kn
- Air
- 21°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sun 8 · 97 out of 100
- Wind
- 1 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 18°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Mon 9 · 89 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 14°C
- Rain
- 8.4 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 294, good
- Tue 3100, good
- Wed 4100, good
- Thu 599, good
- Fri 697, good
- Sat 798, good
- Sun 897, good
- Mon 989, good
- Tue 1094, good
- Wed 1185, good
The spot in one fact
- Flat waterthe water
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 94, good | 1 kn | 7kn | 16°C | 0.1 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 100, good | 5 kn | 12kn | 21°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 100, good | 8 kn | 18kn | 23°C | 0 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 99, good | 10 kn | 22kn | 24°C | 3 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 97, good | 3 kn | 16kn | 22°C | 21.6 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 98, good | 6 kn | 14kn | 21°C | 0 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 97, good | 1 kn | 9kn | 18°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 89, good | 5 kn | 12kn | 14°C | 8.4 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 94, good | 6 kn | 14kn | 18°C | 0.3 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 85, good | 11 kn | 29kn | 13°C | 0 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. The river's level is under In the water. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Map
the spot and its town
James River on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Photos of James River
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More kayaking near here
1 place
- Public Canoe Launch 37.6 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About James River
A launch on the James River. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. None within 10 km, the nearest 45 km away. The town to stay in is Lynchburg.
- River James River
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire None within 10 km, the nearest 45 km away.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,190–US$2,140 each
about US$1,190–US$2,140 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to LYH, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | about US$141–US$295 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$154–US$255 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$348–US$583 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$636 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$201–US$375 |
| Total | about US$1,190–US$2,140 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Lynchburg
about 1h 15m by car · 5 places to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Lynchburg its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$134 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
Getting there: about 4h 55m
About 4h 55m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → LYH, direct, then 1h 10m by road
Flights ORD → LYH on your dates · Skyscanner
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Lynchburg · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Lynchburg · GetYourGuide
River level
Gauge at JAMES RIVER AT BENT CREEK, VA, 15 km upstream: 12 m³/s, very low for November (updated 2 h ago). Low.
Bands are this gauge's own record: under its usual low, running, high, and in flood on its few highest days a year. Not a runnable range for the section: check before you go. River levels in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey (public domain). Credits
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
No paddling school, club or hire mapped within 25 km.
Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits