July FSO -Paddle on Talbott Reservoir!

July 6, 2024
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

The Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) will paddle on Talbott Reservoir near the Blue Ridge Parkway for its July 6 First Saturday Outing. Meeting at 9 a.m. at the Meadows of Dan Baptist Church, 77 Baptist Church Lane (GPS: 36.735245, -80.409104) Google Maps, Meadows of Dan, participants will carpool to the put-in near Talbott Dam.

The coordinator for the out-and-back paddle is Wayne Kirkpatrick. “Talbott Lake is an experience you don’t want to miss. Crystal clear water, lush mountain scenery and great fishing. It is not unusual to spot an Eagle gliding by.” Located in the wild Dan River Gorge south of Meadows of Dan in Patrick County,

The History

Virginia, the reservoir is the primary catchment and storage area for the water that drives the Northbrook Pinnacles Power Plant at the head of Kibler Valley. The hydro-electric plant, built in 1938, and the surrounding 3600 acres, was owned by the City of Danville for 80 years. Visitors to the area are required to have a permit, which DRBA will secure, and for safety reasons, park regulations do not allow swimming, camping, hunting, firearms, pets, or alcohol.

Water released from Talbott Dam, referred to locally in Meadows of Dan as the Upper Dam, spills into a natural stream bed before being diverted six miles downstream by Townes Dam, known as the Lower Dam. Both reservoirs, with Talbott being the larger, are located near the scenic Pinnacles of Dan mountain peaks rising from the Dan River Gorge.

At over 2600 feet of elevation, Talbott Reservoir, called a “well-kept secret,” offers some spectacular scenery that few persons ever see. Access is gated and restricted to hand-carry boats, assuring a clean, quiet, and undisturbed setting for paddlers.

Only a short distance upstream from Talbott Dam is the Great Bend of the Dan, just one of the many meanders of the river through the gorge. A few meanders further upstream is Big Ivy Creek, site of Willie Knowles’ Bottom, which Forrest Altman, author of The Dan River Book, notes is a favorite launching place for local fishermen.

What to Bring

Participants in the outing should arrange to supply boat, paddles, life jackets, water and lunch; wear water-shedding artificial fabric (not cotton, and certainly not blue jeans). All participants will be asked to sign a waiver.

Directions: Take US 58 (Jeb Stuart Highway) to Meadows of Dan. Continue on Jeb Stuart Highway, US 58 Business, toward Blue Ridge Parkway for 0.8 mile. The Meadows of Dan Baptist Church is on the right traveling West and on the left traveling East. Outings and meetings of the Dan River Basin Association are open to the public without charge.

For more information about the trip, contact trip coordinator Wayne Kirkpatric, 540-570- 3511, wynbtyk@embarqmail.com. For more information about the Dan River Basin Association visit www.danriver.org. Find us on Facebook and on Meetup!