Abram Boise

The North River is a river, approximately 50 miles (80 km) long, in the mountains and Shenandoah Valley of northern Virginia, the United States. It joins the South River to form the South Fork Shenandoah River.^[1]

The river rises at 4,000 feet above sea level in western Augusta County, below Dyers Knob on the Virginia-West Virginia border. From the man-made Elkhorn Lake it flows south and then east through the George Washington National Forest. The river breaks out of the Allegheny Mountains at North River Gap and flows into the broad Valley of Virginia. The river passes through the town of Bridgewater and flows southeast, joining the South River at Port Republic. The Middle River, a major tributary, joins the North River just west of the town of Grottoes, four miles above the juncture with the South River.

Other towns along the river include Stokesville, Sangersville, Natural Chimneys, Mount Crawford, and the village of North River.

The river is popular among canoers, rafters and inner tubers. At one point during the 19th Century barges shipped goods upstream via a canal/lock system.

Typical wildlife of the North River includes Great Blue Herons, Wood Ducks, Canada Geese,Belted Kingfisher, Baltimore Orioles, Painted Turtles, Snapping turtles, Largemouth Bass, Sun Perch, Catfish, Eastern Cottontail Rabbits, White-tailed Deer, Raccoons, Opossums, Brown bats, Freshwater Clams, Mink, Tiger Swallowtails and Black-winged Damselflies.

Typical Plantlife of the North River includes Cardinal flower, Joe pye Weed, Purple Monkeyflower, Great Blue Lobelia, Bullrush, Yellow Flag Iris, Sycamore, Cottonwood, Box Elder, Silver Maple, Virginia Bluebells, and Spring Beauty.