14th Annual Tour De Coal

It’s time to paddle! The Coal River Group is preparing for the 14th annual TOUR DE COAL community float event.  Last year over 1,000 Kayaks were launched by happy paddlers who just want to have a good time on the river. These folks will join together as participants and friends to enjoy a lazy twelve-mile trip down the Coal River.

The event is a major fund raiser for the non-profit river restoration group, Kris Radford, President of the Coal River Group says, “We depend on the proceeds for this event to help fund our many ongoing programs that teach youth about clean water, promote tourism for the entire 88-mile river system and support dozens of river trash removal efforts by our huge group of dedicated volunteers.”

The donation by participants is $20 per person for those that pre-register.  Registration the date of the event is $25 per person and kids under the age of 8 free.  Each person who pays the registration fee gets a wonderful collectible Tour De Coal t-shirt.

The 2018 Tour De Coal will be held on Saturday June 16^st and the event begins at 9:00 a.m. when the cannon boom signals the “man your boats and hit the water” call.

Participants should bring their boats to Meadowood Park in Tornado, WV beginning at 7:00 a.m. and then drive to Gateway Shopping Center in St. Albans to catch the shuttle busses back to the park.  Only kayaks, canoes and paddle boards are allowed.  No Jon boats or inflatable rafts will be accepted for the float.  Life vests and paddles are required.  Again, it is expected that many river front residents will provide encouragement and support for boaters as they float down the 12-mile course.

Assistance at the finish take out will be available until 5:00 p.m.  NO shuttles back to Meadowood will be provided.