Piney Creek
From West Virginia (WV) Cyclopedia
Two important streams named "Piney Creek" flow out of the mountains of southern West Virginia:
Piney Creek, Raleigh County
Piney Creek in Raleigh County, near Beckley, WV, is a tributary of the New River, joining the latter stream within the New River Gorge. Like the New, the Piney Creek flows through a steep-walled canyon. It is also a noteworthy kayaking stream with several Class III-V+ rapids, though too narrow to accommodate whitewater rafts such as those employed on the New River. The ruins of several coal mining operations may be observed in the surrounding forests. The stream takes its name from a forest of White Pine that once shaded much of its 135-square-mile drainage basin. The West Virginia Geological Survey (WVGS) of 1913 notes that the Piney Creek rises on Indian Grave Mountain, a summit at the junction of Flat Top Mountain and Guyandotte Mountain, at 3,325 feet above sea level, and empties into the New River at McCreery, WV, at 1,200 feet above sea level, dropping 2,125 feet over its 32.4 mile length (or 65.6 feet per mile). Principal tributaries of the Piney Creek, from its source, include Keaton Branch, Lawyer Creek, Bowyer Creek, Take-In Creek, Soak Creek, Crab Orchard Creek, Whitestick Creek, Beaver Creek, Little Whitestick Creek, Fat Creek, and Batoff Creek (See also: Batoff Mountain). Piney Creek also appears on early maps as Piney River. Many upscale residential developments have been built along the rim of the gorge to the east and northeast of Beckley, WV, taking advantage of the scenic view. Map: Mouth (http://www.wvamaps.com/maps/index.php?lat=37.84978134600696&lon=-81.09249114990234&place=-81.09249114990234,%2037.84978134600696&pop=0&state=n/a&county=Unknown&scale=4) of Piney Creek of New River
Piney Creek, Greenbrier County
Piney Creek, in western Greenbrier County, is a tributary of Burdette Creek, a tributary of the Meadow River. The creek may take its name from groves of White Pine or of Eastern Hemlock that are indigenous to the highlands north of Meadow River. The Piney Creek is approximately two miles in length.
