About us
The Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) protects and promotes the Dan River Basin through recreation, education and stewardship.
Activities include a public outings in nature, trails and river access work groups, cleanups and more.
Outdoor enthusiasts and concerned citizens organized the Dan River Basin Association to preserve and promote the wilderness-like rivers of this border region of Piedmont North Carolina and Virginia. Leaders in the Basin's counties recognize the increasing importance of the abundant high-quality water in this 3300-square-mile region. In addition to its economic value as a water source and its historical significance as a means of transportation, this river system can provide excellent recreational opportunities to the 1.5 million citizens who live within an hour's drive.
The Association's founders are promoting the rivers for multiple uses, including recreation and commercial and municipal growth. DRBA assists localities in creating community parks, trails and access to local rivers and streams. We believe that, with careful planning, natural and cultural preservation and economic development can occur hand-in-hand. The unspoiled rivers, the region's unique and greatest resource, will be at the center as the sixteen counties of the Basin build a diverse economy, which must be based in part on new ideas. The Dan River Basin Association believes that providing outdoor recreation is essential to the region's quality of life and its ability to draw new investment.
As the region’s leading advocate and largest provider of programs and services to support the protection and preservation of our natural and cultural resources, the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) is committed to ensuring ALL communities view DRBA as an organization that is responsive and inclusive. To fulfill this commitment, we are strongly committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work and to being a culturally competent organization. DEI policies and issues are concerned with the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to protection from environmental and health hazards. We remain committed to being a more culturally competent and inclusive organization and to ensuring all of DRBA's programs and services are easily accessible, promoted to, and embraced by, our diverse community.
The Dan River Basin Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in North Carolina and Virginia, with basin-wide membership and directors representing both states, and offices and professional staff in Collinsville, Virginia and Eden, North Carolina.
Upcoming events
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Learn to Paddle - Fairy Stone State Park! FREE
Fairy Stone State Park, 967 Fairystone Lake Drive,, Stuart, VA, USJune 13, 2026. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
*REGISTRATION REQUIRED*
Ready to hit the water with confidence? Join us at Fairy Stone State Park for a fun, hands-on Paddle Safety Class designed for both beginners and casual paddlers looking to sharpen their skills.
In this engaging session, DRBA (Dan River Basin Association) instructors will guide you through the essentials of safe and enjoyable paddling. You'll go over paddle essentials, reading the water, trip planning, and safety. You get to do all of this while also enjoying the beauty of Fairy Stone.
Come prepared to get a little wet, have a lot of fun, and leave ready for your next adventure!
Classes will be limited to 10 boats. Boats, paddles and PFDs are available on location, but you can bring your own.
Safety supplies for each participant will be shared at the end of class to take home provided by DRBA (Smith River Guide, PFD, sun shirt, hat, whistle, light, etc.)
Call or visit park office to register.
(276)-930-2424
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/event?id=2026-04-20-09-38-52-040151-wg92 attendeesRiver Kayaking 101! FREE
Eden Wildlife Access, 587 Bethlehem Church Road, Eden, NC, USWe are excited to once again partner with GetOutdoors for entry level kayaking and paddleboarding classes in locations across the Dan River basin for the 2026 season.
No experience is necessary, these are all beginner friendly classes.
Most of which, are approximately 1.5 - 2 hours in duration; ages 14 yrs and up welcome, all classes are co-ed.The cost is FREE, however, if you register, please make sure you can commit to being there,
otherwise it's taking a valuable spot from someone else would love to join us.This safety class is funded by a grant that DRBA secured to empower and educate the Dan River Basin paddlers.
Class will cover the following course material:
Trip Planning
Leave No Trace (LNT)
Paddling Gear Review
Basic Paddlesport Safety
Paddle Strokes & Techniques
Wet Exits & Basic Assisted RecoveriesIf you do not have a kayak/ SUP board, life jacket, or paddle, we will provide these items for you. Please register as Using GetOutdoors Kayak/ Board*.*
If you have your own kayak*, it is best to use it so you know how it will perform, please register for the class Using Your Own Kayak/ Board.An appropriate kayak* for this event is good-quality, sit inside or sit-on-top 10ft-14ft with adequate flotation.
A minimum of four participants are required to run the event, with a max of 10 participants.
(When booking a class please ignore the Enter Your Member ID line and continue with the quantity of participants you are registering for below.)Questions? Please stop by the shop, give us a call at 336-294-3918 or email us info@shopgetoutdoors.com.
Register via GetOutdoors: REGISTER HERE3 attendees
Paddle the Dan River in Madison, NC! August FSO *RENTALS AVAILABLE*
Water Street Access/704 Access Madison, 405 S Water Street, Madison, NC, USPlease join us on Saturday, August 1, 2026, for a 4.5-mile paddle on the Dan River from the new Downtown Madison River Park/Water Street River access to the Jacobs Creek Batteau Landing access. Participants will meet at the put-in by 9:00 a.m. to unload boats and set the shuttle. This paddle is suitable for most skill levels with some Class I rapids. Outings and meetings of the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) are open to the public without charge. Participants must supply their own boat, paddles, life jackets, water, and lunch. Please wear water-shedding artificial fabric or wool (cotton or denim is not recommended); we also recommend a towel and a back-up change of clothing for the ride home. In order to participate with the DRBA group on this outing, all participants will be required to sign a waiver. Access points may involve steps or steep climbs.
*Rentals are available from MadTown Tubing through their website: MadTowntubing.com where you can reserve the 9 am slot. Kayaks will be picked up at the takeout location.
Trip highlights:
· About 0.4 miles downstream from the new put-in, the Mayo River flows in from river left. The river was named by William Byrd in honor of William Mayo, an English-born surveyor who assisted Byrd in mapping the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina.
· Roughly half a mile later, the river passes beneath U.S. Highway 220. From this point all the way to the take-out, no bridges, roads, or buildings are visible, offering a peaceful, uninterrupted natural experience.
· Not far past the U.S. 220 highway bridge is an 800-foot rapid called Slink Shoals Sluice. It features four pairs of historic wing dams originally built in the 1820s and later repaired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1880s. These structures helped channel water for the 40-foot bateaux that carried agricultural products and supplies up and down the river. They remain some of the most outstanding surviving remnants of the Dan River Navigation Company, alongside ancient Native American fish traps.PUT-IN (MEET HERE): Water Street Access, Madison, NC. The put-in is located at Water Street Access,
S. Water Street, Madison, NC 27025
GPS Coordinates: (36.3810120, -79.9560420)Directions: From the intersection of U.S. Hwy 220 and NC Hwy 704 near Smart Chevrolet, head west on NC Hwy 704 / US 311 (towards Mayodan) for about 1.4 miles. Turn right onto S. Market St. for 0.2 miles, turn right onto E. Murphy St. for 0.2 miles, turn right onto S. Water St for 0.25 miles, the access is on your left under the bridge.
TAKE-OUT: Jacobs Creek Batteau Landing. The take-out is located at 558 Planters Road, Madison, NC 27025 (GPS Coordinates: 36.389346, -79.888302). Directions: From the intersection of U.S. Hwy 220 and NC Hwy 704 near Smart Chevrolet, travel east on NC Hwy 704 for 2.8 miles, then turn left onto Planters Road. Travel 0.7 miles north on Planters Road; the river access will be on your left.
For more information, contact the outing coordinator Will Truslow by email at: willtruslow@hotmail.com or Chris Adcock at lump_vt@yahoo.com.NOTE: If for any reason the event needs to be cancelled, visit www.danriver.org or our Facebook page by Friday, July 31, 2026, for additional information.
3 attendeesLearn to Stand Up Paddleboard - Lake Reidsville! FREE
Lake Reidsville, 630 Water Works Road, Reidsville, NC, USWe are excited to once again partner with GetOutdoors for entry level kayaking and paddleboarding classes in locations across the Dan River basin for the 2026 season.
No experience is necessary, these are all beginner friendly classes.
Most of which, are approximately 1.5 - 2 hours in duration; ages 14 yrs and up welcome, all classes are co-ed.The cost is FREE, however, if you register, please make sure you can commit to being there,
otherwise it's taking a valuable spot from someone else would love to join us.This safety class is funded by a grant that DRBA secured to empower and educate the Dan River Basin paddlers.
Class will cover the following course material:
Trip Planning
Leave No Trace (LNT)
Paddling Gear Review
Basic Paddlesport Safety
Paddle Strokes & Techniques
Wet Exits & Basic Assisted RecoveriesIf you do not have a kayak/ SUP board, life jacket, or paddle, we will provide these items for you. Please register as Using GetOutdoors Kayak/ Board*.*
If you have your own kayak*, it is best to use it so you know how it will perform, please register for the class Using Your Own Kayak/ Board.An appropriate kayak* for this event is good-quality, sit inside or sit-on-top 10ft-14ft with adequate flotation.
A minimum of four participants are required to run the event, with a max of 10 participants.
(When booking a class please ignore the Enter Your Member ID line and continue with the quantity of participants you are registering for below.)Questions? Please stop by the shop, give us a call at 336-294-3918 or email us info@shopgetoutdoors.com.
Register via GetOutdoors: REGISTER HERE3 attendees
Past events
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