The Cacapon River ( ; meaning Medicine Waters), located in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle region, is an shallow river known for its fishing, boating, wildlife, hunting, and wilderness scenery. As part of the Potomac River watershed, it is an American Heritage River.
The Cacapon River Watershed is made up of three major river segments and many smaller stream watersheds. The headwaters of the Cacapon River, known as the Lost River, is long and receives water from a watershed covering . The largest tributary of the Cacapon is the North River, which drains , an area comparable to that of the Lost River. Overall, the Cacapon River watershed includes the Lost and North River watersheds, and those of many smaller streams for a total of . The Cacapon watershed is itself part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
In recent years the Cacapon River and its watershed have become threatened by development, and industrial and agricultural growth. Concern about these issues led to the establishment of the Cacapon Institute in 1985 (originally known as the Pine Cabin Run Ecological Laboratory).
Course
Emergence to Hampshire County line
The Cacapon River emerges from underground in a gap in Sandy Ridge (1683 feet/513 m) west of Wardensville. It is actually the reemergence of the Lost River, which sinks into an underground channel east of McCauley near the entrance to Camp Pinnacle. From its emergence, the Cacapon River creates a horseshoe bend shaped gap through Sandy Ridge and flows east paralleling West Virginia Route 55/West Virginia Route 259 to its north. At Wardensville, the river is joined by Trout Run and then curves northeastward where it meanders through an expansive valley plain. Here, it is fed by Slate Rock Run and then Moores Run further north. Waites Run, a tributary draining some of the western slopes of Great North Mountain enters the Cacapon River near the bridge on Rt. 55, north of Wardensville. Shortly after its confluence with Sine Run, the Cacapon River continues north into Hampshire County.
Hampshire County line to Yellow Spring
From the county line, the river is bounded to its east by the George Washington National Forest and to its west by Baker Mountain (2024 feet/617 m). Throughout this stretch, the Cacapon River is also joined by sections of the old Winchester and Western Railroad grade. It continues its meandering course northeastward, flowing past the community of Intermont and Hebron Church. At Capon Lake, the river is joined by Capon Springs Run and is the site of the historic Capon Lake Whipple Truss Bridge. West Virginia Route 259 parallels the Cacapon River to its west along the eastern flank of Baker Mountain until the road turns east across the Kenneth Seldon Bridge at Yellow Spring. From Yellow Spring Gap, the river is fed by a run whose source is the "Yellow Spring".
Yellow Spring to Kale Hollow
The Cacapon River moves north along the eastern flank of Cacapon Mountain (1913 feet/583 m) with Cacapon River Road (West Virginia Secondary Route 14) paralleling it to its west. From Yellow Spring, the river flows by Camps Rim Rock and White Mountain. After another immense horseshoe bend, the Cacapon River moves past the communities of Hooks Mills and Bubbling Spring and is joined by Old Man Run and Kale Hollow's run. The river's stretch through Bubbling Spring is a popular location for summer river camps which consist of cottages, trailers, and campers on narrow river lots. This stretch of the Cacapon River is also the scene for numerous old plantation houses including the Captain David Pugh House (Riversdell) at Hooks Mills, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kale Hollow to Cold Stream
North of Kale Hollow, the Cacapon River is joined to its west by Dillons Mountain (1913 feet/583 m). To its east, the river is paralleled by Christian Church Road (West Virginia Secondary Route 13), on which is located the 18th century Capon Chapel. After its confluence with Mill Branch, the Cacapon River bends through the small historic town of Capon Bridge. It is met by Dillons Run from its west and traversed by a bridge of the Northwestern Turnpike (U.S. Route 50), from which Capon Bridge takes its name. From Capon Bridge, the Cacapon River is bounded to its east by Bear Garden Mountain (1572 feet/479 m). It is then joined by Edwards Run and Cold Stream near the community of Cold Stream.