The 52.6-mile Meadow River starts near the Greenbrier-Summers county line. It flows northwest to join the Gauley River just below Summersville Lake.

The river drops over 2,700 feet from start to finish, making the lower section a rocky, turbulent stream. Because the water was too rough to float logs, the rich timber here wasn't fully harvested until the railroad arrived after 1900.

Towns like Rainelle grew around the massive sawmills built here, including one of the largest in the world operated by the Meadow River Lumber Company. Today, the lower part of the river is a scenic spot located within the Gauley River National Recreation Area.