By RUSTY DENNEN

ITH THE LATEST road maps and GPS units, motorists and even high-tech hikers have detailed, instant access to information about routes, historical attractions, parks and other points of interest along the way.

Now there’s one for area paddlers, thanks to the Friends of the Rappahannock.

Capping a two-year effort, FOR has finished its Rappahannock River Water Trail Guide, a comprehensive 32-page manual with detailed maps, natural and historical sites, put-ins, camping areas, safety and conservation information, and content that’s likely to make it a must-have companion for anyone floating the river.

“Our interest in this guide is to help people experience and appreciate the huge diversity of resources existing on the Rappahannock,” said John Tippett, FOR’s executive director. “I don’t know of a river anywhere with such a high density of fascinating sites—everything from Native American, Civil War and Colonial history, plus natural treasures.”

Until now, paddlers have had to rely on highway maps, rudimentary outfitters’ guides and hand-drawn maps that have been copied and handed down through the years.

FOR wanted something complete, easy to use, and full of information, Tippett said.

“We spent the better part of a year with volunteers mapping everything we could think of,” he said. Groups of them were a common sight along the river, using hand-held Global Positioning System units to record thousands of data points.

“We took all that information and overlaid it on high-resolution aerial photographs and turned that into the maps,” Tippett said. “The resolution is so good you can see individual boulders in the rapids.”

Said Tippett, “We’ve got just about everything in it we wanted.” Maps run from above Kelly’s Ford in Fauquier County, 25 miles down river to Fredericksburg’s City Dock. The Rapidan River, from Eley’s Ford to the confluence with the Rappahannock, is also included.

For example, there’s information on safety, paddling times, river gauges, and items that don’t appear in many other river guides.