Mason Branch Access serves as the take-out point for the Upper Gauley River's 25-mile Class V+ whitewater section below Summersville Dam. The access features a parking field on Panther Mountain Road (2.

5 miles off Route 129) with a steep trail down to the river; during Gauley Season, a boat shuttle service operates Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm-6pm for a $5 donation, allowing paddlers to avoid carrying boats up the challenging hillside.