Wet at the Dries: Bryan Kirk gets creative on the put-in waves of the New River Dries, WV. Photo: Shane Groves
Ed Montgomery has paddled all over the country, but the Tennessee native says boating in the Southern Appalachians is as good as it gets.
“The water is just so condensed here in the Southern Appalachians. There are a lot more options for boaters in a relatively small region,” says Montgomery, who’s been a member of the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoe Club for 28 years.
Choosing a favorite among those rivers can be tough. But that’s exactly what we asked them to do. We polled some of the South’s most experienced boaters, from world-class pros to local gurus, to pick their personal favorite rivers. Here are their selections.
The Potomac is a river with many different reputations. It’s a hair-boater’s delight with the massive Great Falls, an intermediate boater’s in-town blast with stretches of class III water, and a beginner boater’s dream, with a progression of water ideal for learning the ins and outs of river running. The diverse nature of water on this single river in a relatively short expanse is exactly why Tom McEwan based his kayak school on its banks.
“You get the whole spectrum of boating on this one river. There’s something for every level of boater, particularly beginners looking to progress from their first time sitting in a boat to running class I-II comfortably.”
If it’s your first time in a boat, you can paddle the flat C&O Canal next to the Potomac, then move to the 3.5-miles of class I riffles that occupy the water between Lock 10 and Sycamore Island. When you’re ready for your first taste of real whitewater, the Violet’s Lock run is waiting.
Beginner River Cred: The Potomac could be the most popular place to learn how to kayak in the South, period. The myriad of canoe clubs and pay-to-learn kayak schools that occupy the greater D.C. area lean on this stretch of the river to teach a boater their first strokes. On any given weekend, dozens of newbie boaters flock to the gentle waters around Anglers Inn. While the “crowded” water can be frustrating for experienced boaters, it’s reassuring for beginners to know they’re not in it alone.
Rapids: From Violet’s Lock downriver, expect Class I-II rock gardens and ledges, ideal for practicing key river running moves like catching eddies. The most notable rapid is the class II Surfer’s Hole, a fun hydraulic that invites surfing from all boaters, regardless of skill level. You’re actually paddling a portion of the failed George Washington Canal through this stretch, which has been reclaimed by the river.
Logistics: For solid beginner whitewater, put in at the picnic area for Violet’s Lock, a low-water dam you can paddle across and play on, and head downstream for 1.5 miles of class I-II rock gardens and rapids. You can combine this run with a flatwater paddle on the adjacent C&O Canal in the opposite direction for a 4-mile loop paddle with no shuttle.
It’s easy to overlook the Tuckasegee River as a paddling destination. Just pass through this section of Western North Carolina and you’d see a river banked by flea markets and gas stations along a four lane highway, but just upstream of this well-traveled stretch of water is the Tuckasegee Gorge, a five-mile run of mellow class I-II water that’s ideal for boaters just getting their sea legs.
“The gorge is perfect for true beginners, but it’s completely underrated,” says Anna Levesque, the founder of Girls at Play who uses the Tuck as a teaching destination for her clients. “There are tons of spots for eddy turns, peel outs, ferries—the kinds of river-running skills beginners need to work on in a slower moving river.” Even better? The water is warm, typically in the high 60s, which can make all the difference in the world for a first-time boater.
Beginner River Cred: The Tuck Gorge was made for learning how to kayak. The section between access points is relatively short (five miles) so you don’t have to constantly worry about moving downriver to make the take out. You can take your time and work on the quintessential skills at your own pace. There are beaches where you can pull over and practice rolling. Wave trains are common and the safest lines through rough water are usually easy to discern. Between any notable rapids, you’ll have the opportunity to catch eddies and gather your senses.
Rapids: The five-mile run between Dillsboro and Tuck Outfitters is full of mellow class I and a handful of named class II rapids, but forget the names. “People get freaked out when they hear the names of some rapids,” Levesque says. “If you don’t tell them the rapid is named ‘Hell Hole’ or ‘Frankenstein,’ they tend to focus more on what they have to do to navigate the water.”
Logistics: Put in at the public access point in Dillsboro near the train station and arrange for a shuttle, gear, or guide with the Dillsboro River Company, across the street from the put in.
Girls at Play: Watch video of Anna Levesque discuss kayaking for women and beginners.
While the rest of the world is going gaga for stand up paddleboarding (SUP) on hardcore whitewater rivers, Luke Hopkins has grown keen on the mellower version of the sport. Hopkins is the founder and owner of Stride Stand Up Paddleboards, but now he’s more into cruising. That’s why he likes the 36-mile stretch of the New River between McCoy Falls and the West Virginia state line.
“It’s an incredible place to cruise with a slow moving current, wildlife everywhere, and the best smallmouth bass fishing in the country,” Hopkins says. “Seeing fish from on top of a paddleboard will blow you away.”
SUP Cred: The combination of mild water and the proximity to outfitters has turned this corner of Southwest Virginia into an incubator for SUP activity. Tangent Outfitters is using this stretch of the New to create a host of innovative SUP trips, from fly fishing excursions to overnight wilderness paddles. “If you would’ve asked me 10 years ago what my favorite SUP river was, I would have said Great Falls of the Potomac,” Hopkins says. “But now, I’m into getting my wife and daughter on the board and cruising. The New is perfect for that.”
Rapids: There are a couple of class II rapids along a primo eight-mile stretch of water between Eggleston and Pembroke, but you don’t pick this piece of the New for whitewater. You SUP this stretch for the scenery. The river is banked by a mix of vertical rock cliffs and green mountain slopes. You’ll even spy a natural arch a mile downstream of the Eggleston Bridge if you keep an eye out.
Logistics: Put in at the public boat ramp on Eggleston River Road and take out eight miles later at the public boat ramp in Pembroke. Tangent Outfitters rents paddleboards and offers lessons and guided trips, from half-day flatwater paddles on Pembroke Pond to two-day overnight trips.
It’s hard to imagine any sport that’s hotter than stand-up paddleboarding right now. The boards aren’t cheap, but the learning curve is short, particularly if you’re looking for a different way to cruise flat water. But Chris Tilghman, owner of the Blue Ridge Surf Shop in North Georgia, is stoked about the burgeoning SUP whitewater niche.
“This side of the sport is just now being explored in the South,” Tilghman says. “First descents are just now being logged, so the sport is wide open.”
Tilghman is coming to the sport with a surfing background (15 years surfing big waves in Hawaii), but likes whitewater SUPing because of the technical nature of rivers.
“This is more exciting than surfing big waves, in a way, because there’s so much going on with river running. It’s just so technical, you always have to be thinking,” Tilghman says. Big drops are the
next frontier for SUP, but the boards lend themselves more naturally to wave trains, which are plentiful on the Nantahala.
“The Nantahala doesn’t have too many drops and the water isn’t too technical, but it’s fast, and the wave trains are so exciting,” he says.
The Nantahala is one of the most paddled rivers in the Southeast, but the advent of the SUP is allowing boaters to rediscover this river all over again.
SUP Cred: The Nantahala is a world-class play boating destination that was recently tapped to host the 2013 World Freestyle Championships. It’s also going to be the site of the South’s first downriver SUP race in August. The race will feature a full timed run, slalom, and a boardercross where heats of SUPers will go head to head. In 2010, the river held the Emotion SUP Showdown, where the longest ride at the footbridge wave took top honors.
Rapids: Run the entire eight-mile Nantahala and you’ll be treated with fast, near constant class I-II whitewater with the occasional class II+ thrown in. The run ends with Nantahala Falls, a surprisingly technical class III drop that Tilghman has yet to run standing up without swimming. Keep an eye out for Patton’s Run, right out of the gate. This II+ wave train is known for its push, medium-sized waves and Jaws, a large boulder you should do everything you can to avoid.
Logistics: Put in at the forest service ramp at Beechertown and take out after Nantahala Falls at the Nantahala Outdoor Center ramp. Get SUP lessons, rentals, or guided trips from Surf Blue Ridge (surfblueridge-sup.com). If you’re not up for the Nantahala, take a more beginner-friendly trip on the Toccoa River tail waters in North Georgia.
The New River Gorge is one of the most well-known paddling and rafting destinations in the country, but the Dries, which only runs after heavy rain thanks to the diversion of water from the dam, is the gorge’s lesser-known counterpart. Playboaters love the Dries because of the surfable waves throughout the run, and right at the Put-In is arguably the best wave below the Mason-Dixon.
“It’s a phenomenal feature that changes characteristics depending on the water level. At low water, it’s mellow and just big enough to throw aerials. At high water, it’s the biggest wave I’ve ever surfed,” says Kirk, who surfs Put-In as often as he can. “The spot gets sun and it’s spectator-friendly too. You can easily spend an entire afternoon surfing that one feature.”
Playboating Cred: The Put-In is a mainstay of the Fayetteville boating scene, but surprisingly, no competitions have been held on the feature. However, the wave has been featured prominently in the former “Big Gun Show,” an annual aerial playboating competition where paddlers send in videos of their best tricks from all over the world throughout the year. Videos from the Put-In have been winners.
Rapid: The Put-In gets good for experienced playboaters at 25,000 cubic feet per second, when the wave gets big enough for aerials. At 35,000 cubic feet per second, three big waves form. The top two are world class, but if you get kicked off, you can catch the third wave downstream and surf it like a guard rail to the eddy to paddle back upstream. At bigger levels, 50,000cfs and up, the three waves form one massive feature. “At that level, you’re spending half your time in the air,” Kirk says. “Basically, you’re just skipping on the face of the wave and getting five feet of air.” You’ll only see the wave at this level once or twice a year, but you can find surf at the Put-In at lower levels consistently 30 days a year.
Logistics: The put in for the Put-In is just below Cotton Hill Bridge on Route 16, eight miles outside of Fayetteville. Play all day at the wave, or paddle the whole Dries for six miles of surfing and class IV whitewater, and take out above the Gauley Bridge on Rt. 16. Try ACE, or one of the other half-dozen rafting outposts in and around Fayetteville for gear or guided trips.
Watch video of Bryan Kirk show off his US National Freestyle Champ skills on the New River Dries.
Rock Island State Park looks like something out of a postcard, with a wide waterfall spilling over a lush cliff into the Caney Fork River, but look closer and you’ll see paddlers in snub-nosed boats throwing massive tricks at the base of that waterfall. Two natural features at the base of the cascade have drawn boaters from all over the world, turning this state park in the middle of Tennessee into a world-renowned playboating destination.
“There’s a great shoulder to surf on the main wave, but if you get into the pit of the hole, you can throw big tricks too,” says Haley Mills, who has no qualms with listing this wave at the top of her favorites list. “It feels like you’re riding a wild bull.”
Rock Island isn’t just for national champion kayakers though. Depending on the water level, the top wave can offer mellow surfing and easy access for first time playboaters.
Park and Play Cred: Team Jackson Kayak, which has no shortage of world champion and national champion freestyle boaters, claims Rock Island as their unofficial home wave, and the wave repeatedly hosted a leg of the World Cup of Freestyle Kayaking alongside Canada’s Ottawa River, which many say was the birth of big wave river surfing. Pro boaters come from all over the country to play at Rock Island, even without the incentive of a competition.
Rapids: There are two distinct features to surf at Rock Island, a mellow wave (Top Wave) and a much bigger, more aggressive hole (Main Hole). The Top Wave is glassy with fun surfing. The Main Hole farther downstream is big enough for cartwheels and loops but also offers solid shoulder surfing.
Logistics: For park and play action, put in at the Rock Island Picnic Area and hop your way to the wave in front of the waterfall. You can actually run the Caney Fork for a mile of downriver play between Great Falls Lake and Center Hill Lake. Put in above Blue Hole picnic area and take out at the Rock Island Picnic Area. The waves can be massive and munchy depending on what’s being released from the power generators.
Watch video of Team Jackson Kayak throw tricks at a newly discovered wave at Rock Island,Tennessee.
More hikers get to enjoy the scenery of the North River Gorge than paddlers, but if you can catch it after a rain, you’re in for six miles of unspoiled, national forest paddling at its finest. The primitive nature of the run is exactly why Rick Koller didn’t even pause before suggesting this river as his favorite scenic run.
“There are a lot of beautiful rivers in these parts, but the North has everything,” says Koller, who’s been paddling creeks and rivers for 30 years. “It’s remote, completely undeveloped, with good whitewater through the heart of the George Washington National Forest.”
The North River is a tributary of the popular South Fork Shenandoah, but at its headwaters, there’s a six-mile stretch that runs through a tight, forested gorge that rarely gets paddled except by those in the know. If you can catch it after a rain, you’ll be treated with six miles of class III whitewater in a true wilderness setting.
Scenery Cred: The North is a fast, winding creek packed with blind turns inside a rugged, green gorge. Both the gorge and the river have more twists than a Boy Scout’s knot book, creating a very intimate forested setting. Forget the big views—paddling the North is about getting up close and personal with the woods. The wildlife can be stunning as well, so keep an eye out for deer, turkey, even beaver. “One day, I paddled next to a beaver as he swam under water right next to my boat,” Koller says.
Rapids: The creek is so small and seldom run, that the rapids aren’t named. Expect plenty of ledges with surfable waves and a couple of big drops toward the end of the run that can feel like class IV features in high water. Strainers are common, so keep alert.
Logistics: Put in at the campground below the Staunton Dam. Take out six miles later past the Girl Scout
Camp. Timing is key for running the North. It’s rain dependent and only runs five to 10 days a year, but Koller is willing to drag his boat through stretches as low as 100 cubic feet per second because it’s so scenic.
Watch video of Koller crash and burn on his open boat on whitewater in the South and beyond.
The Nolichucky River is probably best known for its surfable play waves, but an eight-mile stretch straddling North Carolina and Tennessee deserves attention thanks to the photo opportunities alone. Here, the “Upper Chuck” runs through the Unaka Mountains, creating a steep, green gorge with class III-IV whitewater surrounded by wild, untouched slopes that rise 2,000 feet above the river.
“The only sign of man is the railroad,” says Harrison. Harrison plans trips all over the South for the club of boaters, but says the Nolichucky is the most scenic in the South. “At one point in my life, I was running that river at least once a month because it’s so pretty.”
Scenery Cred: Most of the un-dammed Upper Nolichucky is surrounded by national forest. Grassroots paddling and conservation organizations have been pushing for National Wild and Scenic designation on the Nolichucky for decades and a forest service study completed in 1994 concluded the river meets the criteria needed for the designation, but it still hasn’t been made official. “It’s completely desolate,” Harrison says. “No roads, no development. It’s rare for a river of that size in this area.”
Take your time to explore the gorge as you paddle. The river is peppered with big boulders and rock ledges for lounging and a few tributaries have waterfalls.
Rapids: The first few miles of the Upper Nolichucky is packed with class III+ ledges, boulders, and boogie water. The Nolichucky is known for its play waves, and the Upper Gorge has one of the most famous in the South. Jaws is a class III ledge with a super sticky hole that entices boaters to devote entire afternoons to tricking out. The single class IV on this run, Quarter Mile, is a series of ledges and holes. It’s nothing too technical on its own, but put it all together and you’ve got some water you don’t want to swim through. The last five miles gradually mellow, but you’re here for the scenery anyway.
Logistics: Put in at the forest service ramp in Poplar, N.C., and take out at the Nolichucky Gorge Campground (a fee area with hot showers). Check out Uncle Johnny’s in Erwin for shuttles and gear or Cherokee Adventures for guided rafting trips on the Upper Chuck.
You probably know West Virginia’s Gauley River as the wild whitewater ride that comes alive during the annual fall dam releases that make up Gauley Season. During this short window, the Gauley becomes the quintessential “big water” experience in the Southeast. But Gauley season is only one reason why Brian “Squirrel” Hager loves this 25-mile National Scenic River.
“We raft this river all year long, and it’s a completely different animal depending on the amount of water inside the canyon,” Squirrel says. “Every morning, from spring to fall, we wake up, check the gauge, and decide where we’re going to take clients.”
The Gauley has three discernable stretches, Upper, Middle, and Lower. If the water is low, the Middle offers fun class III duckie opportunities and the Upper becomes a more technical creeking run with stellar trout fishing opportunities. If it’s high water, the Upper and Lower offer continuous massive whitewater with some of the best-known rapids in the country.
Whitewater Rafting Cred: “Rivers all over the country dry up during the fall once the snowmelt and spring rain is gone, but because of the dam releases, the Gauley has this great, late season,” Squirrel says. “It’s totally unique.”
You can run the Upper or Lower, or combine them into a 25-mile
rafting extravaganza called the Marathon. Or try the “Double Upper,” which Squirrel says is the most whitewater any human can handle. Run the 10 miles of class V whitewater, get out, and then run it again.
Rapids: Upper Gauley is packed with class V big water. The most memorable rapid? Pillow Rock, where the river constricts while dropping three stories, pushing boats into a massive boulder. And Sweets Falls, a 12-foot vertical drop, will probably stick in your mind long after you’ve said goodbye to your big rubber boat.
Logistics: For six weekends in September and October, the Gauley becomes the center of the whitewater rafting universe on the East Coast. The Upper and Lower sections come alive with more than 2,500 cubic feet per second of water released from the Summersville Dam. Commercial rafting companies will handle all the nitty gritty logistics for you. Act early if you want to book Squirrel.
Surrounded by the Sumter and Chattahoochee National Forests, the free-flowing Chattooga river was the first in the South to be designated Wild and Scenic by Congress in 1974. Thanks to that designation and the surrounding public land, it’s just as wild today as when it was used to film scenes for the movie Deliverance. But the scenery is only half the reason why veteran raft guide Jody Tinsley picked the Chattooga as his favorite whitewater rafting river.
“It’s true that you’re not going to find a more beautiful and remote river trip in the East than the Chattooga, but don’t forget that this river is also packed with really technical, really challenging whitewater,” Tinsley says. “It’s a combination that you just can’t find anywhere else around here.”
Rafting Cred: The most popular section of the river is the full-day paddle through section IV, the steepest piece of the Chattooga choked with boulders, big drops, remote cliffs, and class III-IV+ rapids. What makes the Chattooga truly unique, though, is the fact that you won’t see another rafting group during your trip. Only a few guide services are permitted to run trips on the Chattooga, and those trips are spaced out so you never see another boat. Creeks also fall off the steep gorge walls throughout this section, giving you the opportunity to take quick side hikes to lush waterfalls.
Rapids: Section IV is packed with whitewater goodies, the most famous of which is Five Falls–a series of class IV drops separated only by small eddies where the river drops at a drastic 200 feet per mile. Given the fact that the Chattooga is a free-flowing river, the nature of these drops depends largely on recent rainfall. “In low water, it’s like technical creek boating. The drops are bigger, but the pools slow you down,” Tinsley says. “In high water, you move so fast from one drop to the next, you have to be on the ball with every move.” Also, consider tacking on Section III to your trip, which has the Rock Garden, a series of big fin-like rocks sticking out of the water at 50-degree angles. You paddle your way though this section, working your way around these giant fins while navigating class III whitewater.
Logistics: Wildwater runs a number of trips on the Chattooga. Section IV is a must, but you could also sign up for the Chattooga Overnighter, which combines sections III and IV for two days of wilderness whitewater rafting. wildwaterrafting.com
Sign up for one of these intensive kayak clinics and you’ll go from wondering what a boof is to a class III boater in no time.
NOC Whitewater Kayak Course Spend a week with boaters who share your same experience level and goals, learning the essential skills you need to run whitewater safely. This is basically a summer-camp kayaking experience for adults, with cabins, meals, instruction, and shuttles all included. Nantahala River, N.C. $999. Any week from April through September.
Potomac Paddlesports Whitewater Membership This is a unique program where you have two years to take five outdoor lessons and as many coached weeknight practice sessions you like, allowing you to progress comfortably in the sport at your own pace.
Bonus: you also get free equipment rentals any time, so you don’t have to dish out for a boat until you’re certain you’re in love. Potomac River, D.C. $495.
USNWC Introductory Package
Combine one group roll clinic, one group kayak sampler, and two private kayak lessons on the man-made river at the Whitewater Center outside of Charlotte, and you get a speedy progression into the sport that includes essential river-running skills. U.S. National Whitewater Center, Charlotte, N.C. $250.