Meet the MULES

Little River, Section 7

A good sign of possibly mountainlike waters in the coastal plain: mountain laurel can be found along some of the banks along this incarnation of the Little River (Paul Ferguson...

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Uwharrie River, Section 1

A small river at this point with high banks on either side you get your first action less than a half mile in at a boulder dam where a two-foot...

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Neuse River: Section 7

Truth in advertising: This is not a stretch of river that will thrill a whitewater enthusiast. You don’t even need a whitewater boat. Heck, a sit-on-top would do. Rather, it’s...

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Roanoke River, Section 1

This is as far east as you’ll find good whitewater in North Carolina, and good whitewater it is. For one, it’s dependable: flow is controlled from a hydroelectric plant in...

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Tar River: Section 12

What makes Rocky Mount a white water destination (when there’s water) is the presence of Rocky Mount Mills, the second oldest cotton mill in the state, dating back to 1818....

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Contentnea Creek, Section 2

This may be one of the only whitewater runs you do that also spends time in a swamp. Only on the cusp of the Coastal Plain. Just below where Contentnea...

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Mayo River, Section 1

Here’s the scoop from our paddle experts: “This largely Class II river has a few Class IIIs and a tight course. It’s not uncommon for a downed tree to go...

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Upper Haw River, Section 3

It’s on this stretch where you witness the Haw transform from an intimate stream where you can seemingly touch both banks simultaneously to sprawling river. The stretch begins tight, with...

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Dan River: Section 4

A good stretch of river for the new whitewater paddler. Much of the Class I action is the result of widely spaced gravel bars, according to Paul Ferguson in his...

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Wilson Creek: Section C

This is drop-dead gorgeous terrain with killer whitewater. Killer? Poor choice of words. But there are sections of Wilson Creek that are for experts only. Those would be sections A...

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Lower Greene section of the Greene River

Say the Benners (see “A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to the Carolinas” below): “Next to the Nantahala, this section of the Greene is paddled more than any river in North...

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National Whitewater Center

Granted, running the same Class I-III water day after day after day could get old after a while, but wouldn’t it be great to have the opportunity to find out?...

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Lower Saluda River, Mill Race Rapids

Imagine excusing yourself from a meeting gone way too long, going down the hall, down the stairs — then hopping into your playboat for some Class II and III fun?...

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Upper Greene

Our staff says this this is one of the most remote and scenic sections of the popular Greene River, offering “a lot of excitement and fun for your intermediate kayaker.”...

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Wilson Creek, Section C

This is drop-dead gorgeous terrain with killer whitewater. Killer? Poor choice of words, but there are sections of Wilson Creek that are for experts only. Those would include sections A...

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Deep River, Section 5

The Deep’s name is deceptive: it refers not to the depth of the river but rather, it’s believed, to the steep banks found along much of the river. Thus, the...

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Eno River, Section 2

For a Piedmont river, the Eno is surprisingly montane, especially it’s upper reaches above West Point on the Eno city park in Durham. This stretch, which runs just east of...

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Flat River, Section 3

Because of its small watershed, the Flat can usually be run only in the immediate aftermath of a good rain. But when it is runnable, long-timers say this is a...

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