North Carolina whitewater - Catawba River, Blue Ridge Mountains, McDowell/Burke County McDowell/Burke county, Route 1234 Bridge to US Route 221 Bridge section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS I-II     12 miles   Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in this state tend to be more forgiving than the national average, so don't forget that many runs in this state are very easy. The beautiful scenery of McDowell/Burke County and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water attract people from near and far. The put-in location is a short drive from Forest City, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way this is an area with plenty of rivers for that. Great exercise     and just being out on the river for a while will have you coming back for more. This section of Catawba River is 12 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class I-II section. The campgrounds here at Catawba River are pretty good. The Route 1234 Bridge to US Route 221 Bridge stretch is one of many paddling stretches in this river system. If you have the time you can make this a two day trip, so why not pack your camping stuff too. There aren’t any hotels right nearby but if you're willing to drive a short distance then no problem but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination. Whitewater paddling here in the Blue Ridge Mountains is a great experience. Briefly about the general area: Catawba River is a wet place that gets much precipitation; throughout March this area   sees the most rain while December is commonly the driest month. During the days of summer at Catawba River highs are ordinarily in the 80's. During the dark hours of summer temperatures descend down into the 50's. During the winter the highs are mostly in the 40's, and night lows in the 10's for Catawba River. Catawba River, Route 1234 Bridge to US Route 221 Bridge road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: I-II Length: 12 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 35.63669 Longitude: -82.1439 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 35.7065 Longitude: -82.03351 Paddler input for Catawba River, North Carolina: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Catawba River, Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina Local climate location: CELO 9 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Marion Days Inn, Marion 8 miles away Hotel is conveniently located at I-40 Exit 85 and Hwy 221 Hotel is just minutes from downtown Marion and many area attractions Blue Ridge Parkway 25 mi, Chimney Rock 25 mi, Gold & Gem Mining 3 m... Comfort Inn Marion, Marion 8 miles away Indoor heated pool with sun deck and hot tub. Free deluxe continental breakfast. Clean comfortable, well appointed rooms with coffee makers, irons and boards and many other amenities for your comfort.... Marion Super 8 Motel, Marion 12 miles away Free High-speed Internet Super Start Breakfast Commercial Rates Full service and fast food restaurants nearby 25 Inch color TV with cable/HBO/ESPN Free local phone calls Pet Friendly...   Blue Ridge Mountains Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Blue Ridge Mountains Outdoors Info Complete outdoors info for the Blue Ridge Mountains. All North Carolina Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in North Carolina. Books about whitewater paddling on Catawba River, North Carolina List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Catawba River, North Carolina. Find a whitewater outfitter in North Carolina Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Forest City, North Carolina Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Forest City, North Carolina, the metro area neareast to Catawba River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Catawba River.   Whitewater Near Catawba River: Curtis Creek, McDowell County , 6 miles away, Class IV+ - 7 miles long (Close to Old Fort) Catawba River - North Fork, McDowell County , 8 miles away, Class II-III - 5.6 miles long (Route 1559 to Route 1552 Bridge) Toe River - South, Avery/ Mitchell/ Yancey County , 13 miles away, Class I-II - 22.5 miles long (Carolina Hemlocks Camp to Route 1131) Broad River, Rutherford County , 15 miles away, Class I-II - 7.4 miles long (Lake Lure Dam to Route 1181) Linville River, Burke County , 17 miles away, Class IV-V+ - 16.4 miles long (Linville Falls to Lake James) Rocky Broad River, Henderson/Buncombe County , 17 miles away, Class IV-V - 3.6 miles long (Bridge at Flat Creek Road to Bridge at US Route 64) Catawba River - North Fork, Burke County , 17 miles away, Class IV-V+ - 2.5 miles long (Linville) Rocky Broad River, Henderson/Rutherford County , 18 miles away, Class IV-V - 3.5 miles long (Along Route 64/74 to Lake Lure at Chimney Rock) North Toe River, Avery County , 18 miles away, Class II - 10 miles long (Plumtree to Bush Rd/Rt. 19E) Green River, Polk County , 20 miles away, Class I-II - 17.2 miles long (North Carolina Route 9 below Lake Adger Dam to North Carolina Route 1005)   Ski Areas Near Catawba River: Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 30 miles away, 1200 vertical feet Hawksnest, North Carolina , 32 miles away, 619 vertical feet Ski Beech, North Carolina , 33 miles away, 830 vertical feet Wolf Laurel, North Carolina , 33 miles away, 700 vertical feet Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 41 miles away, 365 vertical feet Cataloochee, North Carolina , 70 miles away, 740 vertical feet Scaly Mountain, North Carolina , 92 miles away, 225 vertical feet Sky Valley, Georgia , 96 miles away, 210 vertical feet Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 102 miles away, 600 vertical feet Winterplace, West Virginia , 127 miles away, 603 vertical feet   Hotels Near Catawba River: Marion Days Inn, Marion , 8 miles away Comfort Inn Marion, Marion , 8 miles away Marion Super 8 Motel, Marion , 12 miles away Fox Run Resort (Vri), Lake Lure , 13 miles away Fairfield Mountains Resort, Lake Lure , 14 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Catawba River: Triple C Campground, Marion, 3 miles away Mountain Stream RV Park, Marion, 5 miles away Sky Island Retreat and Campground, Old Fort, 5 miles away   Trails Near Catawba River: Bald Mountain Trail, McDowell County , 7 miles away   National Parks Near Catawba River: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 33 miles away   Golf Courses Near Catawba River: Old Fort Golf Course, Old Fort , 5 miles away   Lakes Near Catawba River