North Carolina whitewater - Nantahala River, Blue Ridge Mountains, Macon/Clay County

Macon/Clay county, Highway 64 to Nantahala Lake section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 



CLASS I-II+(III)     12.74 miles
  The average whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be a bit easier to master in this state than those in other states, so you'd better keep in mind that many of the rivers here are not very demanding. The nature scenery of Macon/Clay County and the cool fresh water have people coming here. Not too many hotels nearby, you'll have to drive a bit to get to one, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. The Blue Ridge Mountains scenery is wonderful. There are so many stretches to paddle in this river system, the Highway 64 to Nantahala
    Lake stretch is just one of many. The Highway 64 to Nantahala Lake section of Nantahala River is 12.74 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class I-II+(III) section. There's camping available near Nantahala River. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking,
either way in this general area you'll find lots of paddling places. This section is long enough for an overnight trip if you take your time, so why not pack your sleeping bag too. Great exercise and spending some quality time in nature will have you coming back for more.

Briefly about the general area:
For the duration of the long summer days here at Nantahala River, high temperatures frequently get into the 80's while overnight lows are usually in the 60's. Through the winter highs are usually in the 40's while Nantahala River nighttime low temperatures
 
during the wintertime are in the 20's. Nantahala River is a relatively wet place typically with a great deal of rain; throughout March this area sees the most rain, and the driest of the months is October.
Going for a hike on the Rufus Morgan Trail is always a splendid adventure; a magnificent site to stop at is Big Oak Gap. Having a magnificent time in the Blue Ridge Mountains is uncomplicated. Near Nantahala River you find the Thorn Mountain Trail which is a good hiking trail.

Nantahala River, Highway 64 to Nantahala Lake road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: I-II+(III)
Length: 12.74 miles
Average Gradient: 45 fpm
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 35.0937
Longitude: -83.56051

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 35.1641
Longitude: -83.64531

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Current weather conditions at Nantahala River, Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina
WXPort

Local climate location: ANDREWS 7 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Ridges Resort & Club, Hiawassee
14 miles away
The resort is on a mountain lake and features amenities unequaled in the southern Appalachian. Located on the shores of Lake Chatuge a 7,500-acre lake less then 2 hours North of Atlanta. Fieldstone Re...

Carolina Motel, Franklin
14 miles away
Carolina Motel is one of Franklin North Carolinas most beautiful motels, located in the heart of the Smokey Mountains and just minutes from gem mines, white water rafting, beautiful waterfalls and the...

Ramada Inn Lake Chatuge Lodge Hiawasee, Hiawassee
15 miles away
The Ramada Lake Chatuge Lodge is located in Hiawassee, GA on the shores of Lake Chatuge nestled in the North Georgia Mountains. The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds and the Anderson Music Hall are located...



OTHER_INFO
  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 Nantahala River, North Carolina
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Nantahala 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 Cornelia, Georgia
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Cornelia, Georgia, the metro area neareast to Nantahala River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Nantahala River.
 Whitewater Near Nantahala River:
Nantahala River, Macon County , 5 miles away, Class II(III) - 4 miles long (Kimsey Creek to US 64)
Whiteoak Creek, Macon County , 7 miles away, Class IV-V+ - 2 miles long (Above Nantahala Cascades)
Nantahala River, Macon County , 8 miles away, Class IV-V - 0.7 miles long (FS Road 327 to 1310 Bridge)
Nantahala River, Macon/Swain County , 9 miles away, Class III - 3.2 miles long (Route 1310 Bridge to Highway 19)
Tallulah River, Towns/Rabun County , 9 miles away, Class I-II(III) - 5.5 miles long (GA/North Carolina State Line to Tate Branch Campground)
Nantahala River, Macon/Swain County , 10 miles away, Class II+(III) - 8 miles long (Power Plant to Wesser)
Tallulah River, Rabun County , 11 miles away, Class V - 3 miles long (Tate Branch Campground to Coleman River)
Coleman River, Rabun County , 12 miles away, Class V - 2.7 miles long (Coleman River Road to Tallulah River)
Fires Creek, Clay County , 14 miles away, Class II-III+ - 8 miles long (Two miles above Horse Park to Leatherwood Falls)
Little Tennessee River, Macon/ Swain County , 14 miles away, Class I-III - 23 miles long (North Carolina Route 28 to US Route 19)
 Ski Areas Near Nantahala River:
Sky Valley, Georgia , 19 miles away, 210 vertical feet
Scaly Mountain, North Carolina , 21 miles away, 225 vertical feet
Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 33 miles away, 600 vertical feet
Cataloochee, North Carolina , 43 miles away, 740 vertical feet
Wolf Laurel, North Carolina , 89 miles away, 700 vertical feet
Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 133 miles away, 1200 vertical feet
Ski Beech, North Carolina , 133 miles away, 830 vertical feet
Hawksnest, North Carolina , 135 miles away, 619 vertical feet
Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 146 miles away, 365 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Nantahala River:
Chatuge Mountain Inn, Hayesville , 7 miles away
Ridges Resort & Club, Hiawassee , 14 miles away
Carolina Motel, Franklin , 14 miles away
Barber's Motel, Franklin , 14 miles away
Colonial Inn, Franklin , 14 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Nantahala River:
Deep Gap Primitive Campground, Macon County, 6 miles away
Deep Gap Campground, Clay County, 6 miles away
Appletree Campground, Macon County, 7 miles away
 Trails Near Nantahala River:
Thorn Mountain Trail, Macon County , 0 miles away
Rufus Morgan Trail, Macon County , 4 miles away
Rartram Trail, Macon County , 5 miles away
Hurricane Creek Trail, Macon County , 9 miles away
Wesser Creek Trail, Swain County , 9 miles away
 National Parks Near Nantahala River:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg - TN , 33 miles away
 Lakes Near Nantahala River

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions
Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater