North Carolina whitewater - Straight Fork, Great Smoky Mountains, Swain County
Swain
county,
Round Bottom to Raven Fork section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.
CLASS III-IV 4.6 miles
The scenic beauty of Swain County and the cool fresh water attract people from near and far. The put-in is not too far from Newport, as you can see on the road map further down. Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in North Carolina tend to be more forgiving than the national average, so better not forget that the rivers in this state are less demanding. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. This stretch of Straight Fork is 4.6 miles long and has been rated as a class III-IV section by American Whitewater. The river winds through
the Great Smoky Mountains and you get great scenery. There are no other stretches to paddle along Straight Fork than the Round Bottom to Raven Fork stretch. This is a pretty decent length section, it's perfect for a one day trip. Great exercise and just being out on the river for
a while are great attractions for lots of people. No need to look hard for hotels, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way there are lots of good spots for that around here.
Briefly about the general area: Brushy Gap is in the neighborhood of Straight Fork and is without doubt a good place to check out. High temperatures at Straight Fork through the summertime are in the 80's. Through the moonlight hours it's usually in the 60's. During the wintertime highs
are commonly in the 40's, and winter nights come with lows in the 20's to Straight Fork. A lot of precipitation falls at Straight Fork; through the month of May you get the most rain around here while October is regularly the driest month.
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All North Carolina Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in North Carolina.Books about whitewater paddling on Straight Fork, North Carolina List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Straight Fork, North Carolina.Find a whitewater outfitter in North CarolinaWhitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.Outdoors Recreation Near Newport, Tennessee Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Newport, Tennessee, the metro area neareast to Straight Fork. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
These outdoors activities are available near Straight Fork.
Raven Fork, Swain
County
, 2 miles away, Class V+ - 4 miles long (Gorges to Confluence with Straight Fork)
Raven Fork, Swain
County
, 4 miles away, Class II-III+(IV) - 8 miles long (Job Corps Bridge to Confluence with Oconalufftee)
Oconaluftee River, Swain
County
, 8 miles away, Class III - 4 miles long (Quiet Walkway to Smokemont)
Oconaluftee River, Swain
County
, 8 miles away, Class II-III - 11.5 miles long (Smokemont Campground to Birdtown)
Big Creek, Haywood
County
, 10 miles away, Class V - 5.4 miles long (Walnut Bottom to NPS Campground)
Little Pigeon River - Middle Prong, Sevier
County
, 10 miles away, Class V - 1.4 miles long (Ramsey Prong/ Eagle Rocks Prong confluence to Bridge at Trailhead)
Cataloochee Creek, Haywood
County
, 12 miles away, Class II-III(IV) - 6 miles long (Catalooche Campground to Waterville Lake)
Little Pigeon River - Middle Prong, Sevier
County
, 12 miles away, Class IV+ - 1.5 miles long (Ramsey's Cascade trailhead to Porters Creek confluence)
Scotts Creek, Jackson
County
, 12 miles away, Class III-IV(V) - 2 miles long (Willets-Ochre Hill to Addie)
Tuckasegee River, Jackson
County
, 12 miles away, Class II(III) - 5 miles long (Dillsboro to Route 1392)