North Carolina whitewater, Curtis Creek McDowell county, Close to Old Fort section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS IV+     7 miles   The Close to Old Fort stretch of Curtis Creek in North Carolina is 7 miles long and is a class IV+ section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. The starting location is a short drive from Forest City, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains scenery is an added bonus. A bit of exercise and just hanging out with mother nature will make you glad you     came. The campgrounds here at Curtis Creek are pretty good. There aren’t any hotels right nearby but if you're willing to drive a short distance then no problem but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. The wonderful North Carolina scenery and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water will make you feel great. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way this area has a large number of paddling spots. On this section you do get some distance, you can easily run it on an afternoon. Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in North Carolina tend to be more forgiving than the national average, so keep in mind   that lots of rivers in this state are good for beginners. There are a few other stretches in this river system that can be paddled as well. Briefly about the general area: The Bald Mountain Trail is a wonderful hiking trail in close proximity to Curtis Creek, and a delightful site like Mount Mitchell State Park is too good to leave out. These mountains rock, just check out all the cool stuff to do in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Curtis Creek is a place with many visitors from Old Fort; you might also want to pay a visit to Lead Mine Gap if you're here at Curtis Creek. This is such a fun river. Curtis Creek, Close to Old Fort road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Curtis Creek.   Whitewater Near Curtis Creek: Curtis Creek, McDowell County, 2 miles away       Class IV+ - 7 miles long (Close to Old Fort) Catawba River, McDowell/Burke County, 3 miles away       Class I-II - 12 miles long (Route 1234 Bridge to US Route 221 Bridge) Toe River - South, Avery/ Mitchell/ Yancey County, 7 miles away       Class I-II - 22.5 miles long (Carolina Hemlocks Camp to Route 1131) Rocky Broad River, Henderson/Buncombe County, 12 miles away       Class IV-V - 3.6 miles long (Bridge at Flat Creek Road to Bridge at US Route 64) Catawba River - North Fork, McDowell County, 13 miles away       Class II-III - 5.6 miles long (Route 1559 to Route 1552 Bridge) Broad River, Rutherford County, 14 miles away       Class I-II - 7.4 miles long (Lake Lure Dam to Route 1181) Rocky Broad River, Henderson/Rutherford County, 15 miles away       Class IV-V - 3.5 miles long (Along Route 64/74 to Lake Lure at Chimney Rock) Swannanoa River, Buncombe County, 17 miles away       Class I-II - 8.6 miles long (Main Bridge In Swannanoa to Azalea) Broad River, Rutherford County, 17 miles away       Class I-II - 16.8 miles long (Route 1181 to North Carolina Route 1004) Green River, Polk County, 19 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 Curtis Creek: Wolf Ridge, North Carolina , 28 miles away, 700 foot drop, 5 lifts, 20 runs Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 34 miles away, 1200 foot drop, 8 lifts, 20 runs Hawksnest, North Carolina , 35 miles away, 619 foot drop, 4 lifts, 12 runs Ski Beech, North Carolina , 35 miles away, 830 foot drop, 10 lifts, 15 runs Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 45 miles away, 365 foot drop, 5 lifts, 9 runs Cataloochee, North Carolina , 64 miles away, 740 foot drop, 4 lifts, 10 runs Scaly Mountain, North Carolina , 87 miles away, 225 foot drop, 4 lifts, 10 runs Sky Valley, Georgia , 91 miles away, 210 foot drop, 2 lifts, 5 runs Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 96 miles away, 600 foot drop, 3 lifts, 8 runs   Hotels Near Curtis Creek: Comfort Inn Marion, Marion , 10 miles away Super 8 Black Mountain, Black Mountain , 10 miles away Quality Inn Black Mountain, Black Mountain , 11 miles away Americas Best Value Inn Marion, Marion , 13 miles away Super 8 Marion NC, Marion , 13 miles away   Campgrounds Near Curtis Creek: Curtis Creek, Old Fort, 1 miles away Catawba Falls Campground, Old Fort, 3 miles away Mountain Stream RV Park, Marion, 4 miles away   Trails Near Curtis Creek: Bald Mountain Trail, McDowell , 12 miles away   Public Lands Near Curtis Creek: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 27 miles away Mount Mitchell State Park, North Carolina , 8 miles away Lake James State Park, North Carolina , 19 miles away Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee , 29 miles away   Golf Courses Near Curtis Creek: Old Fort Golf Course, Old Fort , 4 miles away Black Mountain Town Golf Course, Black Mountain , 11 miles away Bald Mountain Golf Course, Lake Lure , 12 miles away   Lakes Near Curtis Creek Lake Tomahawk, Buncombe , 11 miles away Bald Mountain Lake, Rutherford , 12 miles away Lake Lure, Rutherford , 14 miles away