North Carolina whitewater, Elk River Avery (NC) Carter (TN) county, Route 130 to bridge above Sone Mtn Church Tennessee section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS IV-V(V+)     4.8 miles   This section of Elk River in North Carolina is 4.8 miles long and is a class IV-V(V+) section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside North Carolina you might find the rivers here a bit more manageable, so you'd better keep in mind that rivers in this state are less demanding. The scenic beauty of Avery (NC)/Carter (TN) County and the cool fresh water are in themselves reasons     enough to come here to paddle. This river system is full of great paddling sections, the Route 130 to bridge above Sone Mtn Church Tennessee section is just one of them. A good workout and just being out on the river for a while are great attractions for lots of people. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, you can easily run it on an afternoon. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way this is an area with plenty of rivers for that. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. If you're coming from Boone it's not a long drive at all to the starting location, please print out a copy of the road   map further down the page so you won’t get lost. If you'll be staying in a hotel you're in luck, lodging is available very near the river, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. Briefly about the general area: Roan Mountain State Park is a great spot to go if you're at Elk River, and there's delightful hiking along the Little Pond Mountain Trail. The wonderful folks of Elk Park like to hang out nearby, and hiking is a popular thing to do around Elk River; Laurel Fork Trail is a glorious local trail. At this river you will always have a good time. Elk River, Route 130 to bridge above Sone Mtn Church Tennessee 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 Elk River.   Whitewater Near Elk River: Elk River, Avery (NC)/Carter (TN) County, 3 miles away       Class IV-V(V+) - 4.8 miles long (Route 130 to bridge above Sone Mtn Church Tennessee) Elk River, Carter and Avery County, 3 miles away       Class IV-V - 5 miles long (Big Falls to Poga Rd) Elk River, Avery County, 3 miles away       Class IV-V - 8.4 miles long (Route 1326 to Route 1305) Elk River, Carter County, 3 miles away       Class II-III - 4.3 miles long (Route 2520 to US 321 bridge Close to Elk Mills) Watauga, Watauga / Johnson County, 4 miles away       Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Watauga River, Watauga County, 4 miles away       Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Watauga River, Watauga County, 7 miles away       Class II-III - 4 miles long (US Route 321 Bridge to Route 1200) Whitewater Outfitter - High Mountain Expeditions, Avery County, 8 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Doe River, Carter County, 10 miles away       Class II-III - 4.6 miles long (Crabtree to Blevins Bridge on Bear Gauge Road) North Toe River, Avery County, 12 miles away       Class II - 10 miles long (Plumtree to Bush Rd/Rt. 19E)   Ski Areas Near Elk River: Ski Beech, North Carolina , 4 miles away, 830 foot drop, 10 lifts, 15 runs Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 8 miles away, 1200 foot drop, 8 lifts, 20 runs Hawksnest, North Carolina , 9 miles away, 619 foot drop, 4 lifts, 12 runs Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 19 miles away, 365 foot drop, 5 lifts, 9 runs Wolf Ridge, North Carolina , 42 miles away, 700 foot drop, 5 lifts, 20 runs Cataloochee, North Carolina , 88 miles away, 740 foot drop, 4 lifts, 10 runs Winterplace, West Virginia , 95 miles away, 603 foot drop, 9 lifts, 27 runs   Marinas Near Elk River: Pioneer Landing Campground, Butler , 5 miles away Pappy's Marina and Campground, Butler , 9 miles away Lakeshore Marina, Hampton , 13 miles away Fish Springs Marina, Hampton , 17 miles away Lake View Dock, Bristol , 20 miles away   Hotels Near Elk River: Jackalope's Mountain Lodge, Banner Elk , 4 miles away Banner Haven Bed And Breakfast, Banner Elk , 6 miles away Best Western Mountain Lodge At Banner Elk, Banner Elk , 7 miles away Blue Ridge Village, Banner Elk , 8 miles away Highland Hills Cabins, Boone , 16 miles away   Campgrounds Near Elk River: Mountaineer Falls Shelter - Appalachian Trail, Elk Park, 4 miles away Apple House Shelter - Appalachian Trail, Elk Park, 6 miles away Grandfather Campground and Cabins, Banner Elk, 7 miles away   Trails Near Elk River: Little Pond Mountain Trail, Carter , 9 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter , 9 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter , 10 miles away Pond Mountain Trail, Carter , 11 miles away Daniel Boone Scout Trail, Caldwell , 11 miles away   Public Lands Near Elk River: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 55 miles away Roan Mountain State Park, Tennessee , 11 miles away Sycamore Shoals State Park, Tennessee , 16 miles away Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee , 21 miles away   Golf Courses Near Elk River: Wilderness Trail, Banner Elk , 6 miles away Diamond Creek, Banner Elk , 7 miles away Sugar Mountain Golf Club, Sugar Mountain , 7 miles away   Lakes Near Elk River Wildcat Lake, Avery , 6 miles away Watauga Lake, Carter , 14 miles away South Holston Lake, Sullivan , 20 miles away