North Carolina whitewater, Thompson River Transylvania county, North Route 281 to Lake Jocassee section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS IV-V+     5.2 miles   This river will kill you!It is not suitable for any watercraft.  The stream is small, but large waterfalls appear suddenly.  The river is typically too shallow to float. The watershed gets lots of rain.Rainfall amounts may double or triple amounts in Brevard or Walhalla. A storm will change the flow dramatically. Says Marvin If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside North Carolina you might find the rivers here a bit more     manageable, so don't forget that lots of rivers in this state are good for beginners. The beautiful scenery of Transylvania County and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water are reasons enough to come here and paddle. This section of Thompson River in North Carolina is 5.2 miles long and is according to American Whitewater a class IV-V+ section of whitewater. This is one of a small number of paddling sections in this river system, there are a few others too. Getting a good workout and just hanging out with mother nature have a lot of people coming here. You might be into whitewater rafting or kayaking or both, doesn't matter, there are lots of good places   for that around here. When you're paddling down a Blue Ridge Mountains river like this one you always get great scenery along the way too. There are plenty of hotels here if you want to spend a night, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. This stretch is mid length, suitable for an afternoon trip. If you're a camper you can camp at one of the great campgrounds nearby. The starting point is not too far from Brevard, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. Briefly about the general area: Everybody loves Francis Marion-Sumter National Forests, and nearby you hit upon the Foothills Trail which is a good hiking trail. Thompson River, North Route 281 to Lake Jocassee 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 Thompson River.   Whitewater Near Thompson River: Thompson River, Transylvania County, 2 miles away       Class IV-V+ - 5.2 miles long (North Route 281 to Lake Jocassee) Whitewater, Oconee County, 2 miles away       Class III-V+ - 2.4 miles long (Base of Upper Falls to Lake Jocassee) Horsepasture River, Transylvania County, 3 miles away       Class V+ - 4.2 miles long (US Route 281 to Lake Jocassee) Chattooga River - East Fork, Oconee County, 5 miles away       Class -blank- - 1.9 miles long (Highway 107 to Walhalla Fish Hatchery) Whitewater River, Jackson/Transylvania County, 5 miles away       Class IV-V+ - 4 miles long (Bullpen Road to Highway 281) Toxaway River, Transylvania County, 6 miles away       Class V+ - 3.69 miles long (Highway 64 to Lake Jocassee) Toxaway River - Upper, Transylvania County, 6 miles away       Class IV-V+ - 2 miles long (Above Lake Toxaway) Tuckasegee River, Jackson County, 6 miles away       Class III-V - 4.5 miles long (Above Tanasee Creek Reservoir) Chattooga River - East Fork, Oconee County, 7 miles away       Class -blank- - 2.46 miles long (Walhalla Fish Hatchery to Chattooga) Chattooga River, Jackson County, 8 miles away       Class V - 6 miles long (North Carolina 1107 to Bull Pen Bridge)   Ski Areas Near Thompson River: Scaly Mountain, North Carolina , 22 miles away, 225 foot drop, 4 lifts, 10 runs Sky Valley, Georgia , 26 miles away, 210 foot drop, 2 lifts, 5 runs Cataloochee, North Carolina , 30 miles away, 740 foot drop, 4 lifts, 10 runs Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 54 miles away, 600 foot drop, 3 lifts, 8 runs Wolf Ridge, North Carolina , 61 miles away, 700 foot drop, 5 lifts, 20 runs Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 99 miles away, 1200 foot drop, 8 lifts, 20 runs   Marinas Near Thompson River: Lake Keowee Marina, Seneca , 19 miles away   Hotels Near Thompson River: Hampton Inn - Suites Cashiers-Sapphire Valley, Sapphire , 6 miles away Innisfree Bed And Breakfast By, Cashiers , 8 miles away Bluegreen Club Lodges Trillium, Ascend Resort Collection, Cashiers , 12 miles away Half Mile Farm, Highlands , 14 miles away The Park On Main Hotel, Highlands , 15 miles away   Campgrounds Near Thompson River: Westridge, Lake Toxaway, 4 miles away Sloan Bridge Campground, Oconee County, 5 miles away Riverbend RV Park, Lake Toxaway, 6 miles away   Trails Near Thompson River: Foothills Trail, Oconee , 5 miles away Foothills Trail, Oconee , 5 miles away Winding Stairs Trail, Oconee , 9 miles away Whiteside Mountain National Recreation Trail, Jackson , 10 miles away Ellicott Rock Trail, Macon , 10 miles away   Public Lands Near Thompson River: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 43 miles away Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg - TN , 52 miles away Francis Marion-Sumter National Forests, South Carolina , 5 miles away Keowee-Toxaway State Park, South Carolina , 10 miles away Oconee State Park, South Carolina , 13 miles away   Golf Courses Near Thompson River: Burlingame Country Club, Sapphire , 3 miles away Red Bird Golf Links, Sapphire , 5 miles away Lake Toxaway Company Country Club, Lake Toxaway , 6 miles away   Lakes Near Thompson River Lake Toxaway, Transylvania , 6 miles away Lake Jocassee, Oconee , 7 miles away Lake Jocasse, Oconee , 7 miles away