Tennessee whitewater, Elk River Carter county, Route 2520 to US 321 bridge Close to Elk Mills section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II-III     4.3 miles   If you're coming from Boone it's not a long drive at all to the put-in location, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. The Route 2520 to US 321 bridge Close to Elk Mills section of Elk River is 4.3 miles long and is a class II-III section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. There's camping available near Elk River. There are so many stretches to paddle in this river system, the Route     2520 to US 321 bridge Close to Elk Mills stretch is just one of many. The wonderful Carter County scenery and the beautiful way the water current moves down the stream attract people from near and far. The average Tennessee whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be harder to run than those in other states, so don't forget that lots of rivers here are not for beginners. Great exercise and just hanging out with mother nature have a lot of people coming here. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. This is a pretty decent length   section, you can easily run it on an afternoon. Briefly about the general area: Roan Mountain State Park is a tremendous place to go if you're at Elk River; going for a hike on the Laurel Fork Trail is always a nice adventure. People from Elk Park love to come to Elk River; nearby you hit upon the Little Pond Mountain Trail which is a nice hiking trail. This river has it all. The beauty of mother nature reveals herself at Twisting Falls, and the best way to spend a winter day is on the slopes of close by Ski Beech. A perfect place close to Elk River is Lunsford Hollow, and Sycamore Shoals State Park is worth stopping at. Elk River, Route 2520 to US 321 bridge Close to Elk Mills 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, Carter County, 1 miles away       Class II-III - 4.3 miles long (Route 2520 to US 321 bridge Close to Elk Mills) Elk River, Avery (NC)/Carter (TN) County, 4 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, 4 miles away       Class IV-V - 5 miles long (Big Falls to Poga Rd) Watauga, Watauga / Johnson County, 7 miles away       Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Elk River, Avery County, 7 miles away       Class IV-V - 8.4 miles long (Route 1326 to Route 1305) Watauga River, Watauga County, 7 miles away       Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Doe River, Carter County, 7 miles away       Class II-III - 4.6 miles long (Crabtree to Blevins Bridge on Bear Gauge Road) Doe River - Laurel Fork, -blank- County, 10 miles away       Class IV-V(V+) - 5 miles long (Dennis Cove to Hampton) Watauga, Carter/ Washington County, 10 miles away       Class I-II - 20.6 miles long (Watauga Reservoir to Boone Lake) Watauga River, Watauga County, 10 miles away       Class II-III - 4 miles long (US Route 321 Bridge to Route 1200)   Ski Areas Near Elk River: Ski Beech, North Carolina , 8 miles away, 830 foot drop, 10 lifts, 15 runs Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 12 miles away, 1200 foot drop, 8 lifts, 20 runs Hawksnest, North Carolina , 13 miles away, 619 foot drop, 4 lifts, 12 runs Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 23 miles away, 365 foot drop, 5 lifts, 9 runs Wolf Ridge, North Carolina , 40 miles away, 700 foot drop, 5 lifts, 20 runs Cataloochee, North Carolina , 86 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 , 4 miles away Pappy's Marina and Campground, Butler , 7 miles away Lakeshore Marina, Hampton , 9 miles away Fish Springs Marina, Hampton , 13 miles away Lake View Dock, Bristol , 16 miles away   Hotels Near Elk River: Jackalope's Mountain Lodge, Banner Elk , 8 miles away Banner Haven Bed And Breakfast, Banner Elk , 10 miles away Best Western Mountain Lodge At Banner Elk, Banner Elk , 11 miles away Blue Ridge Village, Banner Elk , 12 miles away Springmaid Mountain, Spruce Pine , 19 miles away   Campgrounds Near Elk River: Mountaineer Falls Shelter - Appalachian Trail, Elk Park, 2 miles away Pappy's Marina and Campground, Butler, 5 miles away Apple House Shelter - Appalachian Trail, Elk Park, 5 miles away   Trails Near Elk River: Little Pond Mountain Trail, Carter , 5 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter , 6 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter , 6 miles away Pond Mountain Trail, Carter , 7 miles away Iron Mountain Trail, Johnson , 11 miles away   Public Lands Near Elk River: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 54 miles away Roan Mountain State Park, Tennessee , 8 miles away Sycamore Shoals State Park, Tennessee , 12 miles away Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee , 19 miles away   Golf Courses Near Elk River: Wilderness Trail, Banner Elk , 10 miles away Diamond Creek, Banner Elk , 11 miles away Sugar Mountain Golf Club, Sugar Mountain , 11 miles away   Lakes Near Elk River Wildcat Lake, Avery , 9 miles away Watauga Lake, Carter , 10 miles away South Holston Lake, Sullivan , 16 miles away