Elk,

A) Route 1326 to Route 1305 (above Big Falls) (Roadside Elk (along Hwy.194))

Usual Difficulty	IV-V (may vary with level)
Length	8.4 Miles
Avg. Gradient	130 fpm
Max Gradient	210 fpm

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
WATAUGA RIVER NEAR SUGAR GROVE, NC
usgs-03479000	400 - 1000 cfs	IV-V	00h53m	259 cfs (rc= -0.2 )

River Description

Carolina Whitewater, B.Benner

This is a fun one. Lots of good boat scoutable boogie water. Some good slides. A couple of large vertical drops. At one point in the first two miles the river completely disappears under a bunch of large boulders. The easy portage is river left (river right is someone's backyard). There are some undercuts and sieves to be avoided. This is a run that short creek boats were designed for!

There is an option of doing a short run from SR 1326 to the NC Hwy 194 Bridge. This gives you the top three miles of roadside water and a very easy shuttle.

Bradley - 2001

Don't miss the take-out. Just downstream lies Big Falls. Inadvertently running it could be way ugly.

Directions
From Elk Park:
Take-Out: In downtown Elk Park look for the signs to Big Falls and follow them. Take Little Elk Creek Road (SR 1305) to the river. First bridge over water you come to is the take-out.

Put-in: From Elk Park take Hwy 19 south to NC 194. Eventually you will cross the Elk. From there continue on to SR 1326. It will be a small turnoff on the right. Its easy to miss.