Watauga, |
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| Name | Range | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| WATAUGA RIVER NEAR SUGAR GROVE, NC | 150 - 650 cfs | 03h14m | 134 cfs (rc= -0.0 ) |
Once upon a time regarded as some of the hairiest whitewater in the Southeast, the Watauga has a long standing and well regarded reputation for high quality whitewater. Though today much more difficult runs have been established and tamed, the Watauga remains no slouch and demands respect regardless of water level. There are a variety of pin spots, broach rocks, sieves, strainers, holes, and undercuts that require a boater to have precise boat control and excellent read and run river skills. Such a qualified boater will find a technical playground of boofs, ferrys, holes, mazes and drops arranged in such a way as to quickly make the Watauga a favorite run.
See Leland Davis' North Carolina Rivers and Creeks guidebook and Chris Bell's Asheville Boating Beta page for more information about the river.
Runnable as low as 100 cfs but you gotta be really hardup. Ideal is from 250-400 cfs. The Watauga gets harder and harder the higher the flow. There aren't many boaters willing to run it over 650 cfs and those that do often portage some of drops (especially Hydro). The exception to this general rule is Stateline Falls, which is actually harder at very low levels than it is at moderate levels because the ankle-breaking rock just to the left of the landing zone becomes less padded. To find out what the Watauga is running, call the TVA at 800-238-2264 and press 3 or online at Boating Beta - My Flows or here. Note the Sugargrove gauge is upstream of the Gorge itself and can sometimes read low compared to actual conditions in the gorge due to feeder creeks downstream of the gauge.
IV to IV+(V-) (fun in a drought low) 100-150 cfs
IV to V- (low) 150-250 cfs
IV to V- (ideal) 250-400 cfs
IV+ to V (pushy) 400-650 cfs
V (screaming) over 650 cfs
| Name | Range | Updated | Level | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WATAUGA RIVER NEAR SUGAR GROVE, NC | |||||||||
| usgs-03479000 | 150 - 650 cfs | 03h14m | 134 cfs (rc= -0.0 ) | ||||||
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| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | Cabin | III+ | |
| 0.7 | Bump & Grind | IV |  |
| 0.8 | Sh%t -kicker | IV+ |  |
| 1.0 | Hydro | 5.0 | |
| 1.3 | Split Decision | IV | |
| 1.5 | Vernon's Folly | IV | |
| 2.1 | Edge of the World | IV | |
| 2.6 | Blow Job | III+ | |
| 3.0 | Heavy Water | IV+ | |
| 3.6 | Knuckles | IV | |
| 3.7 | Diana's Ledge | III+ | |
| 4.0 | Stateline Falls | 5.0 |   |
| 4.2 | Boof Falls | III | |
| 4.4 | Last Hair | IV | |
| 4.6 | Rewind | III | |
| 4.8 | Watson Island | I |
aka Beech Creek. This rapid is located just at the confluence with Beech Creek on river left. Main feature of this rapid is the pour over hole at the bottom of the drop. The traditional line goes right through this hole, hit it straight and power through as there is a broach rock (one of the many rocks coming from Beech Creek) on river left just downstream of the hole. Watch for wood here after high water events.
This is the first of the Watauga's taller, meatier rapids. Generally most people enter on far river right taking advantage of a couple of eddies to see most of the rapid. From here most take one of two routes. 1) ferry to river left and enjoy an awesome double boof with each drop about 4' tall. 2) go down on the right and finish up working against the current to be in the center to right. Beware that at the bottom of this line on the left is an undercut that came into play after the 2004 hurricanes. This rock gets covered up at around 400 cfs.
aka Pinball. Sh#t-kicker is a significant boulder garden style rapid with a pin slot at the bottom. Just for good measure the large boulder rock to the immediate right (about river center) of the pin spot is sieved out as well. Generally the line is from extreme river right, then hauling tush towards river left. The current towards the end is deceptively strong and wants to push the unwary boater left to right straight towards the pin slot/sievey boulder. If this happens, you can act quickly and boogie over to far river right to avoid the pin spot and bang down some easier stuff.
Good boof rapid. Punch the top hole then quickly decide left or right. The standard line is to punch the hole, go left and boof, land, boogie, then boof left again at the bottom. The right line involves paddling around a sieve area that demands attention.
Typical Watauga rapid with left to right to left ferrying and eddy work in strong current while dodging a big hole or two.
This is a rapid in many acts. Start with narrow slots, then add some great ferry work, mix in some super boofs and a few very serious holes then shake and serve. Multiple lines and entertaining activities can be found here - for instance, at lower levels you can ferry Around the World by ferrying and attaining around the large rock just up stream of a signifcant ledge hole - don't mess with this move at higher flows as the hole becomes very mean and unforgiving should you fall off the world into it.
This rapid has a thin line through a small slot driving left to right to avoid a large undercut rock downstream on the left. It can be sneaked by going down a straight forward slot all the way on river right. Interesting lines that demand much more attention can be found on far river left as well
aka Anaconda. Identify this one by noting a large expanse of rock on river right and a sharp bend in the river to the right around this rock outcrop. This is the most continuous and longest rapid of the harder ones on the Watauga. There are multiple eddies that can be used to break it up. The top half is before it bends right around the rock and is fairly straightforward. From the top of the rapid, a fairly large eddy on river left can be seen about halfway down as soon as the river bends right. The eddy can hold several boats BUT the entrance is heavily guarded by one or two rocks that can be deceptively hard to see level depending. Hitting these rocks will likely result in 1) missing the eddy and 2) a botched line into the meatier part of the rapid. From the eddy, one can take in another eddy next to the really big rock on river right - it is best approached by ferrying/surfing the nasty looking hole across to it. If the eddy doesn't look good or you blow the ferry, then begin working right to avoid the significant pourover holes downstream. The rapid ends with another sharp cut back to the left.
Fairly straightforward drop for the Watauga if it wasn't for the high pin potential. The standard line is just to the right of the left bank. There is a small flake of rock on the left that sails you over a rocky landing, that's the line to hit. Being off line by a foot or two can land you in the right side of the drop which has high vertical pin potential. Like Watauga Falls, Knuckles gets more ugly & consequential as the water drops.
Diana's Ledge is wide 3-4 foot ledge that can be quite retentive, see Chris Bell's account by clicking the Boating Beta link on the main page to learn how the rapid got its name and the lessons of coldwater drowning. The hole can be mostly skirted by taking the sloping left to right narrow tongue found on river left.
aka Watauga Falls. Stateline is always a crowd pleaser. To scout, be on the lookout for a small beachy area (level depending) on the left shortly downstream of Diana's Ledge. The lead in to Stateline is one of the trickier parts of this rapid knowing there is a 16ft drop looming downstream if a mistake is not quickly corrected. The lead in begins river center and proceeds left punching or skirting some good holes before 1) running the falls direct or 2) catching the large Chapel Eddy to the right of the main drop. Once in Chapel one can get out on the large rocks to the right of the drop but no clear view of the main line is possible. Alternately, a super fun seal launch that is actually taller than the Falls can be had into the big eddy at the base of the rapid if common sense takes hold before you can run it. One wants to start and land the falls angled right and on the right to avoid the large shallow rock on the left. The rock on the left becomes much more consequential the lower the level. The line becomes much more narrow so don't dry out from running too far up on the right side of the chute lest you get redirected left; be absolutely sure of your line and your boof at all levels but particularly once the levels gets below around 200. If needed, there is a trail on river left that will take you up to hwy 321.
aka Brown's Ferry. By this time, this rapid will stand out as standard Watauga fare. Start left and ferry across hole above pin spots and nasty broach rock to river right then punch holes finishing back to center left.
Your last opportunity for an awesome 5' boof going off the left side of the rock midstream.
Go left of the island to reach the takeout shortly downstream on the left. Look for a set of wooden stairs, these take you to a short trail back to the parking area. Don't miss it or you'll end up with a long lake paddle.
River Alert
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NWRI - Watauga 5. Guys Ford Bridge to AW Sherwood Horine Access (mobile)
User Comments
required seemed to be marginal if not dangerous to our group yesterday. The level felt like 600-650
cfs. Edit
heard it called by that name. Does anyone know is this the actual name? Edit
side. He ran the middle line which at 250 and below is manky and has several pin spots and even a
good line would result in some boat abuse. So to clarify the pin spot is below stateline AND boof
falls.
shoals. While you can run this rapid as I have done once and never again, the safer route is off to
the right of the big rock in the middle. You will bump down a small, scrapy double drop then drop
off the legde right next to the large rock in the middle. Stress free and easy. Go off it
backwards. If this is indeed the rapid where he somehow pinned his boat, then he needs take a step
down to easier stuff for awhile. Edit
and has caused several close calls. Catch the top eddy on the far left and use the hole's backwash
to ferry across to the far right eddy, staying right of the rock in the main flow. All we saw of
the boat this weekend was an airbag thrashing in the current to the left of the rock and a cold
boater hiking down the river. Edit
very best rivers on the east coast, and does not nearly get the attention that it deserves! It's an
amazing run through beautiful scenery and should be on anyone's short list of rivers to do.
encounter with Karl Livingston (local homeowner) at the AW take-out parking area. Mr. Livingston
was furious (cussing us and almost out of control) because he felt boaters were continuously
speeding down the road past his house. He says he has repeatedly told boaters to slow down and he
was fed up. He has a 3-year old and he says he is concerned for her safety. When I had come by
earlier behind some other vehicles he acted like he was going to throw a rock down on my truck. Mr.
Livingston says he wants boaters to not exceed 10 mph in the area of the houses on Tester Road. Mr.
Livingston's house is a two story house up hill on the right-side going down Tester Road (~1/3 way
down)to the take-out. Joel Northen of Boone and I tried to reason with him but he was livid. A
couple of us thought we saw a gun while he was talking to us in his truck but he never raised it.
He made threats of getting the Sheriff to haul-off cars that were not AW members. I explained that
AW does not restrict non-AW members from using the take-out. AW maintains the access for all
boaters' use. We discussed that there are no signs on the road to alert drivers that a low speed is
desired by the local landowners. Joel volunteered to make some signs for Tester Road. Mr.
Livingston agreed to put them up.
Please slow down on Tester Road. While Mr. Livingston's actions were way over-the-top, we do need
to respect the landowners/homeowners and slow down.
NC. We ran it 9/23/04. The gauge said it was running 300 cfs. It felt more like 200 cfs. The
approach to the Guys Ford bridge is washed out.
Island (I know the area at the take out is Watson Island). I took Stansberry which resulted in my
four-wheeling through private property for almost an hour. If you take Stansberry and follow the
directions on this page you come up a hill and into a set of trees with a hidden 1/2" steel cable
tied across at the perfect level to completely rip off and destroy a rack as I found out. As far as
I can tell, there was no other reason for the cable and that the landowner must be sick of lost
kayakers driving through his property so he set up a trap. Be warned, do not take Stansberry Rd, it
cost me a $300 rack and messed my car up. I'll end my rant now, but you'd think AW would have good
directions to their own property.
bridge is gone and so is the traditional painted gauge. The road to the put-in may be closed; park
on the main road and take the short walk down to site of the once and future Guy's Ford Bridge.
peak) of Nov 19, 2003. As we all know, the middle piling of the bridge had been the unofficial
put-in gauge for years. Keep your eyes out for where the bridge debris wound up.