Big Creek, North Carolina, US
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1. Walnut Bottom to NPS Campground (Upper Big Creek)
| Usual Difficulty |
IV-V (for normal flows) |
| Length |
5.4 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient |
238 fpm |
| Max Gradient |
321 fpm |
TR on Midnite
TR on MidnitePhoto of TR and KE by LE @ 2.5
Gauge Information
River Description
Photo: Philip Curry from the bridge 2.5 miles upstream of the trailhead. Copyright Chris Bell.
This is a gorgeous run on a pristine river whose entire reach is within a National Park. Please
respect other users and the natural environment. Minimize your impact in all ways possible.
The following description is courtesy of The Asheville Area Boating Beta Page
(boatingbeta.com). To view it in a new
window, click
here.
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Big Creek, NC
Upper (Walnut Bottom to NPS Campground)
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Class
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Flow
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Gauge
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V
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1200-2400 cfsÂ
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Upper Big Creek is almost certainly running when the Oconaluftee is between 1,200 and 2,400 cfs;Â it is generally
running when the Oconaluftee is as low 850 cfs. Once at the creek, confirm the
level using the gauge painted on the river right piling of the bridge next to the
picnic area near the confluence of Big Creek and the Big Pigeon;Â 1.5 feet is
the minimum, 1.7 low optimal and 2.4 high optimal. It is unlikely Upper Big
Creek has been paddled much above 3.0 feet -- it gets much harder as the level
rises.
It is often true that when the TVA's Little
Pigeon at Sevierville (not the same as the USGS's Little Pigeon at
Sevierville) gauge is between 1,500 and 3,000 cfs, Big Creek is running.Â
Despite being located on the next watershed East, the USGS Cataloochee gauge
isn't a very good predictor of Big Creek flows.
The Oconaluftee and TVA Little Pigeon at Sevierville flows are both available
on the TVA Streamflows site and from the TVA by telephone:Â
800-238-2264.
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Character:
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Continuous western-style flush creek run
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Scenery:
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Very scenic despite occasional glimpses of horseback riders and hikers on the old
railroad grade following the creek. This run is entirely within Great Smoky
Mountains National Park.
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Distance from Downtown Asheville (to take-out):
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60 minutes
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Length:
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Up to 5.4 miles
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Season:
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March-April
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Other sections:
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Upper Big Creek is a challenging class V creek run, while Lower Big
Creek provides an excellent introduction to creeking for boaters with strong
class IV skills.
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Put-in:
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The wooden footbridge at Walnut Bottom, or as far upstream as you're willing to
hike . . . (see shuttle description below!).
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Take-out:
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The metal footbridge at the parking lot below the Big Creek NPS campground
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Directions from Asheville (to take-out):
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I-40 West to the first TN exit (Exit 451, Waterville). Turn left at the
bottom of the ramp, pass under I-40, follow the road over the bridge, turn left
and head up the Big Pigeon. The road will turn to follow Big Creek at its
confluence with the Big Pigeon, crossing Big Creek twice. Stop at the second
bridge and check the gauge. Then continue on to the road's end at the parking
lot below the Big Creek Campground. The gravel road you'll cross just before
entering the park is the scenic route to the Cataloochee Campground.
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Shuttle:
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1-2 hour hike. Park, pick up your boat and start hiking up the trail to Walnut
Bottoms. The trail begins at the parking lot just downstream of the Big Creek
NPS campground. Huff your boat as far upstream as you like. Big Creek is
runnable at least as high up as Walnut Bottoms (5.4 river miles upstream), but
most run out of gas a half mile or so upstream of the first bridge over the
creek, a 2.5-3 mile hike (and run). Hiking the half-mile or so above the bridge
yields two back-to-back miles falling 292 and 321 feet, respectively, with a 192
foot final mile to the take out. This is all runnable and extremely continuous
gradient, with the single biggest vertical drop being the ten feet or so into
Midnight Hole. The additional two plus miles gained by hiking all the way to
Walnut Bottom are extremely nice and would seem steep almost anywhere else, but
are seldom run due to the effort involved. An alternate route into Walnut
Bottom is over the pass from Cosby.
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Other access points:
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Many possible from the railroad grade following the creek, but all are accessible
only by foot.
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Camping:
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If it is open and you can snag a spot, the Big Creek campground would be a
wonderful place to camp. However, there are only twelve campsites and they're
very nice, so they're in high demand. Further, the campground is seldom open
when Big Creek is running. Another option is the campground at Cataloochee,
which can be reached from both the road over the low-water bridge at the put-in
and a right turn off the road from the take-out to the Big Creek Campground.Â
The Cataloochee campground is a little larger (twenty-seven sites), so the odds
of getting a site are a little better. Also fairly close is the Cosby
campground, which is much larger than either the Big Creek or Cataloochee
campgrounds (175 sites). All three campgrounds are open from mid-March to the
beginning of November;Â the Big Creek and Cataloochee campgrounds are $12 per
site per night, and the Cosby campground is $14. For more information visit the
NPS's Great Smoky Mountains Camping Page.
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Gradient
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Â
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Average:
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238 fpm
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Â
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By mile:
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5.4 miles (from Walnut Bottom):
166, 212, 286, 302, 263, 134 fpm over last 0.4 miles
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Â
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Maximum:
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500 fpm (over 0.08 miles, twice)
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Â
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Maximum half mile:
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347 fpm
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Â
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Maximum mile:
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321 fpm
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Guides
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Â
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Online:
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American Whitewater's Upper Big Creek Page
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Â
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Print:
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None
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Maps:
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Photos:
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NC, SC and
TN Rivers & Creeks Gallery
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Other:
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Combining Upper and Lower Big Creek yields a 7.3 mile run falling at an average
of 216 fpm.
Â
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Â
Hazards include the extremely continuous gradient and frequent fallen trees.Â
This is full on creeking;Â a safe run requires frequent scouting and great
alertness to the possibility of downed limbs just under the water's surface and
jammed in undercuts.
Midnight Hole is the vertical drop clearly visible from the trail on the hike
in. It is an extremely popular swimming hole in the summer. Just upstream
of Midnight Hole, at a point the trail comes very close to the creek, is
Monster. On one recent run an extremely accomplished and well-known local
paddler pitoned and pinned head underwater in Monster. Through good fortune
another paddler in his party -- unaware of the pin -- ran the drop and knocked
the pinned boat and paddler loose. The next boater down ran the drop unaware
of the carnage below, pinned and swam. His broken boat stayed pinned for two
days. Run the left line at Monster or walk it!
This is by no means a complete list of Upper Big Creek's hazards;Â such a list
would be impossible to compile as it would constantly change as rocks shifted
(the apparent cause of the recent problems on what used to be a popular line
through Monster) and trees jammed.
This is a gorgeous run on a pristine river whose entire reach is within a
National Park. Please respect other users and the natural environment.Â
Minimize your impact in all ways possible.
Â
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StreamTeam Status: Verified
Last Updated: 2007-01-31 23:09:24
Editors
No rapids entered. If you know names, and locations of the rapids please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. 
1. Walnut Bottom to NPS Campground, Big Creek North Carolina, US (mobile)
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