Pigeon, Big East Fork

1. Graveyard Fields to Skinny Dip

Reach banner
DifficultyV+
Length0.63 mi
Avg Gradient500 fpm
GaugeEast Fork Pigeon River Near Canton, Nc
Flow Rate as of 23 minutes
97 cfsbelow recommended
Reach Info Last UpdatedDecember 17, 2025

River Description

Leland Davis did a nice story on this one. It can be found here http://members-http-1.rwc1.sfba.home.net/lelandd/paddle/mouthfull.html

Expert sponsored hair/creek boaters have been putting on at Graveyard Fields, but advise against it. The recommended put-in is to use the Mountains to Sea trail. That said, rumors have been circulating of more runs from the top down. Usually done by the same crew that has multiple runs of Linville or Upper Raven Fork under thier belts. Take out where the Big East is crossed by the Hwy 276 bridge. You will portage more than you kayak on this one, and the portages are truely epic. There are two waterfalls that must be portaged, one of which that drops almost 200 feet. The other drops 100, and the top falls is sketchy at best. Subtract those out and you still have a handfull of unrunnable smaller portages. Basically, don't put in here.

Those running this section seem to make it a park & huck running Second Falls, however this is a serious undetaking.


River Features

Put In

Distance: 0 mi
Access Point

Second Falls

Class: V+Distance: 0.04 mi
Other
Second Falls

Pretty large waterfall that should only be attempted by high level boaters

Yellowstone Falls

Class: VIDistance: 0.21 mi
Other
Yellowstone Falls

Very large slide into an almost vertical reconnect onto rock. Portage this one

Skinny Dip Falls

Distance: 0.63 mi
Other
Skinny Dip Falls

This area was pretty heavily impacted by Tropical Storm Fred & is completely unrecognizable. Any beta will have to be updated

Take Out

Distance: 1.6 mi
Access Point

Ira Fowler
Ira Fowler

Dec 17, 2025


SK
Sean Kennedy

Feb 26, 2005


Pic was taken at about 130 cfs. This is below runnable levels.