Watauga

In August of 1996, two companions and I kayaked a segment of the Watauga River along Grandfather Mountain. We launched from a road crossing shortly downstream of the Grandfather Mountain Profile Rim Trailhead and took out just over a mile downstream of the disputed reach near a dam that spans the river.

While the upper portions of the run contained challenging whitewater, the steepness and difficulty eased well before the Red Roof put in.

The stream flows were relatively high following a rain.  However, this run would be enjoyable at lower flows than we experienced on our descent, especially through the disputed reach where the river is relatively larger and easier to navigate.