Little Pigeon, Middle Prong

For Greenbrier regulars this will make sense. On Feb 16, 2026 the group noticed a tree blocking the big drop about halfway down where the road, on river left, climbs steeply and has the STOP and WARNING signs because it is so narrow. Typically people run this drop on far river left with a nice shoulder boof but this strainer makes that line, and nearly any line, impossible. It looks like a tulip poplar approx 14 inches in diameter. Our group did a 30 meter portage on river right to take it out of play. Easy.

FYI -ran Greenbrier on Friday, Sept 25 at 4.6ft. Approximately one mile into the run, a pine tree has fell completely across the river with no safe path underneath. Simple portage on river left.

I think it needs to be noted that the 'pourover' after the ranger station (just before the river becomes roadside again)- is much more than a pourover (typically a hole formed behind a single boulder) at higher levels. At 2.6-2.7 it was a nearly river-wide hole with a boil line that was about 10ft downstream of the drop. Highly aerated water with a significantly depressed hole. It certainly has the possibility to be a keeper hole at this level.

Below about 1.8' there is an upstream facing undercut rock that comes into play that can really ruin your day. This in the rapid about 200-400 yards before the rapid AW calls Big Pillow. The rapid starts off angling from left to right with a big tombstone rock on the bank in the corner then doglegs back to the left. It is important to get to the center of the river or left of center once you pass the corner where the tombstone rock is. Unfortunately at the low flows this rock is in play as almost all of the flow is directed right at it. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/PA200036.jpg

Park Dispatch Office number (865) 436-1230 See BoaterTalk post:
http://www.boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1659925 June 25, 2009 - If you didn't catch it, an
overturned kayak was found just outside of the Smokies on the MP of the Little Pigeon. It spurred
a search and rescue scenario that was serious enough for it to be reported to local TV stations.
Not sure of the outcome and I hope everyone is OK. But this did raise a very significant question.
Who do we notify when we a boat gets pinned or gets out of our control in the Smokies and darkness
or other circumstances force us to abandon it for any period of time? My friend Russell asked this
question and this was his post on a local paddling list serve. I asked the GSMNP folks what would
be the best way to report a lost boat.Here is their reply: Hello, If there is a report of an
accident or missing person, the park responds and/or conducts a search, but just finding an empty
kayak in the water would not necessarily result in a full-fledged search and rescue effort as the
town of Pittman Center launched during the recent incident. If one of your club members loses a
boat, but is otherwise okay, please call the park's Dispatch Office at (865) 436-1230 to let them
know that an empty boat may be found and it is not an emergency situation. This is a non-emergency
line which is staffed from 6:00 a.m. - midnight, but if a serious accident or other emergency has
occurred in the park, sometimes all available dispatchers have to concentrate on radio
communications among responding units and don't answer the line. If there is an accident with a
serious injury or a member of your party is known to be missing, please call 911. Best regards,C.
BloomGreat Smoky Mountains National Park

Made this trip at 600cfs last wknd. About 1/2 mile down river from confluence / bridge put-in there is a tree completely accross the river. Easily avoided at low water. Not so easy if water gets up perhaps.