Raven Fork
2. Enloe Creek Trail to Big Cove Road(Raven Fork Gorge)
| Difficulty | V+ |
| Length | 4.4 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 390 fpm |
| Gauge | Oconaluftee River at Birdtown, Nc |
| Flow Rate as of 51 minutes | 208 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | January 3, 2025 |
River Description
Note: By order of the Cherokee Tribal Council, that portion of the Raven Fork crossing the Qualla Boundary (the official name of their reservation) is closed to boating. The bottom portion of this run is located on the reservation -- it is illegal to boat it. Carefully read the additional information below.
The majority of the Upper Raven fork is outside of the Cherokee Reservation. A good portion of the run is in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. However the takeout is squarely in reservation grounds. Please note that the Raven Fork within the reservation is presently closed to boating.
Don't even think about paddling the Raven Fork with out politely obtaining permission from those who live at the take out. There are two variations on getting to the put-in. If you're good enough to be on this run you'll track down that info from one of the local experts.
Some of the larger named drops include (not in order), Jedi Training, Harjes Rapid (where Chris blew out his shoulder), Cave Man, Anaconda, Headless Horseman, Mortal Kombat, Mike Tyson's punchout, Big Boy, Atomic Elbow Crusher, Mangler and others.
The top mile accessed via the Enloe Creek Trail is 400 feet. The next two are the same, but a bulk of the gradient is in the middle at 560 ft/mile, and the 3/4 mile stretch from jedi training through mangler is 730 ft/mile. As steep as the steepest 3/4 mile on road prong, but pool drop. Tell me that aint the steepest 3/4 mile of boating in the SE.
River Features
Put In
Big Boof AKA Big Rock Falls
The bottom is unfortunately clogged with wood. 15 foot superboof.
Pothole
Fun and Easy
Fluffy AKA Bluet Falls
20 foot waterfall into a big pothole on the right. Run center.
Lord of the Rings
A great warm up, this drop is magical. 5 drops. First 6 foot shoulder on right, second boof 8 feet straight, third delayed hole punch down the middle with alcove on left, fourth, slide right of center, thread between two logs, fifth, boof right.
Anaconda
This is probably the hardest rapid other than big boy and the portages.
Headless Horseman
Big hole at high water, Don't flip!
Right Right
A great rapid with two entrances: Tight on the right and boof in from the left. Either way, stay right. Hence the name.
Class 4 with wood
I am sure some run it without noticing the wood, but it could definitely kill you. Most people portage left.
Razorback
The top of this one is often portaged, especially at low water, since most of the flow goes into a death trap of an undercut on the left. Seal launch in from the top of the undercut, or with ample water, drive right into the safe zone. From here keep working right down a long, fun, and bouncy slide, staying away from possible trouble on the bottom left.
Log Slot
I am sure this one didn't have a name untill a log lodged vertically about 2 feet down from the slot. Its undercut on the right and recirc on the left and the line to the left or right of the log right below is fine. Swims have occurred here.
Unnamed boogie
Three drops of welcomed smallness and ease. A ten foot cascade, a wall shot on the right and a shoulder boof.
Hale Mary
You can wheelchair it on the right, or portage. Very few have run the tight centerline that has a critical ridge of rock that tends to spin people out into a bad undercut rock hanging halfway down the cascade. Named after Jason Hale when he pinned for a good while here.
More unnammed boogie
Another relaxing stretch of class 4, with two low angle bedrock bouncy affairs
Jedi Training
More fun than hard, and large. Slide down the entrance slide lining up for the big hole much like a larger line on zwick's on the green. Most people drop into the slide on the right afterwards that winds down a crack on the right wall. Lean into the wall curler and before you know it you are at the bottom. You can also punch more of the meat and run a shallow but fun line down the middle/left.
Mortal Combat
This one is the beginning of the huge. After a junky boof off the left wall(angle right), Run a class 4 entrance rapid and eddy out right or left. Here the line goes off to the right and down a big ramp into a hump. Stay to the inside(left) of the hump and keep it pointed downstream. Off to the right is a hole backed by undercut formations. Run down the final 15 foot slide trying to stay on the right of 2 teeth that stick up on the horizon. The hole kicks left into a wall.
Wet Willy
The centerline is the easiest, and has a great boof at the bottom, but watch the cave on the left. Right is best with good water, a straightforward flume. Some run the left, but it is least common.
Boof above Big Boy
Right below Wet Willy are two boofs. The second one signals its time to get out on the right above Big Boy.
Big Boy
This is reputed to be the most serious drop in the Southeast. No one seems to argue about it. 35 foot drop with the finest of lines. Easier lower.
Super Collider
Run down the left and then off a table like rock formation about 12 feet and don't get pinned.
Atomic Elbow Crusher
Go right or left of the Elbow Crusher rock in the landing. There are curls coming off the right wall with good water that don't like you to do the right line.
Mike Tyson's Punchout
This one drops more vert than any other and is definitely the most out of control. Its huge and will blow your mind. Must run!
Harjes Rapid
Named after Chris Harjes. This one tends to land you on a high right brace next to a cave on the right. Drive left and tuck your boat back underneath you, or sneak it on the left. In the picture, Harjes is the rapid right above Trip, with Mike Tysons the one above that. He is running first drop of Caveman.
Caveman
One of the harder and more technical rapids. The first drop is pushy, leading into a sticky hole right above second drop, a jagged ledge you want to run far left. Then the classic third drop, where you boof the left wall 10 feet and land on a righty so you don't go spelunking. Check the cave out afterwards, or before, if you like setting safety.
Mangler
Its been run a few times, but its retarded looking. Big 12 foot boof that lands in a sieve that goes off another big drop that goes into a undercut with wood on the right. You can carefully seal launch next to the wood or launch from 15 feet above the pool below. Hint: its not deep.
Little Headless Horseman
Kinda looks like its big brother upstream, only class 4 and easier.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportplaying with fire on the far right heading into the curtain
Going big in an open canoe
Beep Beep!!
View from the top - entrance.
Second drop - about 8 ft into a hole, which you can't see in the photo.
Top View - Ted drops in further.
Ted looks quite small now - big curler on the right, hang on.
Ted disappears - barely visible on right in curler.
Bottom view - Jerry appears, continuing the sequence from above, barely visible on left.
Final drop - taken from below. A hell of a rapid!
Bottom view....many features don't show here, but penetrate the entrance wave high on right, and brace into a wall shot at the bottom right. Boater is barely visible entering the wall curler.
The size of this rapid doesn't show well - look for the boat upper left.
Just cleared the mushroom rock...head left.
Heading left for the next slide - stay away from the undercut right boulder.
Bottom slide.
Runout at the bottom.
Ravens TR New [add to watch]
Forum: BoaterTalk
Date: Mar 21 2005, 16:41 GMT
From: waterfrk09
As TDUB suggested and our group confirmed on Saturday, you can get down as low as 4 in. On Saturday the level was exactly that. The road leading to the old railroad bed was blocked by a truck so we opted to make the hike up and over. The hike sucks, just shoulder it and go. 2 miles up and 1 down felt about right.
It being the entire groups first time, we took every bit of daylight we had and scouted everything. A summary of the rapids at this level:
Big 15 boof up top with large wood exit, sketchy but runnable, easy portage on the left
Lord of the Rings
Date: Jun 02 2004, 14:13 GMT
From: SEBoater
Anaconda (has wood)
Headless Horseman
Right Right
? (has wood)
Jedi Training (tree @ top, but room to get under it)
?
Mortal Combat (wood, but easily avoided)
Wet Willey
Big Boy (wood)
?
?
Atomic Elbow Cruncher
Mike Tyson's Punch Out
Harjes' rapid
Caveman
the Mangler
the question marks have names, but I'm not positive on what they are. the warm-up starts out big & then it gets bigger.
& a few in the boogie water that would probably have names if they were on any other run.
Ted
From Leland on Boatertalk:
Manuel at the takeout likes Budweiser. (they usally get him a 12 pack inexchange for parking privilidges)
He's a super cool guy to talk to as well - been all over the world.
On the drive up to the putin hike there is an almost exposed drain pipe in the road. BE AWARE OF THE PIPES AND DON'T BREAK THEM!! We damn near lost access due to someone driving over this pipe, breaking it, and pissing off the folks who live up there. The pipe is right after you turn right onto gravel at the top of the driveway. or at least in the first couple hundred yards. I think it's on the right side of the road (showing in the rut) but I haven't been up there in a while so that could be wrong.
The put-in and take-out are both on private property, the bridge and 'public' road are actually tribal land, and the whole thing is such that it's a miracle we have access at all. don't fuck it up.
L
From Leland, on boatertalk:
Ravens: 569
Toxaway: 596
Road Prong: 616
book is coming right along....only another month or two till the writing is all done!
Leland
From Chris Young on Boatertalk:
about Ravens put-in/take-out (please read) New
Forum: BoaterTalk
Date: Jun 02 2004, 23:06 GMT
From: BAyoung
recently people have been abusing the generosity of of the locals. The nice man who allows us to take out on his land usually receives some compensation (beer or smokes) but people have just pulled up and parked without asking. Also people who have not made it all the way up the put in raod have left their cars blockin gthe road. this not only prevents others from getting up, but specifically their is a landowner who lives up there and this is essentially his driveway. I would encourage people not to discuss the details of where the put-in/take out are on this board due to nature of the situation on tribal lands. those who go to the raven can easily call someone who has been for the necessary details. i would hate to lose this resource as there are no other backups available and people put in a lot of work to establish this. Thanks. -Chris Young