North Carolina | Alamance and Orange counties
Haw River
Saxapahaw Mill Race to Union Bridge
Check current paddling conditions for this Haw River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A short intermediate Haw River moving-water run with named county accesses, direct stage telemetry, section-specific gauge guidance, and a downstream dam warning for the next reach.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Saxapahaw Mill Race Paddle AccessHaw River Trail lists Saxapahaw Mill Race at 6079 Swepsonville-Saxapahaw Road, Graham, and Union Bridge at 7525 Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road, Chapel Hill. The stored coordinates are practical mapped river-access anchors; confirm signage and the actual stair/river landing on arrival.
Take-out
Union Bridge Paddle AccessHaw River Trail facilities have posted seasonal hours and gates. Do not leave vehicles after closing, and check current county notices before committing to the shuttle.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Haw River Trail lists Saxapahaw Mill Race at 6079 Swepsonville-Saxapahaw Road, Graham, and Union Bridge at 7525 Greensboro-Chapel Hill Road, Chapel Hill. The stored coordinates are practical mapped river-access anchors; confirm signage and the actual stair/river landing on arrival.
- Haw River Trail facilities have posted seasonal hours and gates. Do not leave vehicles after closing, and check current county notices before committing to the shuttle.
Watch for
- stage below 2.1 ft
- stage above 4.0 ft
- rapid rise after rain
- intermittent rapids
- low-water scraping
- strainers and storm debris
- bridge hazards
- cold water
- access closures
- downstream dam if continuing past Union Bridge
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Haw River at Haw River, NC |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| Discharge | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 2.30 ft to 3.50 ft |
| Low threshold | 2.10 ft |
| High threshold | 4.00 ft |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Haw River Trail section-specific gauge guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Named route sectionSaxapahaw Mill Race Paddle Access to Union Bridge Paddle Access; 5.5 miles / 2.5 hours; intermediate
Haw River Trail publishes the named endpoint pair, public addresses, mileage, estimated time, and intermediate difficulty.
- Section-specific operating guidanceMinimum USGS gauge level 2.1 ft at Haw River; connected section maximum planning cue 4.0 ft
Haw River Trail publishes the 2.1 ft minimum for this section and the 4.0 ft upper cue on its gauge guidance. Paddle Today stores a narrower derived ideal band and requires same-day visual and weather checks.
- Access network14 public paddle accesses through the Alamance County Haw River Trail network
The trail overview confirms this section belongs to a managed public access network rather than an isolated informal launch.
- Put-in coordinate anchor35.94696, -79.32243
A mapped Saxapahaw Mill Race canoe/slipway feature supports the practical river-access coordinate; verify the county trailhead and signs in person.
- Take-out coordinate anchor35.895164, -79.257469
A mapped Union Bridge boat launch supports the practical river-access coordinate; the Haw River Trail address remains the primary access evidence.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 02096500; 86.2 cfs and 1.73 ft at 2026-08-27 17:45 EDT
The reviewed observation was below the Haw River Trail minimum, so the route should not be treated as launch-ready from that snapshot. Recheck the live value and trend before every trip; provisional data are subject to revision.
- State-trail contextHaw River State Trail
North Carolina's state-trail system provides the broader public corridor context; this route is anchored to the partner-managed Haw River Paddle Trail access chain.
- Image decisionNo route-specific image selected; approved Haw River context image used
No route-specific image was copied into the repository; the preview uses a rights-clean Haw River context image and labels the Bynum dam view as context rather than an endpoint claim.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Haw River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Haw River?
Paddle Today watches Haw River at Haw River, NC and treats 2.30 ft to 3.50 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Haw River route start and end?
This route starts at Saxapahaw Mill Race Paddle Access and ends at Union Bridge Paddle Access, about 5.5 river miles on the water.
Is this Haw River route good for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.