State routes

North Carolina Rivers

Compare 48 tracked North Carolina paddle routes with route links, water-level context, difficulty, and access planning details.

12 routes support live scores. 36 planning-only routes provide trip details and source links without a live route score.

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48 routes14 rivers28 regions2 beginner routes

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Coverage snapshot

Explore supported North Carolina rivers

Scan the highlighted river network from above, then use the route guides and access markers to find a supported reach.

48 route markers8 multi-route rivers2 beginner routes

Supported riverSelected reachAccess-point connectionStrong conditionsGood conditionsWatch closelySkip

Alamance County 7 Ashe and Alleghany counties 5 Rockingham County 4 Henderson County 3 Raleigh / Wake County Neuse River Blueway 3 Forsyth and Yadkin Counties 2 Gaston County 2 Transylvania County 2

Live conditions

Best North Carolina routes today

Loading current scores, gauge reads, and weather signals.

--Live

Stokes County

Dan River

Hanging Rock to Moratock Park

Moderate | approximately 5.9 river miles | 2.5–4 hours depending on flow, stops, scouting, debris, and boat type | Live score supported

View trip details

--Live

Transylvania County

French Broad River

Pisgah Forest River Access to Penrose Boating Access Area

Moderate | approximately 5.5 river miles | 2.5–4 hours depending on flow, stops, scouting, debris, and boat type | Live score supported

View trip details

--Live

Alamance and Orange counties

Haw River

Saxapahaw Mill Race to Union Bridge

Moderate | 5.5 river miles | 2.5 hours depending on flow, scouting, debris, and boat type | Live score supported

View trip details

--Live

Rockingham County

Mayo River

Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach to Business 220

Hard | 10 river miles | 5+ hours depending on flow, scouting, rapids, debris, and boat type | Live score supported

View trip details

Current scores load here when available. You can still open the route links to check details and sources if this update fails.

Best route options

Good starting points in North Carolina

Ranked from route metadata, source support, difficulty, and logistics.

Water flows over the dam on the Haw River at Bynum, North Carolina.

North Carolina routeAlamance CountyHaw RiverIndian Valley Paddle Access to Great Bend ParkA 1-mile planning-only flatwater Haw River section between Indian Valley Paddle Access and Great Bend Park at Glencoe, with a documented mill-dam portag...

Route facts

Easy | approximately 1 river miles | approximately 45–90 minutes one-way, plus carry, portage, and shuttle time | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

A canoeist paddles on the French Broad River in North Carolina.

North Carolina routeHenderson CountyFrench Broad RiverBlantyre Access to Horse Shoe Boating Access AreaA 6.5-mile planning-only French Broad Paddle Trail section from Blantyre to the Horse Shoe Boating Access Area, using the official access chain as the e...

Route facts

Moderate | approximately 6.5 river miles | approximately 3–4 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

North Carolina routeHenderson CountyFrench Broad RiverHorse Shoe Boating Access Area to Lazy Otter River AccessA 3.5-mile planning-only French Broad Paddle Trail section from the Horse Shoe Boating Access Area to Lazy Otter River Access.

Route facts

Moderate | approximately 3.5 river miles | approximately 2–3 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

North Carolina routeTransylvania CountyFrench Broad RiverIsland Ford River Access to Hap Simpson ParkA 10-mile planning-only French Broad Paddle Trail section linking the Island Ford and Hap Simpson public accesses through the Transylvania County corridor.

Route facts

Moderate | approximately 10 river miles | approximately 4–6 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

North Carolina routeHenderson CountyFrench Broad RiverLazy Otter River Access to Westfeldt ParkA 7.5-mile planning-only French Broad Paddle Trail section from Lazy Otter River Access to Westfeldt Park, extending the published Henderson County acce...

Route facts

Moderate | approximately 7.5 river miles | approximately 3–5 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

North Carolina routeTransylvania and Henderson CountiesFrench Broad RiverPenrose Boat Ramp to Blantyre AccessA 3-mile planning-only French Broad Paddle Trail section from the Penrose access to the Blantyre access, preserving a short mountain-valley connection i...

Route facts

Moderate | approximately 3 river miles | approximately 1.5–3 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time | Planning only · no live scoreofficial source support

Beginner routes

North Carolina beginner routes

These routes are tagged easy in the route data. Today's water can still change the call.

Haw RiverIndian Valley Paddle Access to Great Bend ParkAlamance County | approximately 1 river miles Valley RiverAndrews Public Access to Tomotla Gauge / Murphy AreaCherokee County | approximately 11 river miles for app planning (the section guide describes about 8 miles; authoritative endpoint anchors are 10.5 miles apart straight-line)

Weekend planning

Routes with practical logistics

Use the live weekend board for score-based recommendations.

Dan RiverHanging Rock to Moratock Parkapproximately 5.9 river miles | 2.5–4 hours depending on flow, stops, scouting, debris, and boat type French Broad RiverBlantyre Access to Horse Shoe Boating Access Areaapproximately 6.5 river miles | approximately 3–4 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time French Broad RiverHorse Shoe Boating Access Area to Lazy Otter River Accessapproximately 3.5 river miles | approximately 2–3 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time French Broad RiverIsland Ford River Access to Hap Simpson Parkapproximately 10 river miles | approximately 4–6 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time French Broad RiverLazy Otter River Access to Westfeldt Parkapproximately 7.5 river miles | approximately 3–5 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time French Broad RiverPenrose Boat Ramp to Blantyre Accessapproximately 3 river miles | approximately 1.5–3 hours, plus current, scouting, and shuttle time

Browse coverage

Rivers and regions

Expand a river or region to browse its routes.

By river

Yadkin River10

Yadkin River hub Burch Station at Mitchell River Access to Yadkin/Shore Access Crater Park Access to Burch Station at Mitchell River Access Donnaha Access to Old U.S. 421 River Park Huntsville Access to Tanglewood Park Access Kerr Scott Tailwater to Smoot Park Old U.S. 421 River Park to Huntsville Access Ronda Park to Crater Park in Elkin Shoals Access to Donnaha Access US 64 Access to Boone’s Cave Park Yadkin/Shore Access to Shoals Access

Haw River9

Haw River hub Altamahaw Paddle Access to Shallow Ford Natural Area Brooks Bridge Paddle Access to Altamahaw Paddle Access Glencoe Paddle Access to Red Slide Park Graham Paddle Access to Swepsonville River Park Indian Valley Paddle Access to Great Bend Park Red Slide Park to Graham Paddle Access Saxapahaw Mill Race to Union Bridge Shallow Ford Natural Area to Indian Valley Paddle Access Swepsonville River Park Lower Access to Saxapahaw Lake Paddle Access

French Broad River6

French Broad River hub Blantyre Access to Horse Shoe Boating Access Area Horse Shoe Boating Access Area to Lazy Otter River Access Island Ford River Access to Hap Simpson Park Lazy Otter River Access to Westfeldt Park Penrose Boat Ramp to Blantyre Access Pisgah Forest River Access to Penrose Boating Access Area

New River5

New River hub Elk Shoals Access to Wagoner Access Kings Creek Access to Alleghany Paddle-In Access N.C. 88 Bridge Public Canoe Access to Wagoner Access U.S. 221 Access to Kings Creek Access Wagoner Access to U.S. 221 Access

Mayo River4

Mayo River hub Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach Access to Hickory Creek Access Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach to Business 220 Deshazo Mill Access to Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach Access Hickory Creek Access to Mayodan Access

Neuse River4

Neuse River hub Buffaloe Road to Anderson Point Falls Dam public paddlecraft launch to Thornton Road River Bend Park to Buffaloe Road Thornton Road to River Bend Park

Roanoke River2

Roanoke River hub Gaston / Roanoke Rapids Access to Weldon Outtake Williamston Access to Astoria Landing

South Fork Catawba River2

South Fork Catawba River hub R.Y. McAden Access to Goat Island Park Access Spencer Mountain Access to R.Y. McAden Access

Dan River1

Dan River hub Hanging Rock to Moratock Park

Hammocks Beach State Park1

Hammocks Beach Access to Huggins Island loop

Lumber River1

Boardman Boating Access Area to Princess Ann Access

Tuckasegee River1

Dillsboro Access to Barker’s Creek Access

Uwharrie River1

Low Water Bridge to NC 109 Access

Valley River1

Andrews Public Access to Tomotla Gauge / Murphy Area

By region

Alamance County7

Haw River: Altamahaw Paddle Access to Shallow Ford Natural Area Haw River: Glencoe Paddle Access to Red Slide Park Haw River: Graham Paddle Access to Swepsonville River Park Haw River: Indian Valley Paddle Access to Great Bend Park Haw River: Red Slide Park to Graham Paddle Access Haw River: Shallow Ford Natural Area to Indian Valley Paddle Access Haw River: Swepsonville River Park Lower Access to Saxapahaw Lake Paddle Access

Alamance and Orange counties1

Haw River: Saxapahaw Mill Race to Union Bridge

Ashe and Alleghany counties5

South Fork New River: Elk Shoals Access to Wagoner Access South Fork New River: Kings Creek Access to Alleghany Paddle-In Access South Fork New River: N.C. 88 Bridge Public Canoe Access to Wagoner Access South Fork New River: U.S. 221 Access to Kings Creek Access South Fork New River: Wagoner Access to U.S. 221 Access

Cherokee County1

Valley River: Andrews Public Access to Tomotla Gauge / Murphy Area

Davidson County1

Yadkin River: US 64 Access to Boone’s Cave Park

Forsyth and Yadkin Counties2

Yadkin River: Donnaha Access to Old U.S. 421 River Park Yadkin River: Old U.S. 421 River Park to Huntsville Access

Gaston County2

South Fork Catawba River: R.Y. McAden Access to Goat Island Park Access South Fork Catawba River: Spencer Mountain Access to R.Y. McAden Access

Guilford and Alamance Counties1

Haw River: Brooks Bridge Paddle Access to Altamahaw Paddle Access

Henderson County3

French Broad River: Blantyre Access to Horse Shoe Boating Access Area French Broad River: Horse Shoe Boating Access Area to Lazy Otter River Access French Broad River: Lazy Otter River Access to Westfeldt Park

Jackson County1

Tuckasegee River: Dillsboro Access to Barker’s Creek Access

Martin County1

Roanoke River: Williamston Access to Astoria Landing

Montgomery County1

Uwharrie River: Low Water Bridge to NC 109 Access

Northampton and Halifax counties1

Roanoke River: Gaston / Roanoke Rapids Access to Weldon Outtake

Onslow County / Bogue Inlet and Intracoastal Waterway1

Hammocks Beach State Park: Hammocks Beach Access to Huggins Island loop

Raleigh / Wake County Neuse River Blueway3

Neuse River: Buffaloe Road to Anderson Point Neuse River: River Bend Park to Buffaloe Road Neuse River: Thornton Road to River Bend Park

Robeson and Columbus counties1

Lumber River: Boardman Boating Access Area to Princess Ann Access

Rockingham County4

Mayo River: Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach Access to Hickory Creek Access Mayo River: Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach to Business 220 Mayo River: Deshazo Mill Access to Anglin Mill / Mayo Beach Access Mayo River: Hickory Creek Access to Mayodan Access

Stokes County1

Dan River: Hanging Rock to Moratock Park

Surry County1

Yadkin River: Crater Park Access to Burch Station at Mitchell River Access

Surry and Yadkin Counties1

Yadkin River: Burch Station at Mitchell River Access to Yadkin/Shore Access

Surry, Forsyth, and Yadkin Counties1

Yadkin River: Shoals Access to Donnaha Access

Transylvania County2

French Broad River: Island Ford River Access to Hap Simpson Park French Broad River: Pisgah Forest River Access to Penrose Boating Access Area

Transylvania and Henderson Counties1

French Broad River: Penrose Boat Ramp to Blantyre Access

Wake County1

Neuse River: Falls Dam public paddlecraft launch to Thornton Road

Wilkes County1

Yadkin River: Kerr Scott Tailwater to Smoot Park

Wilkes and Surry counties1

Yadkin River: Ronda Park to Crater Park in Elkin

Yadkin and Forsyth Counties1

Yadkin River: Huntsville Access to Tanglewood Park Access

Yadkin and Surry Counties1

Yadkin River: Yadkin/Shore Access to Shoals Access

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All tracked routes

Every North Carolina route on Paddle Today

48 routes with condition and access details.

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Quick answers

North Carolina paddling FAQ

How does Paddle Today choose North Carolina paddle routes?

Paddle Today lists source-backed routes with reviewed access and trip information. This page includes 12 routes with live-score support and 36 planning-only routes across 14 rivers. Planning-only routes do not have a live route score.

Are these North Carolina river conditions live?

Scored routes show the latest available conditions, subject to data availability. Planning-only routes provide trip information and source links without a live route score. Check update times and missing-data notices, and verify conditions with the linked managers before leaving.

Can I request another North Carolina route?

Yes. Use the request form to send the river, reach, access points, and any source links. Requests help prioritize useful additions with verified public access and route evidence.