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Currents
April 2020
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European waterway with outflow to the North Sea, is
320 to 340 million years old.
Next oldest are three U.S. rivers, all dissecting the
Appalachian Mountains, and all at 260 to 325 million
years old. The third oldest is the New, in North Car-
olina, Virginia, and West Virginia, outflowing to the
Kanawha River. Along its 320-mile length, the New
has Class 1 to 5 rapids (West Virginia), 50 miles of
hiking trails, and 1400 established rock climbs. Visit
the New River Gorge Bridge, spanning an 851-foot
canyon.
Fourth oldest is the Susquehanna, in Maryland,
Pennsylvania, and New York, which outflows to the
Chesapeake Bay. The river, central to the lives of
Native American tribes, also figured in Revolutionary
and Civil War history. Today, it hosts kayakers,
canoers, and boaters.
Number five in age, the 218-mile French Broad,
flows through the Pisgah and Cherokee National
Forests (North Carolina), and outflows to the Ten-
nessee River. Take the 140-mile paddle trail, with
flat water for the first 75 miles, and (optional) rapids
thereafter. In Asheville, rafting experiences ($100+
per person) are offered at Beginner to Class 4 levels.
Many choose to lash pontoons together to form a
flotilla, to meander along calm water. The French
Broad River Park boasts picnic areas, trails for jog-
ging and cycling, and fenced-in areas for canines to
run, unleashed, as well as a deep-shaded strolling
path [see photo].
If your curiosity is piqued regarding other rivers’
ages, a summary, in millions of years: The Rhine
(240); the Colorado (75); the Nile (65 to 75); the
Thames (58); the Indus (45); the Yangtze (23 to 36);
the Columbia (6-17); the Amazon (11.3 to 11.8); the
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