Outdoors canoeing
Transylvania County is home to three main recreational waterways: the French Broad River, the Davidson River and the Little River.
The French Broad River is the third-oldest in the world. The river and its tributaries, including the Davidson River, offer a variety of paddling opportunities, including whitewater kayaking or familyfriendly canoeing. The French Broad starts on the county’ s western side and meanders throughout the river valley, flowing into the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and ultimately ending up in the Gulf of Mexico.
In Transylvania County, flat-water access areas along the French Broad include Champion Park, Island Ford, Hap Simpson Park, Wilson Road and Penrose. Recommendations for half-day floats include Hap Simpson to Wilson Road and Wilson Road to Penrose. Full-day river trips include Champion Park to Island Ford, Island Ford to Hap Simpson, and Hap Simpson to Penrose. Beginners are advised to start on the upper French Broad, which is best accessed from Champion Park in Rosman. From the park, the river drops just 54 feet in the next 10 miles on its way to the Island Ford public boat access, making this stretch ideal for a child’ s first canoe trip.
Hap Simpson Park in Brevard, located roughly 20 miles downstream of Rosman, offers a convenient take-out for those seeking more solitude or for those who want to float longer. The park provides easy access to the river.
On average, the trip from Champion Park to Hap Simpson takes about seven hours. Once under the U. S. 276 bridge, it is just a few more miles downstream to the Wilson Road access point.
Paddling from Island Ford to Hap Simpson is a popular float with fishermen, who tempt muskie and smallmouth bass from the undercut banks and deep, circulating pools that characterize this stretch of the French Broad. The river maintains this languid pace as it meanders through nursery stock and cow pastures to the Henderson County line at Blantyre.
The Davidson River begins in the northwest corner of Transylvania County, paralleling U. S. 276 through Pisgah National Forest. The lower end of the river is generally too shallow and rocky in the summer for canoes and kayaks, but tubing is very popular there. For those looking to get their adrenaline pumping, a class II whitewater experience and an A-plus river experience may be found on the upper Davison River.
Whitewater creek boating can be found on the North and West Fork of the French Broad River. These Class III-V creeks will have you boating down steep slides and paddling over steeper waterfalls.
The Little River also provides paddling opportunities of its own. Although it requires a 1.5- o 2-milelong portage one way, the 100-acre Lake Julia is considered a great lake paddle. Lake Julia can be accessed via Fawn Lake or the High Falls parking area in DuPont State Recreational Forest.
BUSINESSES AVAILABLE TO HELP – Bear Tracks –
Bear Tracks Travel Center, located at 10932 Rosman Highway on the way toward Lake Toxaway and Sapphire, offers tubing adventures. For more information, call( 828) 862-8992 or go to beartrackstravelcenter. com.
– Headwaters –
Headwaters Outfitters, located at the junction of U. S. 64 West and N. C. 215 on the French Broad, offers selfguided canoe and kayak trips, plus tubing. The outfitter provides boats, tubes, life jackets, safety information, shuttles to and from the river, and changing rooms. They also have a location on East Main Street in Brevard. For more information, visit headwatersoutfitters. com or call( 828) 877-3106.
– Lake Toxaway –
Lake Toxaway Marine offers sales, service, storage and rentals. For more information, call( 828) 553-3101 or go to laketoxawaymarine. com.
– Oxbow River –
Oxbow River Snorkeling offers fullday snorkeling tours. For more information, call( 270) 339-0519 or go to oxbowriversnorkeling. com.
– Pura Vida –
Pura Vida Adventures, headquartered on the Hendersonville Highway in Pisgah Forest, offers canoe trips, kayak trips and instructions. For more information, call( 772) 579-0005 or go to www. pvadventures. com.
– Tubing Rentals –
Tubing rentals for the Davidson River are available on U. S. 276 at the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest.
– Paddle Boards –
White Squirrel Paddle Boards offers a fun and unique way to explore the county’ s waterways. For more information, call( 828) 553-7329 or go to whitesquirrelpaddleboards. com.
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