Paddle The Cheoah River

Robbinsville, North Carolina

5.0/5
based on 3 reviews

Description

Added by Rob Giersch

One of North Carolina's best big water runs with a creek like feel

The Cheoah River is a dam controlled section of whitewater that has become one of the "bucket runs" for Western, North Carolina. Located near Robbinsville, NC, the Cheoah is a non-stop class IV+ classic of constant gradient that delivers a Southeastern whitewater experience like no other.

There are a number of spots to put in depending on length of time and section of river you want to run, but the most popular is O'Henry's which is located on Hwy 129 across the highway from the put-in. From here you can run shuttle to the takeout on Cheoah Lake.

Based on years of advocating by American Whitewater and Western, NC Paddlers, the TVA has agreed to annually scheduled releases for recreational use. To date the schedule has been reliable but make sure you check the latest news before heading to the put in.

Many compare the Cheoah to its neighbor the Ocoee, but be conservative in that comparison. While volume of rivers are similar, the Cheaoh contains a great deal of trees and undergrowth that when combined with stickier hydraulics, can make for dangerous swims if a paddler does not have a solid roll.

There are many offset holes and pushy runs along the course of the entire river, but Bear Creek Falls is the major rapid where boaters test their skill and mental fortitude, and spectators/photographers can see the best action. Paddlers can take the middle chute for a giant boof off of Bear Creek Falls proper or run the slide off the right shoot which breaks the falls up into two smaller drops. Either option requires courage.

The lower portion of the Cheaoh runs past Tapoco Lodge where boaters can lodge over the weekend when open, and relax riverside with a beer and watch others run the river.

Plan the day right and you can run 2-3 laps on The Cheoah in a given day.

Release dates can be found here: http://www.endlessriveradventures.com/Cheoah-Release-Dates

Tapoco Lodge reservations can be made here: http://tapocolodge.com/

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Paddle The Cheoah River Reviews

Just a help on this article since the above link doesn't work. Here are the release dates: https://www.outlandexpeditions.com/cheoah-river-whitewater-rafting/ (I don't know if that will link or not so you may want to just change the link in the article.)

This run is for advanced paddlers only. It is mostly class IV river. Full of pushy water, big rock boofs, and hidden drops! If you have the skills this river is a non-stop blast. It pretty much runs roadside the whole way so you can easily hop out of you put on and realize it's over your head! I had to do that my first try down. It doesn't release often so when it does it is full of paddlers which adds to the navigational difficulty. For those that don't want to paddle stoping alongside the road at bear creek falls and watching the paddlers is quite fun on its own! Such a beautiful place.

This is not a beginners run despite being mostly class 3+. The continuous nature of the rapids and growth of sycamore tree saplings in the river bed make this a fun run for experienced class IV paddlers. For non paddlers there are outfitters offering rafting trips down this section. The Dam visible at the end of the run is the one used in the last version of "The Fugitive" It is a scheduled release so check to make sure it's running before going.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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