What Is Your Favorite River?

By Paul Ferguson

Paul is the author of the guidebook Paddling Eastern North Carolina  (www.PocosinPress.com)

I am often asked what is my favorite river. It is a good question, but I rarely have a good, brief answer. I enjoy them all, and just being on any river is my favorite place to be. My memory of paddling trips is influenced by particular experiences of the day – whom I was with, wildlife, weather, water conditions, and wonder. It’s sounding again like a non-answer.

 

People sometimes ask the question because they want a recommendation for a great place to paddle.  It is important to decide the type of trip you want. Is it flatwater or whitewater? Do you want to make a round trip by paddling back to the same place you started? If yes, you only need one vehicle, but the stream must have little to no current. If you do not want to retrace your paddling route, you will need to have someone meet you at the take-out, or you need to leave a vehicle at the take-out. Do you want to paddle a day trip or camp overnight on the river?

Here are some recommendations within the Tar-Pamlico Basin for different trips:

  • Flatwater round trip –  Pungo River from the Riverside Campground ramp near Ponzer. Explore upstream or downstream and return back to your starting point.
  • Flatwater downriver  –  Tar River from Riverfront Park at Tarboro to the boat ramp at NC 42 (7.8 miles).
  • Flatwater camping – Any stretch of the Tar River between the NC 33 boat ramp and Greenville.
  • Whitewater – Tar River from NC 96 bridge to Green Hill Road (Franklin County 1203) bridge (6.3 miles). It requires whitewater experience and can only be run after rain. Check that the USGS Tar River near Tar River gauge is not too low, less than 2.8 feet. As it rises to 4.5 feet, large waves develop, and it becomes a Class III run.

If you own a canoe or kayak, you probably already have your own favorite trips, but if you do not own a boat or want to broaden your experience, consider contacting one of these groups:

  • Rocky Mount’s Outdoor Recreation Division – Offers canoe and kayak rentals, instruction, guided trips, and even a few camping platforms. (252-972-1235 or www.rockymountnc.gov/parks/outdoor.html)
  • Inner Banks Outfitters – Canoes and kayaks can be rented in Washington, and they offer some instruction. (252-975-3006 or www.InnerBanksOutfitters.com)
  • PTRF ­– has a new fleet of kayaks and a paddling group
  • Slickrock Expeditions – Schedules trips on many rivers in the US and Canada. A recent offering was a three-day trip on a remote stretch of Fishing Creek. Custom trips are available. (828-293-3999 or www.slickrockexpeditions.com)

I hear echoes of the question – What is your favorite river? For the Tar-Pamlico Basin, it was in my article, Paddling With Swift Snakes, for the PTRF Winter 2008 newsletter. A few stretches of Swift Creek gave me abundant wildlife, difficulty, remoteness, and adventure. We finished at dusk. Maybe this sheds some light on why I am reluctant to answer.

Read Paul's other paddling adventures: River Access, Winter Paddling, "Paddling with Swift Snakes." ; Canoe Camping.