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Tellico River Location: The Tellico River is approximately 60 miles from Knoxville and 90 miles from Chattanooga. The river primarily runs through Monroe County near Tellico Plains. How to access: The aptly named River Road provides several access points. All…
Clinch River Location: The Clinch River forms in Tazewell County, Va., flowing unfettered through Southwest Virginia on its way to Tennessee, where it encounters two dams before joining the Tennessee River. How to access: The Virginia section of the Clinch…
Pacolet River Location: The Pacolet River runs through northwestern South Carolina near the towns of Spartanburg and Lockhart. How to access: There are several access points to the river, and the river flows close to major roads and highways that…
Cheat River Location: The Cheat River flows north through northeastern West Virginia, near the towns of Rowlesburg and Albright. Difficulty: The Upper Cheat north of Parsons is a Class I river with excellent camping and fishing opportunities. The river’s Narrows…
Toccoa River Location: The Toccoa River’s primary paddling routes are near the town of Blue Ridge in northwest Georgia. Difficulty: The Toccoa is a Class I and II river —with one II+ rapid — and provides training opportunities for beginning…
Cynthia Grimes and her daughter Emily Grimes share a love of Kentucky rivers and teaching paddling to youngsters.
“We believe the outdoors is like a hack, or a shortcut, for developing competent and confident young women, and we’re seeing that firsthand with our students everyday,” says Emily Shanblatt, an avid paddler and instructor to middle school girls at the French Broad River Academy.
A formidable kayaker, Chrissy Zeltner serves as board chair for West Virginia Rivers Coalition, where she helps to protect drinking water and preserve the state’s stunning whitewater rivers.
Through Team River Runner, Laura Dillon shares the experience of kayaking with veterans. “When you’re paddling whitewater, it’s you and your boat, the water you’re on, and the people on the right and left of you,” she says. “The rest of the world ceases to exist.”
Kayaking provided Bethany Overfield with a new joy and passion during a time of transition. Now, she is helping to protect whitewater rivers and enhance the boating community through her involvement with American Whitewater and Kentucky River Watershed Watch.
