North Carolina: Green and South Fork of the New rivers

Green River Gorge Location: The Green is located near Saluda, N.C., in Polk and Henderson counties. How to access: The gorge has three sections — the Lower Green, the Upper Green and the Narrows. There are specific put-in and take-out spots for each section, and visitors should be aware of which section they are entering,…

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Maryland: Youghiogheny

Kayaker paddles through rapid

Youghiogheny River Location: The Youghiogheny is a 132-mile tributary of the Monongahela River. It begins in West Virginia, flowing through Maryland’s Garrett County and the town of Oakland before entering Pennsylvania. How to access: The Youghiogheny has several public access points maintained by volunteers that include places to make donations, which help volunteers run the…

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Kentucky: Rockcastle and Russell Fork rivers

Kayakers converge below a rapid

Rockcastle River Location: The Rockcastle River (pictured on the cover of this issue) flows through portions of Jackson, Rockcastle, Laurel and Pulaski counties in Kentucky. How to access: The put-ins and take-outs for different sections are located along roads and bridges, with the access points visible from the roads. Visit tinyurl.com/rockcastle-river. Difficulty: This river is…

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Tennessee: Tellico River and Norris Lake

kayaker paddles over a ten foot waterfall

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 the rapids on this river are within view of the road, which makes it easier…

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Virginia: Clinch and Maury rivers

man in a canoe goes over a rapid

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 hosts numerous launch and take-out sites. Review a map and mileage information at clinchriverva.com. Difficulty:…

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South Carolina: Pacolet River

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 make it highly accessible. The first access point is located on River Street in Clifton,…

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