Throughout the summer and fall, The LandTrust for Central North Carolina will be hosting paddle trips to showcase the central Piedmont’s precious natural resources, awesome views, and rich history, all within a one to two hour drive from Charlotte, Greensboro, or Raleigh. Dates and descriptions of paddles are listed below.
Rocky River Paddle – Friday, June 23rd
For this trip, we will do the stretch of river from Plank Road to Highway 52 in Norwood. We will meet at 8:30am and will be on the water by 9:00am. The address for the put-in is approximately 2494 Plank Road, Norwood NC 28128. After crossing the bridge across the Rocky River, there is a small, unpaved road on the right that leads down near the river. This property is owned by Anson County. The take-out is where the bridge over Highway 52 is located. Exit the river just before the bridge on the left. The Rocky River joins with the Pee Dee River at Colson’s Plantation, a strategic location along a north-south route during the American Revolution.
Hitchcock Creek Paddle – Saturday, June 24th
We will put in at Roberdel Access along Hitchcock Creek and paddle to the Steele Street Access just north of Rockingham. The distance is 3.67 miles one way. The put-in is located at the Roberdel Access on Nicholson Road, Rockingham, NC 28379. The take out is the Steele Street Access, located at 34.94855, -79.77240. We will meet at 9:30am and will be on the river by 10:00am. This blueway is a partnership between American Rivers and the City of Rockingham. This beautiful stretch of the creek has lots of rocky areas with picturesque cascades and pools.
South Yadkin Paddle – Saturday, September 16th
We will put in at Highway 601 S and paddle south to the convergence of the Yadkin and South Yadkin rivers. This distance is approximately 4 miles. The address for the put-in is 8500 U.S. 601, Mocksville, NC 27028, and the address for the take-out is 955 Hannah Ferry Rd, Salisbury, NC 28144. We will meet at 8:30am and will be on the river by 9:00am. You’ll paddle by The LandTrust for Central NC’s Two Rivers preserve, a 1400-acre property permanently protected and owned by The LandTrust. Keep your eye out for feral hogs, a nuisance frequently spotted on properties adjoining this part of the river.
The Narrows Paddle – Friday, October 27th
What’s more fun than a Halloween paddle? Join us as we paddle The Narrows into Falls Reservoir to see the dam, rock outcrops, and waterfall. We will put in at Falls Road and paddle north toward Badin Dam and back. Time is to be determined, but this will likely be a night paddle. We may stop and get out on the Montgomery County side access for a while and gather round a campfire and share ghost stories of the Uwharries.
By participating in 3 or more 2017 paddle series trips you will be awarded the highly coveted and extremely fashionable ‘paddle challenge’ patch. To register, contact Mikey at michael@landtrustcnc.org or go online to http://landtrustcnc.org/get-involved/2017-paddle-series/.