Click on a run's name for a brief description, links to more complete descriptions, links to current weather reports, links and information on water levels (especially online sources), links to photos, the season(s) it is most often paddled, and directions from Asheville to the put ins and take outs (including the distance in minutes from downtown Asheville driving at the speed limit under normal traffic conditions to the take-out;  click on a run's distance to go to a route map).  Click on a run's level to go directly to its online gauge (or proxy, if one exists).  An asterisk next to a level's link indicates that the link is to a proxy gauge and that alternative online gauges are available and discussed on the run's page of this website.  Additional runs are included in the tours section of this website.  Please read the Ratings Guide, including the disclaimer, before going any further.

Note:  the levels listed below are estimates occasionally based on time-honored rules of thumb, often based on a limited number of observations, and sometimes based on pure speculation.  Help improve the quality of this information:  help create virtual gauges, dial in existing gauges, and win valuable prizes!  Learn how here:  The River Gauges Project.

River or Creek	Class	Level	Distance	Season
Big Creek, Lower (Downstream of NPS Campground)	IV	1200-2400 cfs*	55 minutes	March-April
Big Creek, Upper (Upstream of NPS Campground)	V	1200-3000 cfs*	60 minute drive, 1-2 hour hike	March-April
Big Laurel Creek	III-IV-	300 cfs minimum*	43 minutes	Jan-April
Big South Fork of the Cumberland, Burnt Mill Bridge to Leatherwood Ford	III-III+	400 cfs minimum	210 minutes	Nov-May
Brush Creek
Cataloochee Creek	II-III (IV)	130 cfs minimum	40 minutes	Jan-Apr
Catawba, North Fork, Sevier to Lake James (Lower)	II+	700 cfs minimum*	55 minutes	After heavy rain
Citico Creek	III-IV	Over 3.5 feet and rising,  heavy rainfall in region*	161 minutes	After heavy, extended rain
Chattooga, Section 3	III (IV+)	600 cfs minimum	120 minutes	Dec-June
Chattooga, Section 4	IV-IV+	300 cfs minimum	145 minutes	All
Chauga Gorge	IV	1,000 cfs minimum*	135 minutes	March-April
Cheoah	III-IV+	4.6-5.4 feet optimum	135 minutes	After hurricane / severe storm (for now)
Crab Orchard Creek	III-IV	5,000 cfs minimum*	164 minutes	After heavy rain
Crooked Fork Creek	IV	3,000 cfs minimum*	180 minutes	Feb-March
Cullasaja, Lower	V (V+)	4.0 feet minimum	75 minutes	Nov-April
Cullasaja, Middle	IV-IV+ (V)	4.0 feet minimum	90 minutes	Nov-April
Daddy's Creek, Antioch Bridge to Devil's Breakfast Table (or Obed Junction)	III-IV	550 cfs minimum	220 minutes	DBT closed Feb-Mar Th-Tu in Apr
Doe Gorge	IV	350 cfs minimum	95 minutes	Dec-April
Elk River, Twisting Falls	IV-V (VI)	450 cfs minimum*	120 minutes	After heavy rain
French Broad, Bent Creek to Hominy Creek (Biltmore)	I-II	500 cfs minimum	7 minutes	All
French Broad, Woodfin to Alexander (Section 6)	II	500 cfs minimum	19 minutes	All
French Broad, Rosman to Bent Creek (multiple sections)	I	500 cfs minimum	15-60 minutes	All
French Broad, Marshall to Barnard (Section 8)	I-II	500 cfs minimum	36 minutes	All
French Broad, Barnard to Hot Springs (Section 9)	III (IV-)	2,000-4,000 cfs optimum	43 minutes	All ( best levels in Spring)
French Broad, North Fork	IV-IV+	500-1,700 cfs optimum	62 minutes	Feb-March
French Broad, West Fork	IV-IV+	500-1,700 cfs optimum	59 minutes	Feb-March
Gauley, Lower	IV	450 cfs minimum	300 minutes	All (but Sept-Oct most;  dam release)
Gauley, Upper	IV-V-	600 cfs minimum	300 minutes	All (but Sept-Oct most;  dam release)
Green (NC), Lower	I-II	Release information: 828-698-2068 800-829-5253 100% of one unit minimum	60 minutes	All (dam release)
Green (NC), Narrows	IV-V (2 @ 5+)		42 minutes	All (dam release)
Green (NC), Upper	II-III- (2 @ III+)		37 minutes	All (dam release)
Ivy, Forks of Ivy to Eller Cove Road	I-II (II+)	200 cfs minimum*	30 minutes	After heavy rain
Linville Gorge (Linville Falls to Lake James)	IV-V+ (3-4 @ VI)	200-700 cfs	65 minutes	March-April
Little (TN), Elkmont to Metcalf Bottoms	II-III	600 cfs minimum*	120 minutes	Jan-April
Little (TN), Metcalf Bottoms to the Elbow (Sinks)	IV-IV+	600 cfs minimum*	130 minutes	Jan-April
Little (TN), Middle Prong (Tremont)	IV	1,200 cfs minimum*	140 minutes	After heavy rain
Little Pigeon,  Middle Prong, Porters Creek to Highway 73 (Greenbrier)	II-III	2,000 and rising* All Sevier 24 hrs 1"(W)-2+"(S)* Newfound G*	85 minutes	Jan-April
Little Pigeon,  Middle Prong, Trailhead to Porters Creek (Ramsey Cascades)	IV+	3,000 and rising* All Sevier 24 hrs 2"(W)-3+"(S)* Newfound G*	95 minutes	After heavy rain
Little Pigeon, Lower West Prong (Picnic Area to Campbell Overlook)	V	Newfound 24 hrs 1"(W)-1.5"(S)* Newfound G* Chimney SG?*	85 minutes	Jan-April
Little Pigeon, Road Prong of the West Prong	V	Newfound 24 hrs 1"(W)-1.5"(S)* Newfound G* Chimney S G?*	105 minutes, 1 mile hike	After heavy rain
Little Pigeon, Upper West Prong (Trailhead to Picnic Area)	V-V+	Newfound 24 hrs 1"(W)-1.5"(S)* Newfound G* Chimney S G?*	100 minutes	Jan-April
Little Pigeon, Upper Upper West Prong (Alum Cave to Trailhead)	V-V+	Newfound 24 hrs 1"(W)-1.5"(S)* Newfound G* Chimney S G?*	105 minutes	After heavy rain
Little Tennessee	II+
Little Tennessee	II+
Mills, South Fork (Pink Beds to South Mills River Road)	II (IV, portage)	250 cfs minimum	35 minutes	Nov-June
Nantahala, Cascades	IV-V-	4.2 feet on USGS gauge at Ferebee	98 minutes	After heavy rain
Nantahala, Gorge (Beechertown to Wesser)	II+ (III)	Release schedule: 828-488-2176, x426	85 minutes	All (except Nov)
New River Gorge	III-IV	2,000 cfs minimum	265 minutes	All
Nolichucky, Gorge	III-IV-	500-2,500 cfs	55 minutes	All (but best levels in Spring)
Nolichucky, Gorge	IV	Over 2,500 cfs	55 minutes	All (best levels in Spring)
Obed, US 127 to Adams Bridge (Gould Bend)	II-III (IV+)	1,500 cfs minimum*	188 minutes	Dec-April
Obed, Devil's Breakfast Table to Nemo	III+	1,200 cfs minimum*	185 minutes	Dec-May
Ocoee (Ocoee #2 Dam to below Ocoee #2 Powerhouse)	III+	Release Schedule Virtual Gauge	172 minutes	End of March - Beginning of Nov
Ocoee, Upper	III+	Release Schedule	166 minutes	May-September
Oconaluftee	II-III	360 cfs minimum	75 minutes	Nov-July
Overflow Creek	V	1,500 cfs and rising minimum*	125 minutes	After heavy rain
Pigeon (Big), Gorge (Big Creek to Hartford)	III-III+	300 cfs minimum	55 minutes	All (mainly Summer;  dam release)
Pigeon (Big), Dries	IV+ (2@V)	600-1,500 cfs*	55 minutes	After hurricane / severe storm
Pigeon (Big), Dries	IV-IV+ (V)	350-600 cfs*	55 minutes	After hurricane / severe storm
Pigeon (Big), West Fork	V	280-1,000 cfs	50 minutes	After heavy rain
Raven Fork, The Gorges	V-V+ (VI)	Trout F SG 1.6 or 750-1,500 cfs*	105 minute drive, 2 hour hike	Feb-April
Raven Fork, Straight Fork to Job Corps Center Bridge	II-III	650-2,000 cfs*	78 minutes	Jan-April
Rocky Broad, Lower	IV-V-	Bat Cave SG 4.2 minimum	47 minutes	Nov-April
Rocky Broad, Upper	IV-V-	Bat Cave SG ?	40 minutes	Nov-April
Russell Fork of the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy, Gorge	IV-V	6.3-8 feet*	245 minutes	All (but Oct most)
Russell Fork of the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy, Upper	II-III (IV-)	6.7 feet minimum*	225 minutes	All (but Oct most)
Saluda, Middle Fork
Santeetlah Creek, Lower	III-IV	Over 5 feet and rising,  Chestnut Flats 2" in 24 hrs*	150 minutes	After heavy rain
Santeetlah Creek, Upper	V	Over 5 feet and rising,  Chestnut Flats 2" in 24 hrs*	160 minutes	After heavy rain
Slickrock Creek	IV-V	Over 5 feet and rising,  heavy rainfall in region*	130 minutes, paddle to gauge	After heavy, extended rain
Snowbird Creek	III-IV+	Over 5 feet and rising,  Chestnut Flats 2" in 24 hrs*	130 minutes, 0-3 mile hike	After heavy rain
Spring Creek	III-III+ (V)	Meadow Fork G 2" in 24 hours*	42 minutes	After heavy rain
Swannanoa	I-II	100 cfs minimum	10 minutes	Oct-Aug
Tallulah Gorge	IV (V)	450-1,200 cfs	125 minutes	Apr, Nov Releases
Tellico, Middle (Bridge below Jerrods Knee to Oosterneck parking area)	III+	1.7-4 feet	171 minutes	Nov-April
Tellico, Upper (First bridge above Bald River Falls to bridge below Jerrods Knee)	IV	1.8-5 feet	187 minutes	Nov-April
Toe River Gorge, Toecane to Red Hill Bridge	II-III	110 cfs minimum*	60 minutes	All
Toe River, South Fork, Carolina Hemlocks to Patience Mullindore Park	I-II	250 cfs minimum	65 minutes	After heavy rain
Toe River, South Fork, Patience Mullindore Park to NC 80 Bridge	II (III)	250 cfs minimum	55 minutes	After heavy rain
Tuckaseegee, Dillsboro to Barker's Creek	II
Tuckaseegee, Ela to Bryson City	II
Tuckaseegee, Whittier to Ela	II (II+)
Tuckaseegee, West Fork	III-IV+	Dewatered (for now)	80 minutes	Dewatered (for now)
Watauga Gorge	IV-V-	250-400 cfs optimum	120 minutes	Dec-May
Wilson Creek, Gorge	IV	300 cfs and rising minimum*	80 minutes	Dec-May
Yadkin, Upper	IV	150 cfs minimum	90 minutes	After heavy rain
Yellow Creek

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