Western North Carolina Vacations

What better way to usher in a new year then to get in a boat and paddle down a river. So that's what we did. Some Blue Heron Whitewater staff and friends took some canoes to the put-in for section ten of the French Broad River and headed downstream for a couple hours. Section ten of the French Broad River is a fun and scenic paddle that starts in Hot Springs, NC and continues down to Paint Rock, near the Tennessee border. This stretch of the French Broad river is mostly class one and two. Not really enough whitewater for whitewater rafting but great for family rafting and float trips for folks with young children or those looking for a relaxing and scenic float on one of the most ancient rivers in the world. There's plenty of bird life along this section of the French Broad. Even in early January we spotted geese, blue herons, and kingfishers. They seemed quite surprised, and in the kingfishers case, irritated by our presence. We took out at a Forest Service picnic are called Murry Branch which made for a somewhat shorter paddle. It was a bit rainy (which is always a good thing), but warm (also a good thing). A perfect way to start off 2009. Paddling in the rain with friends on the French Broad River, in the hills and mountains of western North Carolina. Did I mention it was raining?