By Ward Swann, Yadkin River State Trail Coordinator
Nicole Eastman, Yadkin Riverkeeper, and Ward Swann, Yadkin River State Trail Coordinator, will embark on a 192 -mile paddle trip down the Yadkin River in August to draw attention to the beauty and value of the Yadkin River and the threats to our watershed! They will start at the Upper Yadkin River in Happy Valley and paddle to Morrow Mountain State Park, where the Yadkin River becomes the Pee Dee River.
They hope folks will join on this trip for a day or more. They want to build up our community of environmental advocates over long floats and camping trips, monitor water quality along the way, and provide reports and stories about the Yadkin River to be shared online to raise awareness of Yadkin Riverkeeper’s work.
YRK hopes to use this opportunity to raise funds for needed materials and staff time to make this trip successful! Your contribution will support YRK’s mission to protect and enhance water quality throughout the watershed and help us build the awareness that the Yadkin River, the second largest watershed in North Carolina, deserves.
Take a look at the itinerary and see where we are going to be and look for opportunities to join us. There are five days that you can join us and four nights if you have your own gear and enjoy camping. Look for stories and news on the The Long Paddle on the Yadkin River State Trail | Facebook. Check with yadkinriverkeeper.com to find out where you can join along, or sponsor the Long Paddle here.
The Long Paddle General Itinerary
Friday July 31st, (Easy to join, Need to pre register)
Meet at Upper Yadkin Outfitters (UYO) by 8p and camp overnight in the field. The entrance to the field is here.
Saturday August 1st (Easy to join, Need to pre register)
Gather in the field of UYO at 9a ready to go to the water. Paddle from as high up as we can go back to the Camping spot.
Saturday evening, catch a ride to Happy Valley Filling Station and pick up any cars that may have been used in the shuttle.
Spend Saturday night in the field at UYO. People arriving to camp should be there by 8:00p
11 Miles
Sunday August 2nd (Easy to join, Need to pre register)
Unload boats and gear and be ready to run a shuttle to Marley Ford by 9am.
Hit the water by 10.
Daytrippers get off the water when we pass Marley Ford. The Long Paddle Crew (LPC) will continue to Fort Hamby to stay the night.
18 Miles
Monday August 3rd
Upper Yadkin Outfitters is going to shuttle the LPC to Tailwaters. Start asap. Paddle from here to Ronda area and camp on either an island or a friend’s property.
21 Miles
Tuesday August 4th
Paddle to Yadkin Shores. Will pass Elkin in the mid morning time. Camp at Yadkin Shores.
21 Miles
Wednesday August 5th
Paddle to Easy Bend Farms. Camp at Easy Bend Farms
16 Miles
Thursday August 6th
Paddle to Aquilla. Camp at Aquilla.
11 Miles
Friday August 7th
Paddle to Tanglewood. No Camping that night.
19 Miles
Saturday August 8th (Easy to join, Need to pre register)
Meet at Hwy 64 access and shuttle back up to Tanglewood.
Paddle to 64
17 miles
Friday August 14th (Easy to join, Need to pre register)
Meet at Boones Cave to spend the night by the river. Must check in by 8:00
Saturday August 15th (Easy to join, Need to pre register)
Check in, load gear onto a shuttle vehicle by 9a at the parking lot by the picnic shelter at Boones Cave.
Shuttle to 64 and Paddle from 64 to Boones Cave.
Camp at Boones Cave.
13 Miles
Sunday August 16th (Easy to join, Need to pre register)
Have boats and gear ready to paddle by the river campsite and meet at the parking lot near the picnic shelter by 9:30a. Run the shuttle to York Hill/ Yadkin River Park.
Paddle to York Hill.
LPC Camp at York Hill.
11 Miles
Monday August 17th
Paddle across High Rock to the portage. Either Camp at the site on the lake or down by the parking area at the bottom of the dam.
16 Miles
Tuesday August 18th
Paddle Tillery, Camp at the Campsite near the dam.
9 Miles
Wednesday August 19th
Portage Tillery, then Paddle Badin.
Portage to the campsite midway down to Falls.
5 Miles
Thursday August 20th
Finish the portage on Narrows then paddle across Falls.
Portage Falls.
Then Paddle to the Morrow Mountain take out by 1pm
4 Miles
There will be a welcome for the paddlers at Morrow Mountain State Park then a YRK board meeting afterwards.
