By Renee Fortner
For spring break this year, my family joined friends on a five-day adventure along the French Broad River Paddle Trail. Created and maintained by RiverLink and Mountain True, the French Broad River Paddle Trail extends 140 miles from the headwaters in Rosman, North Carolina to Douglas Lake in Tennessee. With the availability of campsites, the entire paddle trail can be completed in 10-13 days. We started at the headwaters and floated 40 miles of the trail while fishing and âwildlife watchingâ along the way.
At Champion Park boat launch, we loaded three adults, three kids (ages 5-7), a dog, and enough gear for five days into two small rafts and a two-person kayak. Around River Mile 8.75, the take-out for Headwaters Outfitters Campground appeared. That night, we settled into the tent exhausted and fell asleep to the chatter of a pack of coyotes in the distance.
On Day 2, we ate a quick breakfast and got on the water early for our longest day of paddling. It was 15.5 miles to our next campsite. Elevated above a bend in the river, the Riverbend campsite (River Mile 24.3) was in an open field with a 180 degree view looking west towards Pisgah National Forest. We finished another great day on the French Broad River eating dinner while watching the sun set over the mountains.
The shortest paddle day of the trip conveniently occurred after the longest. On Day 3, we were only 5.95 miles from the Little River campsite (River Mile 30.25). Knowing this, we took our time and stopped at the mouth of the Davidson River to wade and look for macroinvertebrates (a.k.a. aquatic bugs) in the cold waters.
By Days 4 and 5, we had fully settled into the routine of river life. The last two days were marked by more exciting wildlife sightings, including Great Blue Heron, Otters, and a Beaver. On our last night, we camped at the picturesque Rhodes Ranch Campsite (River Mile 37.75). As we loaded our gear, we were already planning our next adventure along the French Broad River Paddle Trail. 40 miles down⌠100 miles to go!
Your continued support will provide permanent, public access to the river and clean water in your French Broad River watershed. Donate now and read more about Reneeâs full Wildlife Adventure Paddle Trail story at riverlink.org.
Renee Fortner is the Watershed Resources Coordinator at RiverLink