Wrong way on the Uwharrie River

Since it was to be a hot humid day, we chose a short route to paddle on the Uwharrie River. From the Rt 109 bridge to the end of Forest Road 555 it is only 4.7 miles - if you stop at the take out spot the first time by. We managed to stop on our second pass. So our float took us all the way to the back water of Lake Tillery. When we saw the buoy marking the limit of safe motorboat navigation, we knew we had gone too far, way too far. Fortunelty on the return we didn't have to deal with a downriver current until we were out of the back water. However, beyond there, it was more strenuous. We had to step out of the boats twice to walk up through a couple rapids. Finally, I saw the take out spot, overgrown for some 10 years now. We still needed to haul the boats 1/4 mile to the gate across the forest road. My canoe wheels worked fine with one boat but was just a bear with 2 so John had to carry his boat out the old fashioned way.

Rhododendrons on Tanawha Trail

The Tanawha Trail paralells the Blue Ridge Parkway in the vicinity of Linn Cove Viaduct. Its full length is about 13 miles but due rain, our hike was shortened to about 9 miles.

It was difficult to evaluate the trail fully, as the rain and mist blocked views and curtailed exploring. However, it did pass through a few gorgeous areas of large boulders and rock formations as well as a rhododendron bald.

Biking the Guest River Gorge Trail

This short (5.8 mile) trail located in western Virginia is a real gem. It is in the Jefferson National Forest and follows the Guest River the entire way. A cliffline borders the other side of the trail. At some points, the cliffs are directly adjacent to the trail but never more than a few hundred feet away. There is one spot where the cliffs overhang the trail and you can see the black soot from the old steam trains on the rocks above.

The one tunnel is at the very beginning of the trail. It is named Swede Tunnel for the many Swedes who built it. Immediately after the tunnel, the trail crosses the river on a trestle and the cliffline begins. There are a couple spots where waterfalls cascade down the cliffs and under the trail. The trail deadends at an active railroad.

More Photos of Guest River Gorge Trail