The New River's name is deceptive. It is actually believed to be one of the oldest rivers in North American. Our canoe trip was to pass through a part of a twenty-six mile portion of the South Fork of the New River which is designated a National Scenic River--making it a perfect canoeing river. There are some houses, campgrounds, and trailer parks along the way but most of the trip is through natural forest and rural farmlands. A sizeable portion of our trip passed through New River State Park. With the exception of the Class Three rapid near the beginning of the trip (which can be bypassed) the section of the New River we paddled is fairly shallow and calm. These calm waters make for a relaxing experience as they allow the canoe tripper to enjoy all the nature that surrounds him/her. The relatively calm waters also make this section a good section for beginners and for families. If you are a beginner and especially if you are not traveling with someone experienced in handling a canoe you may want to try one of the shorter trips.
After pushing off shore at New River Outfitters it only took us a few minutes to paddle away from the sounds of civilization. Ten minutes into the trip we were surrounded by tall trees, rock formations, the summer sky, and the water of the New River. The sounds of birds singing in the trees combined with the calming rhythm of the water flowing all around us. The sun was hot on our faces but occasionally a short breeze would blow off the water and would cool us briefly.
The summer of 1993 was an especially dry time for this section of North Carolina and therefore the New River was more shallow than usual. This created an unexpected obstacle for us that proved to be our biggest challenge of the trip. As with many mountain rivers, the water of the New River flows over a bed which includes many rocks and boulders. During more rainy seasons when the river is deeper, a paddler would pass over most of these rocks without having to give them so much as a passing thought. Because we were traveling at the end of such a dry summer, the New River was shallow and therefore during much of our trip we faced the added obstacle of maneuvering around these rocks--some of them submerged just inches beneath the water surface. From time to time that day we simply could not avoid running up on some of them. When that happens all you can do is wiggle or push yourself free and float away.
