Johnny Molloy - Paddling Tennessee: A Guide to 38 of the States Greatest Paddling Adventures

Paddling Tennessee

A Guide to 38 of the States Greatest Paddling Adventures

Johnny Molloy

Copyright 2011 by Morris Book Publishing, LLC

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any meangs, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to Globe Pequot Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437.

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TOPO! Explorer software and SuperQuad source maps courtesy of National Geographic Maps. For information about TOPO! Explorer, TOPO!, and Nat Geo Maps products, go to www.topo.com or www.natgeomaps.com.

Project editor: David Legere

Layout artist: Kevin Mak

Maps by Design Maps Inc. Morris Book Publishing, LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

ISBN 978-0-7627-4639-2

The author and Globe Pequot Press assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

To Patrick Molloy

Contents

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Pam Morgan for paddling many rivers from Memphis to Mountain City. Thanks also to Bill Armstrong; Steve Grayson; Wes Shepherd; my brothers Steele, Pat, and Mike; Mark and Frank Carroll; Cisco Meyer; John Cox; Tim Balthrop; and all the people who helped me with shuttles and rides.

Thanks to Merrell for the great hiking shoes and river sandals and to DeLorme for the Earthmate PN-40 GPS and their excellent Topo USA mapping program. Thanks to Wenonah for providing me a great canoe to paddle on many riversthe Spirit II. The 17-footer handled wonderfully, and its light weight made for easy loading and unloading.

Paddler drops his kayak into the Harpeth River.

Introduction

My camping, hiking, and paddling obsession began in the Smoky Mountains more than two decades ago. A native Tennessean, I have lived in all parts of the state, growing up in Memphis, living in Nashville and Knoxville, and finally settling in Johnson City. For many years I have explored the great outdoors of the Volunteer State, roaming the mountains from top to bottom, trekking throughout Middle Tennessee, and camping the lowlands of the west. I also began paddling many of the states rivers and lakes, from the Nolichucky to the Buffalo and waterways beyond, flowing off the Appalachians, the Cumberland Plateau, and throughout the Highland Rim and Central Basin. Sea kayaking trips led me west to Reelfoot Lake and the Hatchie River. I have since made repeated trips to these Tennessee treasures, paddling along dark water trails of swamp rivers that contrast mightily with the crashing, whitewater streams, enjoying the natural aquatic abundance of my home state.

Time passed, and I began writing outdoor guidebooks for a living. The opportunity arose to write this guidebook and I jumped on it excitedly. I began systematically exploring the waterways of the Tennessee landscape for great paddling destinations. I sought to include paddling destinations that would not only be rewarding but would also be exemplary paddles of the varied landscapes offered. In the east, the Hiwassee River forms the crown jewel of Blue Ridge paddling destinations. But these mountains offer other paddling places, such as the crystalline Watauga River or the brawling Nolichucky. And what good is a Tennessee paddling guidebook without including Tennessees contribution to great rivers of the worldthe Duck? The Duck River flows through the botanically rich heart of Tennessee and has a little bit of everything, flowing from the Cumberland Plateau through the Central Basin and into the Western Highland Rim before emptying into the Tennessee River. The stunning Buffalo offers sheer bluffs rising from clear green waters across from which lie inviting gravel bars. The Hatchie makes a serpentine course through the back of beyond. And there simply is no other Reelfoot Lake. Created by an earthquake two centuries ago, this stillwater wildlife refuge is something you must experience for yourselfwith the help of this guidebook of course. Then, when you cobble the paddling destinations together, it presents a mosaic of Volunteer State beauty and biodiversity thats hard to beat!

As you may guess, the hardest part of writing this book may have been picking out the paddling destinations. With each of these waterways I sought out a combination of scenery, paddling experiences, ease of accessincluding shuttling when necessaryand a reasonable length for day-tripping. Now it is your turnget out there and paddle Tennessee!

Bluff view of Big Swan Creek.

Weather

Each of the four distinct seasons lays its hands on Tennessee. Elevation factors into weather patterns in East Tennessee. Summer can get hot, but is generally cooler in the east than in other parts of the state. The mountains receive the most precipitation, though it arrives with slow-moving frontal systems in winter, including snow, and with thunderstorms in summer. Fall offers warm days followed by cool, crisp evenings. Spring varies with elevation, too, and climbs its way up the mountains. Mountain paddlers must be prepared for cool to cold conditions on the water in winter and early spring, the time when the highland waters will be running at their fullestand their coldest. However, most streams included in this guidebook can be paddled well into the summer, most year-round.

Middle Tennessee offers warm to hot summers and mostly moderate winters. Early spring is the most variable, with periodic warm-ups, broken by cold fronts bringing rain, then chilly temperatures. Later, temperatures stay warm, and become hot by July. Typically, mornings start clear, then clouds build and hit-or-miss thunderstorms occur by afternoon. The first cool fronts hit around mid-September. Fall sees warm clear days and cool nights with the least amount of rain. Precipitation picks up in November, and temperatures generally stay cool to cold, broken by occasional mild spells. Most Middle Tennessee streams can be paddled year-round, though as with the mountains theyll be running their boldest during winter and early spring. Summertime paddlers should consider beginning their trips in the morning to avoid the heat of the day and afternoon thunderstorms.

West Tennessee offers the warmest climate, yet has four distinct seasons. During the long summer highs regularly reach the 90s, and a thunderstorm will come most any afternoon. Warm nights stay up in the 70s. Fall brings cooler nights and warm days with less precipitation than summer. Winter is variable. Highs push 50 degrees. Expect lows in the 30s, with temperatures in the 20s during cold snaps. There are usually several mild days during each winter month. Precipitation comes in strong continental fronts, with persistent rains followed by sunny, cold days. Snow is uncommon, though not unheard of. The longer days of spring begin the warm-up process, even becoming hot, but temperatures can vary wildly. West Tennessee has a marginally longer paddling season, but you must also be prepared for the variety of conditions on the water there. Mild winter days can offer decent paddling in this region, as the insects will be absent and the sun will be at its weakest.