I have accepted a job that will take me to Nashville for a few months starting next week. I am a FL boy and my current boat of choice is my Epic V8. Curious about the paddling opportunities in and around Nashville. After April I will be in Knoxville for about a year and a half. Anyway, what’s cooking around Nashville?
Thanks,
Eric
East TN,
American Whitewater has a “flow page” 4 TN
look at waldensridgewhitewater.com
There is alota flatwater & lakes around N’ville
THEN when U getz2 Knoxvegas, it’s the best area 4 whitewater in the U.S.[unless your lucky enough 2 live in Oak Ridge]
plenty of water
Percy priest lake is virtually in Nashville. Center hill lake is an hour away. I’m drawing a blank on the other lakes on the area. A few doable rivers in the area as well. East Tennessee is jammed with lakes and most of the state has great river trips. Good luck. You will find the night life to be nice as well if that’s your thing.
Ryan L.
Many places to paddle
Old Hickory lake, Cheatam lake, Kentucky Lake, Barkley Lake, Cumberland River, TN river, are all a short drive from Nashville. Dale Hollow lake, Center hill lake, Cordell Hull Lake are a little farther but nice places to paddle.
TN paddling
It sounds as if you are primarily a flat water paddler. The lakes in central TN tend to be man-made. They are certainly OK to paddle for recreation and exercise but the rivers tend to be more scenic.
The Duck and Elk are central TN rivers that are frequently paddled. You might consider joining the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association. The TSRA club does flat water trips on those rivers and others. You might want to try some whitewater paddling as that abounds in East Tennessee and you would still be able to hook up with the TSRA club for trips in East TN and on the Cumberland Plateau.
TN paddling
TSRA is a WW dominate group. Chota kayak club out of Knoxville and Tennessee valley canoe club out of Chattanooga both offer a good mix of paddling adventures.
TSRA
Like Chota, TSRA has quite a few non-whitewater paddlers who run trips on moving flatwater.
Middle TN
– Last Updated: Jan-04-12 5:34 PM EST –
We enjoy paddling the Red River in Adams, TN (North of Nashville). It's a Class I river and is always less crowded than the Harpeth or Buffalo. Also has decent fishing (if you're into that). We aren't paddling anything harder than Class II stuff, even though we're in WW boats that are capable of whatever we want to try in them.
We really enjoy the French Broad River in East TN, I believe it's Section 11 (?) we do mostly, between Hot Springs, NC and Del Rio, TN.
We also paddle Old Hickory Lake some, since it's about 10 minutes from our house. Mostly go out there to practice rolling and to get some exercise.
East TN / NC area is the mecca for paddling though. Fontana Lake and Lake Santeetlah are the two that I really like.
We hit the Hiawassee River in the summer, but that's about the extent of our paddling capabilities at this point. Been itching to get out on the Cartecay River (GA) and the Tuckasegee River (NC) as well.