anybody do any two day canoe trips

[SecretCitySlayer]

Most islands on WB are considered TVA undeveloped recreational property...so YES.

 

[bucksolo]

Upper clinch from Virginia into Norris lake is a great 3 day paddle with the best small mouth fishing around...we do it every year in spring.

 

[SC Manimal]

JBarcher, did you ever get to camp on Watts Bar?

 

[bucksolo]

We do upper clinch from Virginia into Norris lake everyyear..3 day for us

 

[Randy5213]

We used to do a few on the current river in Missouri

 

[Travis G.]

Obed is nice to paddle and camp. Hiwassee is great if you set up at Gee Creek. You will have to drive and pay attention to Turbine schedule but the trout are worth the trip.

Have you done an over night trip on the hiwassee? Some buddies and I were talking about starting around the gee creek area, but have no idea where we would/could spend the night. We have been looking at overnight trips within a couple hours of chattanooga area.

 

[Rancocas]

Yeah, I know, this is an old thread, but I just found it and I love canoe tripping.

Two days? Shoot; how about two weeks or more?
Canada, northern Michigan, Adirondack Mountains of New York, upper Delaware River from NY state line to the Delaware Water Gap, lower Colorado River between California and Arizona, Conasauga River here in southeast Tenasi and well down into Georgia (could have continued that one for two months and gone all the way down to Mobile Alabama)(it took me four days just to go from the TN/GA state line down to Calhoun), and so on.

Hiwassee River here in east TN from Reliance down to Charleston would take about 1 1/2 to 2 days by canoe.

Love canoe tripping. Much better IMO than hiking the AT. Plenty of streams here in TN to float down. Camp on islands wherever possible, otherwise just be quiet, keep your campfires small, and clean up your campsite before you move on. Have a good water filter and get your drinking and cooking water from the river. Burn or bury your waste. Beware of dams and waterfalls that don't appear on maps and that you may suddenly come upon without warning. Also beware of motorboats on the larger rivers (I carry a handful of rocks to throw at kids in motorboats and jet skis who think it fun to circle canoes trying to roll them over). Beware of log jams blocking the smaller streams. Beware of rapids.

The type of canoe can make a difference. A keel is good on the open waters of lakes and big rivers, but you most definitely do not want a keel if you run rapids. I have four canoes and two kayaks; each designed for a different purpose. And yet, I want another; a sailing canoe. ():~)

 

[Travis G.]

I appreciate you reviving this thread. Canoe camping is under appreciated

 

[Rancocas]

I appreciate you reviving this thread. Canoe camping is under appreciated

Did you ever do that over-nighter on the Hiwassee?

If you put in near Webb's in Reliance there are a couple of minor rapids to go down. The biggest one is right under the electric power line where it crosses the river. I would only rate it as a Class II. It is pretty much of a straight shot, but there is one rock in the middle of it to avoid.
From Reliance down to the Hwy 11 bridge takes me about 3 hours, just taking my time and fishing along the way.
From Hwy 11 down to Patty Bridge takes about another 3 hours float. There are a couple of islands shortly before you get to Patty Bridge where you could camp.
Just a couple miles further on is Two Rivers Campground. It is situated right where the Ocoee River joins the Hiwassee. Of course, there you could get a campsite with facilities.
The lower Ocoee offers another nice river float. Put in below Parksville Dam. From the dam down to Nancy Ward's Grave, where Hwy. 11 crosses the Ocoee takes me about 6 hours of very leisurely paddling, drifting, fishing, and a shore lunch. Beware, though, when TVA opens the dam and the river rises fast. It is best paddling at low water times.
Going all the way down to Two Rivers takes many hours also. I can't remember how long, but it took me about half a day. So, Two Rivers would again be a good place to camp.
After Two Rivers, going on down the Hiwassee, you pass through Boyd Bottoms where the river is relatively shallow, but fine for canoes. Not far past there is another couple of islands that could be camped on. You might have to circle the islands to find a place with a low enough bank to get out on.
I would plan on an all day float from Two Rivers down to the boat ramp in Charleston.
I won't go below Charleston in a canoe. The river gets too nasty with pollution from the industries at Charleston.
Good fishing at times. Other times not so good.

 

[Travis G.]

No we never did that specific float but your information is invaluable and has revived my interest. I have small toddler at home now so that has taken up the majority of my time. So you would think put in at Webb store float down to the campground at ocoee intersection would be like 1/2 day. Then take out near Charleston the following day. It's been a while since I looked at the map up that way.

 

[Rancocas]

No we never did that specific float but your information is invaluable and has revived my interest. I have small toddler at home now so that has taken up the majority of my time. So you would think put in at Webb store float down to the campground at ocoee intersection would be like 1/2 day. Then take out near Charleston the following day. It's been a while since I looked at the map up that way.

I think set up camp at Two Rivers first, then make day trips from Reliance back to camp for one day. Camp to Charleston for another day. Parksville Dam on the Ocoee to camp for a 3rd day.
You would need a vehicle shuttle from point to point. Drive from camp up to Reliance to launch, then have someone drive your vehicle back to camp. Etcetera.
When I go my wife usually leaves her car at my take-out point. We then go together to the put-in. From there she drives my truck back and switches back to her car, leaving my truck for me when I get there later. Of course, when my wife goes with me, we leave her car at the take-out. When we get back to the take-out by canoe, she sits there guarding our canoe and gear while I take her car to go and retrieve my truck. I drive back, we load canoe and gear, and then must drive back to the put-in to retrieve her car. The shuttling is kind of a bother, but it works for us.
For longer trips I simply get dropped off. When I reach my take-out I make a phone call; "I'm here. Come and get me."
In Canada I was able to make some round trips by both leaving from and returning to the same spot where I left my truck. However that required some overland portages from one watershed to another. Some portages are easy, other rather difficult.
About two hundred years ago there was a long portage from the area of where Hwy 11 crosses the Hiwassee, overland to the Conasauga River that approximately followed the present route of Hwy 11. Once in the Conasauga a person could float all the way down to Mobile, Alabama. I have read that flatboats full of farm produce and other products were hauled over that portage on special carriages by horses or mules, launched in the Conasauga and taken on down river to market in Mobile. Much faster route to market than going down the Tennessee, to the Ohio, and then all the way down the Mississippi to New Orleans.

 

[Rancocas]

AHHH! I just reread my posts. Brain fart! Each time I mentioned Hwy. 11 I was actually referring to Hwy. 411.
Sorry about that.