Deep River in North Carolina

Trip Overview

Deep River is a relatively long river that runs from the northern tier of North Carolina counties through the Piedmont and into the Sandhills. There are lots of small dams remaining from the textile era, most of which can be easily portaged around. My favorite Sunday morning sections are between Ramseur and High Falls. There are few houses and little agriculture visible from the water. Ramseur to Coleridge is around 7 miles with perhaps a dozen rock gardens. Roughly four hours. The roughly 7-mile section between Coleridge and the Fork Creek Mill Road Bridge is, except for the last couple of miles, a continuous series of rock gardens with several substantial islands. Even at relatively low water, I can get a small kayak through without having to exit the craft.

Accommodations:

There are no accommodations along the river. Nearest lodging is in Asheboro.

Directions:

From Asheboro, go east on Highway 64 to Ramseur or East on Highway 42 to Coleridge.

Launches:

Access at Ramseur is under the highway 22 bridge through an unlocked metal swing gate. Exit at Coleridge on the right side of the lake formed by the dam. Access at Coleridge is via a small path behind the store where highways 22 and 42 intersect. (Look for several power poles with large transformers mounted on them. Exit the river on the right side near the bridge.