Kayaking on the Yadkin Pee Dee River Basin

by  guest-paddler

A self-supported trip created by guest-paddler

Trip Overview

The turtle and bird sightings were fantastic! Our trip took 2 hours, less than what we expected from other reviews. The Kerr Scott Dam outflow was 870 cubic feet per second, so perhaps that influenced the time since the put in is near there. We put in at the trailway access at the base of the Dam and got out at Smoot park. These are easy access points. The put in is steep but paved and Smoot park has stairs. We investigated getting out at Moravian Creek but didn't see how we could get the Kayak up the steep bank. The bridges are 1) New Browns Ford Road 2) 421 3) Curtis Bridge Road 4) A foot bridge that is part of the Yadin River Greenway green trail Mulberry Fields 5) Wilkesboro Blvd After Wilkesboro Blvd you may notice Cub Creek going off to your right and then the Yadkin splits at Blair Island. We had seen the news from last year that a woman had to be rescued by the Wilkes rescue squad after her kayak flipped near Blair Island, near the end of our trip, when she was caught at a tree without a life vest. The problem is not so much the swift water, but the trees that are down, Wilkes rescue told us. We had planned to take the right fork around the Island, avoiding her path, but trees were blocking that way, so we went back to the left fork. We stayed clear of trees and were fine. After Blair Island the river makes a sharp left turn. The stairs are after the water on the left coming out of the pipe. Conditions change regularly. Today we found the swiftest water was around the 421 bridge.

Trip Details

  • Trip Dates: 7/14/2019
  • Trip Duration: Day Trip
  • Sport/Activity: Kayaking
  • Water Type: River/Creek (Up to Class II)

Trip Location