On Saturday, June 4, the public is invited to join the Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) on a 5.5-mile springtime float on the Dan River in Stokes County, N.C.
Coordinated by avid paddler and DRBA board member Wayne Kirkpatrick, participants will access the river from private land with the owner’s permission and take out at Hanging Rock Access. The trip is rated Class I-II in difficulty.
Participants should meet at 10 a.m. at 1309 Dan George Road, Danbury, N.C., (GPS 36.440867, -80.294061) to set the shuttle. Boats and shuttle may be rented from Three Rivers Outfitters of Eden, N.C., (336) 627-6215, www.3-R-O.com.
DRBA board member and hostess for the put-in, Rebecca Gibson, said, “There are several stops along this stretch. Paddlers will go through conservancy land, the Hammer Stern Wilderness Preserve, the old Moore’s Spring Campground area, Singletree Gun and Plough’s private beach, and Dan River Shores.”
Features in this scenic section include curiously named Demon’s Rock, Three Quarter or Dogleg Rock, Wandle’s Wave, Sheep Rock Rapid, Three Sisters Rapid, and the Play Wave. Gibson added, “The last leg of the trip includes incredible bluff cliffs adjacent to the River Bluff Trail right before the takeout.”
With Spring in full sway, paddlers will be graced with lush riverside foliage, songbirds feeding hungry nestlings, and flights of water birds such as kingfishers, herons, ducks, and geese.
Participants in the outing are asked to bring boat, a life jacket for each boater, lunch, and water. Dress in layers of synthetic (quick-drying) fabric or wool, and be prepared for wind or rain. All participants are asked to sign a waiver.
Gibson notes that reaching the put-in requires traveling 0.3 mile through a horse pasture on a fairly good lane. For navigating the hill down to the river, four-wheel-drive vehicles are suggested. Landmarks that identify the pasture include a large red barn across the road and the George Farmhouse nearby.
To reach the put-in from Danbury, take N.C. 8 North/N.C. 89 West toward Hanging Rock State Park. Turn left onto Hanging Rock Park Road. Drive 1.5 miles, and turn right onto Moores Spring Road. Drive 2.6 miles. Turn right onto Dan George Road. Drive one mile to the pasture on the right.
From Stuart, take Rt. 8 South. cross into North Carolina and continue 3.6 miles. Turn right onto Piney Gove Church Road. Drive five miles. Turn right onto Rt. 89. Cross the Dan River and turn left onto 268 W. Lynchburg Road. Drive 0.8 miles and turn left onto Dan George Road. Drive 1.1 miles to the pasture on the left.
From Winston-Salem or Greensboro, N.C., from Interstate 40, take Hwy. 52 North toward Pilot Mountain, N.C. Exit right to RJR-Moore Road, and turn left toward Hanging Rock State Park. Continue 4.2 miles on Moore Road, then Mountain View Road. Turn left onto N.C.-66 North. Drive 6.9 miles, and turn right onto Moores Spring Road. Drive 2.8 miles, and turn left onto Dan George Road. Drive 1 mile to the pasture on the right.
Outings and meetings of the Dan River Basin Association are open to the public without charge.
For trip information, contact trip coordinator Wayne Kirkpatrick at (540) 570-3511, wynbtyk@embarqmail.com.
For information about the Dan River Basin Association, visit www.danriver.org.