Kayak/Canoe Primitive Camping Spots?

RockRiver

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Anyone kayak/canoe camp on here? Inspired by the primitive camping spots thread, lets talk about paddle camping areas! I got a kayak last year and I'm always looking for spots to go that are difficult/impossible to get to on foot.

I'll start, last summer we paid Twin River outfitters to shuttle us and use their campsites (3 day/2 night Iron Gate to Buchanan) down the James river in VA. It was a lot of fun, but I'd like some other options as their campsites weren't as primitive as I would like (designated sites, no water but porta-johns), and I'd like to not pay an outfitter to do what I can do on my own.
 
Raven Rock State Park has a small pier and a camping area on the Cape Fear River. I've put in at the Buckhorn Dam and you can camp at Raven Rock, then continue down to Lillington. (https://www.google.com/maps/dir//Bu...5fe79f9bd6cfa5!2m2!1d-78.9902956!2d35.5393213

Then there's the platforms on the Roanoke River. These are essentially a wooden deck built in the middle of the swamp. It's beautiful, and all night you'll hear the owls and other critters. Depending on the water level, you could be a mile or more from dry land. I've taken scouts there a few times and it's awesome, really unique.
https://www.roanokeriverpartners.org/pf-home.aspx
 
Second for Raven Rock. The river is fun in that area and the kayak camping is only accessable from the river.

If you are talented enough, you can camp on any navigable river as long as you stay below the high water line. Hammock camping riversiRi is pretty simple. Just be sure to have good ropes and such for tie downs...
 
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Once again Uwharrie. I’ve been out fishing and seen a lot of beached canoes with hammocks hanging close by.
Which sections? I've been wanting to get on the Uwharrie since it is close, but I know that river gets pretty shallow in the summer in areas.
 
Which sections? I've been wanting to get on the Uwharrie since it is close, but I know that river gets pretty shallow in the summer in areas.
They (NCWRC) just opened a brand new canoe access on Dennis road, so you can avoid going Armed to the Terror of the State Park in Morrow Mountain if you want quick access to the deep part of the Uwharrie. Concealed Carry is legal in all NC state parks but no openly carrying a rifle.
Also makes hunting along the river possible, because there's no way I was dragging a deer out of my boat at MoMo or driving all the way to Swift Island boat access in my canoe.
 
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The Yadkin, Dan, and Mayo rivers all have some nice paddling sections.
Each one runs through a state park in one or more places, with lots of wildlife and beautiful scenery.
Runs from 2 hours to 2-3 days depending on your choices.
Just a short drive from T-ville!
 
They (NCWRC) just opened a brand new canoe access on Dennis road, so you can avoid going Armed to the Terror of the State Park in Morrow Mountain if you want quick access to the deep part of the Uwharrie. Concealed Carry is legal in all NC state parks but no openly carrying a rifle.
Also makes hunting along the river possible, because there's no way I was dragging a deer out of my boat at MoMo or driving all the way to Swift Island boat access in my canoe.
Assuming you're talking about the location below, wouldn't that be an upstream paddle to get to any camping areas? I wonder if there is a put-in location upstream from that?

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Assuming you're talking about the location below, wouldn't that be an upstream paddle to get to any camping areas? I wonder if there is a put-in location upstream from that?

it is an upstream paddle but due to the proximity to Lake Tillery the water there is slow moving for quite a ways. You could put in at 109 but you had better be in a shallow kayak and not a canoe. I haven't done the 109 put in in quite a number of years but I know they've improved it where you can park close to the river. I've driven a bass boat way past that area marked on your map when the lake level is as high as it is right now. There's actually bouys that mark the last area safe for 'shallow' power boats.
 
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it is an upstream paddle but due to the proximity to Lake Tillery the water there is slow moving for quite a ways. You could put in at 109 but you had better be in a shallow kayak and not a canoe. I haven't done the 109 put in in quite a number of years but I know they've improved it where you can park close to the river. I've driven a bass boat way past that area marked on your map when the lake level is as high as it is right now. There's actually bouys that mark the last area safe for 'shallow' power boats.
You could put in at Deep Water Trl, float down to that creek and paddle up to Dennis rd. and get out.
 
Raven Rock State Park has a small pier and a camping area on the Cape Fear River. I've put in at the Buckhorn Dam and you can camp at Raven Rock, then continue down to Lillington. (https://www.google.com/maps/dir//Bu...5fe79f9bd6cfa5!2m2!1d-78.9902956!2d35.5393213

Then there's the platforms on the Roanoke River. These are essentially a wooden deck built in the middle of the swamp. It's beautiful, and all night you'll hear the owls and other critters. Depending on the water level, you could be a mile or more from dry land. I've taken scouts there a few times and it's awesome, really unique.
https://www.roanokeriverpartners.org/pf-home.aspx
That's aweome, I'll definitely try out Raven Rock. Thanks for the tip. The Roanoke platforms look cool as well, and I might do that one day. I'd have to get a tent as I've switched to hammock camping.
 
I have done the float from Low Water Bridge down to the 109 bridge. but if there isn't much water flowing you'll be doing some walking.
 
I plan to get my boat-camping chops down at Lake James State Park this year. There are 2 paddle-in campgrounds (accessible by boat only) that should be a no-think paddle so I can concentrate on tuning my gear & set-up.
 
I plan to get my boat-camping chops down at Lake James State Park this year. There are 2 paddle-in campgrounds (accessible by boat only) that should be a no-think paddle so I can concentrate on tuning my gear & set-up.
Added that one to the list as well, thanks!
 
I have done the float from Low Water Bridge down to the 109 bridge. but if there isn't much water flowing you'll be doing some walking.

Yeah that is one to do in an innertube lol. Hwy 109 to Dennis should be a pretty good float unless there's a drought going on. We may try it this weekend and I'll let y'all know
 
Also since you're fairly close to Uwharrie, and not too far from the town of Badin......another Yadkin Lake, Falls Reservoir falls almost completely in the Uwharrie NF and Alcoa owned gameland.....so you can camp right there pretty much anywhere on shore. It's also never crowded with power boats and I don't think I've ever seen a PWC rider even in high summer. The local outfitter in Albemarle used to plan paddle trips there but they've since folded (God's Country) so not sure how popular that type of thing is nowadays.
 
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New River State Park has one or two primitive paddle-in camping spots. Great fishing, too.
 
I used these folks a few years ago http://yadkinriveradventures.com/
I had the take me up river and put in, floated down to their field to camp first night, then next a day floated down to Pilot Mountain State park and camped in one of their canoe sites. Finished up the following day at boat take out at hwy 67 and they picked me up to take me back to my truck. I just paid them to transport me and kayak
 
So when I think of primitive camping, it means there is no campsite. You make your won campsite. Was one of the things I liked about the AT, you could just go off wherever and pitch a tent. You could stay in cleared areas or not. I want to do some primitive camping with my KLR but there doesn't seem to be anything like that any place on earth except the deserts of the west.
 
So when I think of primitive camping, it means there is no campsite. You make your won campsite. Was one of the things I liked about the AT, you could just go off wherever and pitch a tent. You could stay in cleared areas or not. I want to do some primitive camping with my KLR but there doesn't seem to be anything like that any place on earth except the deserts of the west.

I had a friend that had moved here from Arizona and he just could not get over just not being able to take off on a dirt road and shoot, 4x4, camp.... Had to explain that all land in NC is owned by somebody. And the first land that folks looked for was near water - either for navigation or for crops and livestock. So in NC we feel lucky just to be able to camp without looking in someones window.
 
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