Not to debate Mungo Jerry, but in the summertime when the weather is high, what you really want to do is grab a paddle and find yourself a little piece of wet, cool heaven. Trouble is, on a sweltering weekend such as the one approaching, you are not alone in thinking this way: the popular waters of the Piedmont will be afloat with paddlers.
Which is why we are here today to share five of our top paddles that, much like the British rock group of the 70s, are largely unsung. You may not be alone on these waters, but you won’t be playing bumper boats, either.
1. Three-rivers area of Falls Lake
Durham County
Put-in: Eno River Boat Ramp
Our favorite Piedmont paddle, unsung largely by dint of its remote put-in, the Eno River Boat Ramp on Akzo Boulevard, off Red Mill Road, which is off Old Oxford Highway. Here, the Eno, Flat and Little rivers converge and meander into Falls Lake in an ill-defined way that gives it its charm. Lots of jungly passages feed into large pools that lead to more jungly passages that … well, you get the picture. Usually, we recommend a map for such amorphous locales, but what you really need is a smartphone that can pinpoint where you are and help you navigate back to the put-in. You can also paddle nearly 5 miles up the Eno River from the boat ramp, almost to Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve.
More info and directions, here.
2. Jordan Lake: Ebenezer Boat Ramp
Apex
Put In: 35.69996, -79.02148
If you’ve been to this boat ramp you’re likely scratching your head and wondering, Unsung? Sure, power boats by the score set off from this popular concrete boat ramp just off Beaver Creek Road, south of U.S. 64. Watch closely, though, and you’ll see that nearly all go into Lake Jordan’s main channel. You, the adventurous paddler, go left, crossing immediately under the bridge into a finger of the lake. Shortly, that finger forks; go left for a longer paddle of up to 3 miles (depending upon the lake level). The passage becomes more intimate, eventually dissolving into a lily-pad-filled marsh. A nice spot to sit and ponder the silence.
More info and directions here.
3. Mountain Island Lake | Latta Plantation Nature Preserve
Charlotte
Put-in: Five, which you can find here
More head scratching? Here’s the deal: yes, Mountain Island Lake, at 3,281 acres on the northwest side of Charlotte is hardly a secret. It is, however, between the much larger and more popular Lake Norman to the north, and Lake Wylie to the south. Plus, with five access points — Neck Road Access Area, Cowans Ford Waterfowl Refuge, Riverbend Access Area, Mountain Island Tailrace Fishing Area, Latta Plantation Park — it’s easy to spread what love is left to distance reaches of the lake.
More info here
4. Randleman Reservoir
Greensboro
Put-in: 6309 Southwest Park Dr.
Think of paddling in Greensboro and your thoughts likely turn to the Watershed Lakes: Brandt, Townsend and Higgins. Understandable, considering they’re easily accessible and Brandt and Townsend both have marinas and rentals. But, for the most part, it’s big, exposed (read: hot) water, unlike the new, 90-acre Randleman Reservoir in Southwest Park. There’s lots of tree-hugging (and thus, shade-providing) shoreline and the only motor boats allowed are those with 5 HP motors . Peaceful paddling 20 minutes from downtown.
More info here
5. Goose Creek State Park
Washington
Put-in: the end of Dinah’s Landing Road (SR 1365) in the park
Distancewise, there’s not a lot of paddling here — unless you like the big water of the expansive Pamlico River a quarter mile out. But that’s not why you’re here, to mix it up with the speed-boat crowd. Rather, from the launch head south past Goose Creek and go left up Flatty Creek. You can’t go far, but it’s a nice introduction to the lush, nearly tropical feel of Goose Creek, a short paddle back. Red cedar, black gum, red maple, tupelo, loblolly pine and cypress provide the canopy along the banks, with the understory filled in with wax myrtle, gallberry and red bay. Marsh wrens, waterfowl, rails and species of herons and egrets abound, as do barred owls and red-shouldered hawks. Lots of eye candy on this paddle.
More info here