Roanoke River Paddle Trail
Clip: Special | 2m 31sVideo has Closed Captions
The Roanoke River Paddle Trail features 16 unique camping platforms for multiday trips.
Winding nearly 140 miles from Roanoke Rapids to the Pamlico Sound, the Roanoke River Paddle Trail offers boaters of all levels options from scenic day trips to multiday adventures. Overnight camping is easy thanks to 16 sleeping platforms along the route. Local outfitter Captain Heber Coltrain leads the way down this scenic river trail brimming with history, wildlife and natural wonder.
Ten to Try is a local public television program presented by PBS NC
The series was produced in partnership with the Great Trails State Coalition for the NC Year of the Trail and with generous support from the SECU Foundation.
Roanoke River Paddle Trail
Clip: Special | 2m 31sVideo has Closed Captions
Winding nearly 140 miles from Roanoke Rapids to the Pamlico Sound, the Roanoke River Paddle Trail offers boaters of all levels options from scenic day trips to multiday adventures. Overnight camping is easy thanks to 16 sleeping platforms along the route. Local outfitter Captain Heber Coltrain leads the way down this scenic river trail brimming with history, wildlife and natural wonder.
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[stream bubbling] [frogs trilling] [gentle music] - [Narrator] The Great Trails State has long been a mecca for paddlers, and more and more blueways are popping up all across North Carolina.
[gentle music] The Roanoke River Paddle Trail is a 137 mile paddle and camping system that begins as a fast and rocky whitewater river, widening and slowing as it meanders towards the Pamlico Sound.
[gentle music] - [Heber] My first experience on the river was around the age of 12 with my dad when we were fishing.
Some of the best paddle experiences, in my opinion, are on the lower Roanoke.
[gentle music] - [Narrator] For an introduction to the trail, try paddling the lower Roanoke's Williamston to Jamesville section.
[gentle music] [frogs trilling] The Roanoke River Basin is full of natural wonder, from rare bird and marine species to white-tailed deer, river otter, beaver, bobcats and even black bear.
[gentle music] - [Heber] The thing about the river that appeals to me most is the peace and the quiet and the solitude that a person can experience.
[frogs trilling] - [Narrator] For the history buffs, there's plenty here.
The lower Roanoke's deep waters made it ideal for transportation, and it was widely used by Native Americans and European settlers.
[gentle music] [frogs trilling] It also played a role in North Carolina's Underground Railroad, as the river's dense forests and creek offshoots provided important cover for freedom seekers.
[gentle music] A not to miss highlight of the lower Roanoke is the Devil's Gut natural area, a network of swamps and creeks thick with centuries old bald cypress and brimming with nature.
Along the way, 16 raised camping platforms, including some with docks and bug screens make overnighting easy for multi-day paddlers.
[gentle music] With so much to offer, it's no wonder the Roanoke River Paddle Trail became North Carolina's 12th official state trail in 2021, proving that a truly great trail can be much more than just a footpath.
[frogs trilling] [water splashing]
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Ten to Try is a local public television program presented by PBS NC
The series was produced in partnership with the Great Trails State Coalition for the NC Year of the Trail and with generous support from the SECU Foundation.