Narrows of the Green facts for kids
The Narrows of the Green is a special part of the Green River in western North Carolina, United States. It's about 2.9 miles (4.7 km) long. You can find it in Henderson County and Polk County. This exciting section of the river is famous for its challenging whitewater rapids. It's located about 35 miles (56 km) south of Asheville.
Contents
Whitewater Kayaking Adventures
The Green Narrows is known as one of the most exciting places for kayaking in the Eastern United States. Water is regularly released from the Tuxedo Power Station. This steady flow means people can go kayaking here all year long. This is one reason why the Green River is so famous among paddlers.
River Challenges and Rapids
The river drops very quickly, about 178 feet for every mile (33.7 meters per kilometer). There's a half-mile (800-meter) section where the river drops about 342 feet (104 meters). This part has 11 major rapids, which are rated as Class IV+ to V+. This means they are very difficult and exciting! The water often squeezes through very narrow spots, sometimes as tight as 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide.
The Big Three Rapids
The three most famous rapids on the river are called "Go Left and Die," "Gorilla," and "Sunshine."
- Gorilla: This is often seen as the most impressive rapid. The river funnels into a 4-foot (1.2-meter) wide slot called "The Notch." Right after, the water drops over an 18-foot (5.5-meter) waterfall called "the flume." Then, there's another 10-foot (3-meter) waterfall called "Scream Machine."
- Sunshine: This rapid is considered the most difficult and dangerous. It has a 14-foot (4.3-meter) waterfall that lands on a jagged rock shelf below. The path through Sunshine is only about 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide. Paddlers must be extremely careful here.
The river becomes even harder to paddle when the water levels are higher. However, some expert paddlers have successfully run the Green Narrows even when the water flow was 300% of its normal level!
The Green Race
Every year, on the first Saturday of November, many of the world's best paddlers come to the Green Narrows. They participate in the annual Green Race. Many people consider this the most competitive and important whitewater race on the planet. Since 1996, countless videos, blog posts, and magazine articles have been made about this amazing race. New racers often feel nervous, but everyone who participates feels a great sense of pride.
Ladshaw Day: A Historical Twist
It's a bit of a mystery why paddlers can still enjoy the Green River today. In 1906, there were plans to build four dams on the river. Luckily, only one dam was built much later, around 1921, upstream from the Narrows. The engineers who planned the four dams were Ladshaw and Ladshaw from Spartanburg, SC.
Today, paddlers celebrate this historical twist of fate with an annual event called "Ladshaw Day". At parties across the Southeast, paddlers raise a toast with humor and gratitude, saying: "To Ladshaw!" They are thankful that the river was not dammed, allowing them to enjoy its amazing whitewater.
