U.S. National Whitewater Center facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids About |
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| Locale | Charlotte, North Carolina, USA |
| Managing agent | U. S. National Whitewater Center |
| Main shape | Two Loops |
| Pumped | 7 pumps (usually 6 or 3) |
| Opening date | November 4, 2006 |
| Stats | |
| Length | Slalom: 300 metres (984 ft) Long: 550 metres (1,804 ft) |
| Drop | 6.4 metres (21 ft) |
| Slope | Slalom: 2.1% (113 ft/mi) Long: 1.2% (67 ft/mi) |
| Flowrate | Slalom: 15 m3/s (530 cu ft/s) Long: 19 m3/s (670 cu ft/s) |
The U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) is a huge outdoor park in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's a place where you can try out many exciting activities. You can go whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, and hiking. It even has ice skating in winter!
The Center first opened its doors on November 4, 2006. It covers about 1,300 acres of land next to the Catawba River. There are also more than 45 miles of trails for you to explore.
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The idea for the USNWC came from the Penrith Whitewater Stadium. That stadium was built for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia. The main part of the USNWC is its amazing artificial whitewater river. It's the biggest and most complex one in the world! The river channels were designed by Scott Shipley, who was an Olympian three times.
In June 2016, the park temporarily closed its whitewater channels. This happened after a teenager got sick. The park found a tiny amoeba in the water. To make sure everyone was safe, the USNWC added special filters, an ozone system, and chlorine to clean the water. The whitewater channels reopened in 2017. During the cleaning time, other activities like land sports and river activities on the Catawba River stayed open.
Contents
Whitewater Channels: Your Adventure Awaits
The Center's special river holds 12 million gallons of water. This water is cleaned every 24 hours using filters and a special light system. The whitewater part of the river has about 3,750 feet of channels. It's split into two main parts.
One part is an Olympic-level channel for competitions. The other is a longer "wilderness" channel that goes around an island. The rapids here are rated from Class II to Class IV. This means they can be easy or quite challenging! You can go through them in a canoe, kayak, or with a guide on a raft.
The different channels are connected by two pools. A moving-belt conveyor helps move boats between the pools. This makes it easy to get back to the start.
The park uses seven powerful pumps to move the water. Each channel uses three pumps. Six pumps can run both channels at the same time. Most of the things that make the rapids, like rocks, are cemented in place. But some parts can be moved to change how the water flows. There are also special "barn door" gates that can be moved by hydraulics. These help control the waves.
The Wilderness Channel has six named sections of rapids. These include Entrance Exam, Huey Lewis, Bread and Butter, Sunset, and M-Wave. The Competition Channel has two main drops: Bridge Drop and Big Drop. Many kayakers love to surf the waves here. Some popular waves are Entrance Exam, Freestyle Wave, and M-Wave on the Wilderness Channel. On the Competition Channel, Cheese Grater and Big Drop are favorites.
The main office for USA Canoe/Kayak used to be in Charlotte. This was because it was so close to the USNWC. This organization helps manage the US Olympic canoe and kayak teams. In 2011, the trials for the US national whitewater team were held at the USNWC.
Exciting Activities at the USNWC
The USNWC offers many fun ways to get active!
Water Sports
- Whitewater Rafting – You can go rafting on the artificial whitewater channels. Trained guides will help you paddle through Class II, III, and IV rapids. In 2010, 100,000 people went rafting here!
- Whitewater Kayaking – Whether you're new to kayaking or an expert, you can paddle here. You can go with or without instructors. The center also holds slalom races for all ages and skill levels.
- Flatwater Kayaking – If you prefer calmer waters, you can go kayaking on the Catawba River. It's right next to the USNWC.
- Stand-Up Paddle Boarding – This activity became popular at the USNWC in 2011. You stand on a board, like a surfboard, and use a long paddle to move along the Catawba River.
Land Sports
- Ice Skating – Since 2019, the USNWC has one of the biggest outdoor ice rinks on the East Coast. You can skate on an ice trail or free skate on a large ice area. It's located in the Upper Pond of the Whitewater Center. There's even a special Airstream trailer on the ice that serves drinks!
- Mountain Biking – The USNWC has over 35 miles of trails. They range from easy trails for beginners to challenging ones for advanced riders. You can bring your own bike and helmet or rent them there.
- The Trail System – The same 35 miles of trails are also great for running and walking. These trails are used for different races, like the Whitewater Race Series. Bikers are asked to follow the "Rules of the Trail" from the International Mountain Bicycling Association.
- Rock Climbing – The climbing center at the USNWC is one of the largest outdoor climbing spots in the world. It has an open-air climbing wall with over 40 different climbs. The wall reaches a height of 46 feet!
Aerial Sports
- Canyon Crossing – This activity opened in 2011. It's a series of sky bridges with five different challenges. They stretch across a gorge at heights of over 50 feet. At the end, there's a 250-foot zip-line that takes you back across the gorge.
- Mega Zip – Opened in 2009, the Mega Zip is a 1,123-foot zip-line. It starts from the top of a 46-foot tower, goes over the whitewater river, and ends at Hawk Island.
- Mega Jump – The Mega Jump lets you experience a controlled free fall from a 46-foot tower. This activity, which opened in 2010, uses special technology first used in movies.
- Adventure Course – This is an obstacle course high up in the trees, about 20 feet off the ground.
- Canopy Tour – The Canopy Tour opened in 2011. It has 14 tree platforms connected by seven zip-lines, sky bridges, and other challenges. You'll be over 60 feet high, going across wetlands and a 90-foot deep canyon. You'll also see parts of the Historic Tuckaseegee Ford and Trail. Two trained guides go with you, sharing interesting facts about the area.
Images for kids
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Six pumps fill the Upper Pool.
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Competition channel upstream from the bridge.
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Competition channel bridge drop.
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Competition channel downstream from the bridge.
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Plastic bollards where the Competition channel turns left.
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Left turn at Carnage Corner followed by Big drop and another left.
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Big drop at the bottom of the left turn.
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Slalom gate on the right split of the Wilderness channel, from the bridge.
