 | asheville business & community directory |
|
This is an archived page that may contain outdated or incorrect information. Please visit www.Asheville.com for the latest news, events, and more.
 As part of promoting and ensuring the French Broad River is a clean and viable resource into the future, we at RiverLink want to promote the river as the tremendous recreation resource that it is.
RiverLink's vision is to create a French Broad River Blueway trail. This would make it possible for people to launch a boat at points along the River and have the option of spending a day, a weekend, or more than a week paddling the river and camping along the way. Weaver's Bend, French Broad RiverInterest in a French Broad River Blueway trail has been slowly graining momentum throughout western NC. In 2006, Hartwell Carson, the French Broad RiverKeeper, embarked on RiverLink's first "Tour de French Broad", paddling the 219 miles from Rosman, NC to Knoxville, TN in 16 days. Since then, RiverLink has been receiving calls from people wanting more information on how to spend a few nights paddling the river. Carson explains that the primary issue is that "it is currently very difficult to find regular camping and access points along the river banks. Most of the land is private and inaccessible for public camping". French Broad River map and access guideAlthough the Riverkeeper was able to camp most nights along the river it was not always easy. One night the police required the Riverkeeper to leave a public park along the river. RiverLink hopes to change the challenge of camping access, by working with private and public landowners to establish a series of campsite and improved access points that would make up the French Broad River Paddle Trail. This trail would establish campsites every 8-10 miles to allow interested boaters to spend a night or two on the river. Campsites will be primitive camping with access only by the river. Maintenance of the sites will provided by a group of adopt a campsite volunteers, but there will be a heavy emphasis on leave no trace camping. RiverLink's Executive Director, Karen Cragnolin explains, "There is a tremendous opportunity to really bolster the tourism economy by tempting visitors to spend an extra couple days in this region, and by enticing visitors who have never visited this area to explore the beauty of the French Broad River." For more information on how to participate in the French Broad Paddle Trail, contact Palmyra Romeo, assistant RiverKeeper at 828-252-8474 ext. 119 or email [email protected]. Please see www.riverlink.org for more info. (Image provided by RiverLink.)
| ||
