Bynum Upriver Paddle

Because of its biological and ecological signifcance, land on both sides of the Haw River upriver of the dam at Highway 15-501 in Bynum is part of the Haw Slopes State Natural Area.

A diversity of habitats includes rich forested slopes, islands, rocky outcrops and wetlands. Both rare and ancient plants are found along the shore. Great blue herons, belted kingfishers, Canada geese, red-tail hawks and eagles are commonly seen while paddling. Occasionally, deer, beaver and muskrats present themselves.

Flat-water upriver of the dam is especially well-suited for both the beginner paddler and anyone intersted in nature. Parents paddling with children find the experience particularly gratifying.

Fee: $25 per person with the canoe/kayak provided, $20 per person with your own boat.

Greater Alamance Creek to Saxapahaw Lake

Greater Alamance Creek, a major tributary of the Haw River in Alamance County, has a great deal of historical significance. At one time, the creek served as a significant trading path for both indigenous people and early settlers. During the War Between the States, the junction of the creek with the Haw River was an important crossing for the Underground Railroad.

Today, a trip down the creek offers the paddler a remote setting with lots of birds and wildlife. There is even a greater variety and abundance of birds and wildlife to see by continuing downriver to Saxapahaw Lake.

Fee: $45 per single kayak, $60 per tandem canoe or tandem kayak,
$20 per person with your own boat.

History Rediscovered

The rivers in the Piedmont of North Carolina are rich in the cultural history of the 1700s and 1800s. Evidence of fords, locks, dams, canals, bridges, grist mills, home sites and graveyards can be found, if you have previous experience looking for such things.

Occasionally, we team up with the Trading Path Association to offer educational and exploratory river trips in the spring and fall. TPA has a history of offering afternoon hikes to historically significant sites and is very familiar with long forgotten cemeteries and old roadways that crossed the Haw River.

Fee: $45 per person with the canoe/kayak provided, $40 per person with your own boat.

Paddle & Pedal

Rural Alamance County offers many miles of generally flat land with gentle rolling hills and, usually, very little vehicular traffic to take away from the pleasant experience of getting out and exercising on a bicycle.

What better way to exercise different muscle groups than to paddle a three-hour flat- water or whitewater river trip followed by a bike ride on your choice of one of several loop trips around Saxapahaw, NC.  Throw in a little relaxing and a picnic lunch between the paddle and pedal and you have an ideal day of exercise and de-stressing.

Fee: $25 per person with a canoe or single kayak provided for the flatwater river trip or
$45 per person with a sit-on-top kayak provided for the whitewater river trip.

Photography Paddle

The eye of the camera can see more than images; it can capture feelings, emotions and expressions. Lighting, colors and perspective can be transformed by the camera lens into art.

The Photography Paddle is not intended to be an introductory course in nature photography. Participants should already know how to use their cameras. The purpose of this guided trip is to offer amateur and professional photographers an opportunity to get closer to water, birds, wildlife and reflections not ordinarily possible from land. Participants must provide their photographic equipment.

Fee: $45 per person with the canoe/kayak provided, $40 per person with your own boat.
*The fee includes a river guide with professional photographic experience.

Picnic & Paddle

Spirit Island in the Haw River is located just downstream from a dam and powerhouse
that in the early part of the twentieth century supplied electricity to a textile mill in
Swepsonville, NC. Today, the Island is remote, wild, peaceful and a wonderful place to
escape the stresses of an urban lifestyle.
We begin this canoe and/or kayak trip with a picnic lunch on Spirit Island. Following
lunch, our paddle will take us downstream to Saxapahaw. Because of the remote nature
of this stretch of river, birds and wildlife are easily seen. Volcanic rock outcrops along
the shoreline show evidence of an interesting geologic past.

Fee: $25 per person with the canoe/kayak provided, $20 per person with your own boat.
*Lunch can be provided at an additional charge.

Poker Paddle: Fundraising for Non-profits

Non-profit organizations always have a need to raise money to support their programs. Since we at The Haw River Canoe & Kayak Company believe that you cannot expect people to care about nature unless they feel some connection with it, we are offering a way for non-profit organizations to raise funds while getting out on the river to have fun paddling.

We will place five 5-gallon buckets, in plain view, along an easy stretch of the Haw River. In each bucket will be a deck of cards. Each deck will have a distinctive design. Within a bucket, each card in the deck will be in a separate, sealed envelope. Poker Paddle participants will paddle to each bucket, withdraw one envelope from each bucket and return to the registration table. At that point, each envelope will be opened and the participant will know her/his poker hand.

The non-profit organization will determine the entrance fee and provide winning prizes.

Fee: In addition to the non-profit entrance fee, there is a boat rental fee of $25 per person for those needing a canoe or kayak. There is no additional fee for individuals bringing a personal canoe or kayak to participate in the fundraising event.

Polar Bear Paddle

There is no better way to start the New Year off right then to get out on the river and enjoy what nature has to offer. It seems that at this time of year, most of us are making resolutions about how we want to make improvements in our lives. So, start the year off right doing what you love to do — paddling.

This annual tradition is always held the first Saturday in January, and is for those with a boat, paddling gear and the necessary clothing for cold weather paddling.

Fee: There is no trip fee, though registration is required.

River Clean-Up Paddle

Over the course of a year, trash builds up along riverbanks and in log piles — causing a hazard to fish and wildlife and spoiling the natural beauty of our waterways. To do our part in cleaning up the Haw River, The Haw River Canoe & Kayak Company sponsors three annual cleanups: March’s “Cleanup-A-Thon,” June’s “National Rivers Cleanup Day” and October’s “Big Sweep Cleanup.” Each is focused on a different stretch of river.

Canoes are provided at no charge for those participants who do not have a boat, and private boaters are encouraged to participate as well. We will help them shuttle their boats and equipment. All of the trash collected will be either recycled, if possible, or brought to a landfill by The Haw River Canoe & Kayak Company.

Fee: There is no trip fee, though registration is required.
*You are expected to collect at least one large trash bag of garbage per person and clean your boat.

Sunrise Paddle

A great way to begin the day is to get out onto the water to celebrate nature in all of its physical and spiritual forms. For those with the eyes, ears and heart to see, creation visibly takes form in the pastel colors of the rising sun, the song of birds, the scurrying of animals in the woods and the promise and hope that each new day brings.

We start each Sunrise Paddle with a favorite quote, a poem, a prayer or a silent meditation as our way to celebrate our time on the river. Then, we split up to individually explore our local surroundings.

Fee: $25 per person with the canoe/kayak provided, $20 per person with your own boat.

Whitewater Paddle

Several sections of the Haw River in Alamance and Chatham Counties offer wonderful class II whitewater paddling experiences. The river between Glencoe and Red Slide Park in the Town of Haw River has many rapids that are exciting to negotiate. Downriver of Saxapahaw, the river feels wild and remote. Many class I and class I+ rapids, along with beautiful class II rapids occur in two 5.5 mile sections of the Haw River between Saxapahaw and Chicken Bridge Road.  After Chicken Bridge Road, there is a 6.0 mile section which includes at least 2.0 miles of consistent class II rapids and culminates in a class II+ rapid.
Whitewater paddles on these river sections will be held in the spring, when water levels are reliably high enough.

Fee: $45 per person with sit-on-top kayak provided, $20 per person with your own boat.