TOP NATIONAL PARK RUNS
class three
BOW HUNTING. PHOTO: RYAN CREARY
TAKE ON AN ICONIC PROTECTED CLASS III CLASSIC
PIGEON RIVER GORGE Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN
This five-mile run is on the eastern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Regular dam releases create predictable flows from Memorial Day to Labor Day, mak- ing for excellent river running and playboating conditions. Camp among the ridges of the Southern Appalachians at one of the park’s frontcountry sites for just 14 bucks a night.
YOUR RIDE PYRANHA NANO
MIDDLE FORK FLATHEAD RIVER Glacier National Park, MT
The Middle Fork of the Flathead River runs for 92 miles, forming the southwestern border of Glacier National Park. The most accessible stretch is nine miles from Moccasin Creek to West Glacier. This boulder-strewn section is lined with steep cliffs and boaters can expect fairly continuous whitewater. Like most mountain rivers, the Flathead is snowmelt dependant and its waters remain chilly well into the summer.
YOUR RIDE AIRE WILDCAT
LOCAL BETA After an afternoon on the river, stop for some Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine about an hour’s drive away in Gatlinburg. The first legal moonshine distillery in Tennessee, they sell mason jars of mountain-made Appalachian corn whiskey in flavors like White Lightnin’ and Moonshine Cherries.
LOCAL BETA To the west of the Middle Fork of the Flat- head looms 8,000-foot Triple Divide Peak. It is one of only three peaks in the world with runoff that feeds three oceans, the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic. The 2,200-foot Triple Divide Pass can be hiked in a day.
UPPER BOW RIVER Banff National Park, AB
Bedrock canyons, boulders and ledges make the upper section of the Bow River a classic half-day descent for river runners and creek boaters. It also features great play conditions at higher wa- ter levels. Just north of the iconic Chateau Lake Louise hotel, this run takes paddlers through the heart of Canada’s oldest and most famous na- tional park. Combine the upper and more mellow lower sections for a longer run.
YOUR RIDE WAVE SPORT RECON
LOCAL BETA This region is renowned for its hot springs. If you can take the heat, head north to adjoining Jasper National Park for the hottest springs in the area, Miette, which have to be cooled from their natural 129°F before soaking.
—Michael Mechan
www.rapidmag.com 31
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