The Highlands Guide to Kayaking and Paddling Spots You Won't Find on TripAdvisor

Thomas Garner
May 8
5 min read

Updated: Jun 6

Highlands sits at over 4,000 feet of elevation in Macon County, North Carolina, with the Cullasaja River Gorge below and the Nantahala National Forest surrounding the area. It's better known as a luxury mountain town than as a paddling destination, but the surrounding waters offer some of the most scenic and least-crowded paddling in the Southern Appalachians — most of it overlooked by the standard travel guides.

This guide is built from years of guest recommendations, host conversations, and our own paddling. Spots are organized by skill level and what kind of stay they fit — easy beginner floats, moderate scenic paddles, and longer commitments for guests who came to spend real time on the water.

Easy Beginner Floats

Lake Glenville, accessible from the Cashiers area about 15 minutes east of Highlands, is the easiest paddle in the area for novices. Flat water at high elevation, surrounded by mountain backdrop, low motorized-boat traffic in many of the upper-lake fingers. Best for first-time kayakers, families with kids, and anyone testing equipment.

Lake Sequoyah, just outside Highlands proper, is even closer and offers a smaller flatwater paddling option. Quiet, surrounded by forest, and within walking distance of downtown for a casual half-day on the water.

Whiteside Cove and the smaller alpine lakes accessible from the Cashiers-Sapphire area are good options for groups looking for a different kind of easy paddle. Higher elevation than typical mountain lakes — water is cooler, scenery is alpine in feel.

Moderate Scenic Paddles

The Cullasaja River below the falls offers Class II–III sections at appropriate water levels for paddlers with appropriate experience. The stretches above the falls (between Highlands and the gorge proper) offer gentler water suitable for moderate paddlers. The Cullasaja Gorge is one of the more scenic gorge runs in the Southeast — the surrounding waterfalls (Bridal Veil, Dry Falls, Cullasaja Falls) create an unusual atmosphere.

Lake Toxaway, about 30 minutes east of Highlands, gives moderate paddlers a substantial flatwater option with surrounding luxury-mountain scenery. The lake is private to a degree, but public access points exist.

Lake Nantahala, west toward Franklin, offers another scenic flatwater option with a mountain backdrop and easy launch access. Wildlife is abundant — herons, otters, and occasional eagles.

Want a free audit of your listing's visibility? Get your free visibility score to see exactly where your property stands.

Day Trips for Stronger Groups

The Chattooga River, a 30-minute drive south, is one of the most respected wild and scenic river runs in the Southeast. Class III–V sections require advanced skill and commercial outfitter support; the river was famously the setting for 'Deliverance' and remains genuinely wild.

The Nantahala River through the Gorge is about an hour west and offers Class II–III commercial and private rafting and kayaking. Well-supported by local outfitters, with shuttles and equipment rental available throughout.

The Tuckasegee River, accessible from the Cashiers and Cullowhee corridors, is another full-day option. Class I to occasional easy Class II, scenic farmland and forest, well-suited to a moderate-pace day trip.

The Quieter, Lesser-Known Spots

Glen Falls trail terminates at a series of cascading falls reachable from a relatively short hike — not technically a paddling spot, but worth pairing with a Cullasaja or Lake Sequoyah half-day for groups balancing water and trail experiences.

Skinny Dip Falls and the Davidson River corridor in Pisgah National Forest, about 45 minutes east of Highlands, offer mountain-water experiences that combine swimming-hole culture with light paddling on the river's calmer stretches. Best in summer.

The Whitewater Falls / Bear Creek Lake area, about an hour south, offers some of the most photogenic falls-and-lake combinations in the region. Plan a full day.

Where to Rent or Outfit

Local outfitters in the Cashiers and Highlands area handle equipment rental, shuttle support, and guided trips during the warm-water season. Reach out ahead — capacity is genuinely limited because the market is small.

Nantahala Outdoor Center, about 60 minutes west, is the regional headquarters for full-service paddling outfitting. Equipment rental, shuttles, guided trips, and dining and lodging amenities.

Pisgah Forest area outfitters serving the Davidson River and Brevard area work well for day-trippers willing to drive 45 minutes east.

Practical Tips

Water levels matter a lot at this elevation. Cullasaja flows depend on weather and dam-release patterns; Lake Glenville and Lake Sequoyah levels vary with TVA operations and rainfall. Check the USGS gauges and current conditions on the morning of any river paddle.

Water temperature is meaningfully cooler at Highlands elevation than in lower-elevation WNC paddling spots. Dress accordingly, even in summer, spring, and fall paddling requires real thermal layering.

Cell coverage is patchy in much of the surrounding terrain. Don't rely on phones for shuttle coordination, particularly in the Cullasaja Gorge or Chattooga corridor.

The Highlands area's water-paddling season is shorter than most WNC markets — roughly May through early October at the higher elevations. Spring runoff and fall storms can extend or compress this window in any given year.

How to Use This Guide as a Host

Don't list every paddling option in your guidebook or listing description. The properties that perform best in Highlands pick three to five spots that match the property's actual guest profile — a luxury cabin emphasizes Lake Glenville scenic paddling and the Cullasaja-falls hiking-and-paddling combination, while an adventure-oriented cabin recommends the Chattooga and the Nantahala Gorge.

Print a one-page paddling card for the cabin listing the GPS coordinates for parking, expected drive time, difficulty level, the recommended outfitter, and one practical tip per spot. Guests use this and remember the host who provided it.

Tag your listing for kayaking, paddling, lake access, and river access where applicable. Highlands listings under-tag for these searches because luxury-mountain and golf-resort framing dominates the discovery narrative.

Ready to reposition? Start with our free visibility audit — a complete read on where your listing wins and where it leaves money on the table.

Sources

Tennessee Valley Authority — Lake Glenville and Lake Sequoyah recreation data

US Forest Service — Nantahala National Forest access and use information

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission — paddle access points

USGS water gauges — Cullasaja, Chattooga, Nantahala rivers

Town of Highlands and Macon County NC tourism authority

Visit NC Smokies — paddling resources

Nantahala Outdoor Center river guides

Wild and Scenic Rivers — Chattooga River documentation

Pisgah National Forest visitation reports

AllTrails and American Whitewater — Western NC paddling community resources

Macon County Chamber of Commerce visitor profile

Cullasaja River Gorge and falls documentation

Crest & Cove Creative — Highlands and Cashiers host conversations

Smokies Life magazine — Smokies-region water features

Visit NC — Western NC tourism research