Use the Free Shuttle, Final 2025 Nantahala Cascades Releases, Sept. 27-28 (NC)
The last scheduled 2025 releases for the Upper Nantahala and Cascades are this Saturday and Sunday, September 27th and 28th. We are asking boaters running laps on the Cascades to make an extra effort to stay out of the way of traffic on the road by taking the free shuttle, walking well off the road, and generally avoiding conflicts.
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Take a Shuttle (instead of walking): NOC and Endless River Adventures will start a two-van shuttle from the Forest Service Lower Nantahala put-in parking lot that will service both the Upper and the Cascades. After about an hour, one van will run hot laps from the pull-off at PB&J which will transport paddlers back up to River Road above the Cascades. Please take the FREE shuttle instead of walking laps.
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Walk Single File, Off the Road: If you feel you must walk laps, walk single file, as far off the road as possible, carry your boat on your right shoulder, and keep sterns out of traffic. Use the pull-outs to rest and let cars pass. With this said, please take the shuttle instead of walking laps.
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Be Cool: The Upper Nantahala corridor is tight, and conflicts and tempers can rise when roadside parking, local traffic, and pedestrians with boats are sharing the narrow road. Please just be cool and do whatever you can to avoid and de-escalate any conflicts. There will be a significant police presence at these releases.
For these releases the roadside pull-offs along the cascades will be closed to parking to allow space for pedestrians and spectators to get off the road. Like usual, Cascades paddlers are encouraged to shuttle up to the run, or park up River Road (the smaller road that follows the Nantahala upstream of the Cascades).
The flows will arrive at the confluence of White Oak and Nantahala Bypass at 10:00 and last for 7 hours each day. Saturday, September 27th, the targeted bypass flow release is 300 cfs for 7 hours from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Sunday, September 28th, the targeted bypass flow release is 425 cfs for 5 hours from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and 250 cfs for 2 hours from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Be safe out there, help make these releases run smooth, and have fun!