You Should Visit Great Falls to Brave the Rapids

Ready to brave the rapids and embark on an exhilarating adventure? In 2023, the town of Great Falls saw the grand opening of the Southeast’s newest whitewater paddling destination. This was a 20+ year project that transformed a 100+ year old dry riverbed into a whitewater recreation area with two distinct channels for different levels of paddling enthusiasts. During Duke Energy’s recreational flow periods (see graph below), the long-bypass channel features up to Class IV rapids while the short-bypass channel features numerous Class IV and V rapids.

When recreational releases aren’t scheduled, paddlers can still enjoy the long-bypass channel. The long channel features 2.25 miles of some of South Carolina’s most scenic whitewater. This stretch offers a beautiful and thrilling paddling experience year-round.

You can put in at the Nitrolee Access Area off HWY 21 near the Fishing Creek Lake Dam and take out downstream at the Stumpy Pond Access Area off HWY 97, above the Cedar Creek Dam. This route offers a convenient and scenic paddling experience.