Canoe launch on the Neuse River (Raleigh, Haw River: rentals, how much, construction)

[codygreen]

Has anyone launched a canoe on the Neuse River? I would like to rent one and put-in somewhere in the Raleigh area downstream of Falls Lake. What do I need to know with regards to the water levels & current, available rentals, and the overall experience? I have launched a canoe on the Haw River upstream of Jordan Lake and it was very rocky and shallow in many spots. Another question - how much development is within eyesight of the river? On the Haw, routine flooding has created a nice buffer zone around the river and it truly feels "wild" even though there's plenty of development nearby.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can chime in.

[RedbirdSaint]

It's been a while since I've done either river, but my experience was less bottoming out on the Neuse but no where near the same feeling of a wild space. Used to put in at Anderson Point, thought that appears to be closed due to construction for the time being.

[toot68]

Multiple launch/takeout sites. You can find here:

https://raleighnc.gov/river-access

Water level can be found here:

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitorin...060&period=P7D

Switch readout to "discharge". Starting at falls dam, you can run it at the current level of 170 cfs, low but doable in a canoe. Optimal level is 300-600 cfs. You can run it much higher as well (2000-3000 cfs), but water will start getting very pushy if you are not experienced with whitewater paddling.

Milburnie dam to poole road is a nice short section, with new rapids since the removal of the dam. Bike path runs from falls dam to poole rd, so you can scout entire length of river to see what looks good to you.

[Myghost]

I've always wanted to do a Canoe and bike combo on Neuse.

Thinking it would take two cars, I could park a car at the take-out location with bikes, then put in up stream. Float down to the car with bikes. Pull the canoe out, load it on top of the car and ride the bikes back up to get the other car.

Only thing that would make it better would be to have an Uber-shuttle, so I could keep a cooler of beer in the canoe and not have to worry about driving. hahahaha (I don't drink and drive, so the beers will have to wait until the cars are safely parked at home...)