everal years ago, while at my wife Elaine’s family reunion in Ashe County, one of her cousins remarked that since I relish floating rivers, I should Scome canoe the Haw. Her next comment—“it’s not polluted like it used to be”—aroused my curiosity about a stream of which I had heard little. After researching this Piedmont waterway, I learned that the Haw is a river with an infamous past, an interesting present and an intriguing future. A River on the Rise The Haw River originates along the border of The Haw’s water quality gradually began to Forsyth and Guilford counties near Kernersville. improve when the American textile industry It meanders some 110 miles through Rockingham started sending jobs and factories to other County, back into Guilford, into Alamance countries, and after the Clean Water Act began County, along the border of Orange and Chatham to be enforced. Today, although the river still counties, into Chatham and then enters B. Everett suffers from sedimentation and runoff problems, Jordan Lake. Eventually, the waterway unites with the Haw is beginning to attract real interest as the Deep River to create the Cape Fear. a canoeing and birding destination as well as Once blemished by pollution, the Piedmont’s Haw River is Like so many other rivers in the Piedmont offering some fishing opportunities. becoming a floating, fishing and birding destination region of Virginia and the Carolinas, the textile “Most people don’t give the Haw any atten- industry heavily polluted the Haw in the years tion,” Corey Oakley, the Piedmont fishery WRITTEN BY BRUCE INGRAM after the Civil War and throughout the vast supervisor for the N.C. Wildlife Resources majority of the 20th century. Between 1832 and Commission, said of the Haw’s fishing potential. 1880, companies built eight textile plants along “It is a typical Piedmont North Carolina stream the river, and their bleaching and dyeing processes with lots of sunfish, predominantly redbreast, resulted in extensive water pollution. Reports of the occasional largemouth bass and catfish, the waterway being a different color each day especially native bullheads. I wouldn’t say that of the week and mountains of foam 10 feet tall fishing is the greatest in the Haw, but you can were all too common. catch fish. As with a lot of Piedmont rivers, CHRIS WHITTED july • august 2019 winc 23 The mills that once polluted the Haw River now provide a unique backdrop Haw River Paddle Trail – Alamance County Section for the Piedmont waterway. Opposite top: Paddle access locations lining the Haw River make for easy day excursions. Brooks Bridge Paddle Access B B R Opposite bottom: A typical scene along the Haw includes riffles, mid-river boulders and heavily wooded shorelines. Altamahaw Paddle Access N NC Shallow Ford Natural Area G M R 70 “The Haw is a great resource on many Great Bend Park at Glencoe 87 levels,” she said. “First, obviously, as a G place to paddle, but also as a testament on Glencoe Paddle Access how local governments can work together G to create something positive. Nine local Town & Country Paddle Access govern ments across county lines came Indian Valley Paddle Access R I al together to sign a memorandum of under- 62 standing to develop a paddle trail. That kind of cooperation is just unprecedented. Access Red Slide Park points were developed, brochures giving the eet 70 “Once we get people to hike or paddle the history of each section were created and mile markers were posted and coordinate 70 Haw, they quickly realize on their own what with the brochures.” The result, continues Massey, is that a wonderful resource we have.” visitors to the Haw can have a safe, enjoyable 40 40 float down the waterway. Graham Paddle Access 62 C R THOMAS HARVEY/NCWRC PUTTING PADDLE TO WATER Eager to explore the fishing, paddling, there is not that one species of fish that is the A PLACE TO FLOAT birding and scenic photography potential 49 big drawing card. But if you are an opportun- Another accomplishment has been the of the Haw, I arrive at the River Landing Inn, Swepsonville River Park Great Alamance Creek B R ist like me, as long as I catch a fish, I really establishment of an outstanding lineup of which lies on the river outside of Graham Paddle Access M don’t care what it is.” excursions. Baker said that enough access in Alamance County, on a Friday evening 87 Oakley lists several other recent develop- points now exist that paddlers can essen- in June. Innkeeper Matt Diehl invites me ments along the watershed as being real tially create their own outings. to stroll with him on a roughly 300-yard 54 positives. The state park system has “One of the more popular sections is Red trail that leads from the B&B to and along Fall 2018 BRUCE INGRAM pur chased land, creating Haw River State Slide Park in [the town of] Haw River to the river. Saxapahaw Lake Paddle Access Park along the Rockingham and Guilford Swepsonville River Park,” Baker said. “This “I’ve lived in places as far away as Phoenix county line. He also adds that a sizable is a great section for beginners. There is a and the Hudson River Valley [in New York],” canoeing contingent has come into existence neat guide book we put together for this Diehl says. “I was looking for a place that as well as an important conservation group, section that highlights all the historical and offered solitude and the opportunity to run The Mouth of The Haw the Haw River Trail Partnership (HRTP). other relevant highlights along the trip.” a B&B. When I came here and walked the The Newsletter of the Haw River Trail Partnership “Our biggest challenge has been turning Among his other favorites, Baker lists property, I found what I wanted. I spent a Saxapahaw Mill Race Paddle Access around the negative public perception of Glencoe Paddle Access to Red Slide Park (“a year transforming an old barn into the inn, R the Haw,” Alamance Parks Director Brian bit more challenging with rock gardens”) and but I finally made it happen.” Baker said. “This perception was forged by Altamahaw Paddle Access above the dam (“a I can understand why Diehl chose this decades of pollution and neglect and is very great flat water paddle with beautiful fauna”). parcel. In our 30-minute hike, we record 31 Paddle Access Location Union Bridge Paddle Access difficult to change. That said, the headway The heart of the paddling lies in Alamance species of birds, among them Acadian and Geensbor R we have made in changing that perception County, where no rapid greater than Class II great-crested flycatchers, and such warblers Source: thehaw.org has been our biggest accomplishment. exists. U.S. 64 to Robeson Creek in Chatham as black-and-white, hooded and parula, “Our theory has always been that we can’t County is the only Class II–III trip. plus a very vocal Louisiana waterthrush. I sell people on the river nearly as well as the Barbara Massey, a retired vice president also note gray tree frogs and painted turtles. river sells itself. That is why we focus almost for the Alamance County Area Chamber of Saturday morning, Robert Cox, a former exclusively on creating public access to the Commerce, is a native to the area who vice president of the Visit Alamance Conven- river. Once we get people to hike or paddle has “crossed the river nearly every day of tion & Visitors Bureau, and Barbara and Greg the Haw, they quickly realize on their own my life.” Massey and her husband, Greg, Massey pick me up for a day on the Haw. We what a wonderful resource we have.” have paddled across much of the state. decide to combine two excursions: Red Slide BRUCE INGRAM What is the Haw River Yee Haw! River Paddle 2018 24 july • august 2019 winc Trail Partnership? The 11th Yee Haw! River Paddle was held on June 30th, 2018. This annual event The Haw River Trail brings together paddlers of all skill levels Partnership was formed to enjoy the Haw River as a community. with the goal of helping Proceeds benefit the Haw River Trail in the public enjoy and furtherance of our mission “Conservation conserve the natural through Recreation”. resources of the Haw River corridor. Approximately 40 paddlers and volunteers participated in the event. Participants of the Family & Beginners’ Paddle paddled the length of the flat The Partnership is water section between the Indian Valley and Glencoe dams. The Yee Haw! the result of a signed Paddle spanned the stretch of river from the paddle access at Shallow Ford Memorandum of Natural Area to the dam at Indian Valley Golf Course. This 4.2 mile stretch Understanding between features a blend of flat water and class 1 rapids with beautiful views of the ten governmental agencies river and its wildlife. The event raised over agreeing to work together $800.00 for the trail. Thank you to all who for the development of participated! trails along the river and conservation of the river A special thanks to our outfitters: Haw River and lands within the Canoe & Kayak Company, River Run Outfitters, watershed. and Three Rivers Outfitters; as well as our sponsors: Klean Kanteen, Great Outdoor Provision Co., Blue Ribbon Diner, and The Village Grill. the river and offers easy walking, we watch spellbound for several minutes as the “peents” from the nighthawks reverberate. We end our day in Saxapahaw. I remark to Cox that the town is alive on a Saturday evening: five teenage boys and girls are carrying fishing rods, the streets are filled with people and folks are congregating in the town park for a local farmers market and music series, held every Saturday evening during the summer.