Tar River (Upper, Hobgood Rd to Hwy 158)
| River: | Other |
| Skill: | Novice |
| Trip Date: | 01/07/2024 |
I had a chance to run another one that I spent many hours studying on the satellite. With over 5 ft on the gage (23 miles downstream), I ran the Tar River from Hobgood Rd to Hwy 158. I chose this because the gradient appeared to be higher than other sections of the Tar and there were a couple spots that seemed like they might be interesting from above. I had debated on whether to do the Tar or head over to the Flat River since it’s one of my favorites. I ultimately decided that I’d be wondering for another few months what this would be like if I didn’t run it. Plus, despite most of the Tar being covered by Paul Ferguson, this far upstream is not and I was curious if it is even navigable this close to the source.
Things started a little hairy when I dropped my boat off at the start with some dogs running me down at the put in. They didn’t seem too fiesty, but I closed myself in the car and let them lose interest before I came out. Quick 2.1 mile unicycle shuttle back to the put in after parking at the Hwy 158 shoulder before putting on.
It became apparent quickly that the level was a bit low, but there was just enough water to make it through with the occasional scrape and really was ideal for an exploratory run in an unfamiliar area. The first half was small class I shoal rapids, the occasional portage for wood and more flat than I’d like. The second half picked up a bit with one or three drops reaching class II. Within the last half mile or so, was the most interesting part where there are some houses on the high banks river right. A series of rapids here back to back was solid class II creeking drops and I am guessing II+ with more water. There was a similar smaller drop just before the take out bridge.
Overall, I think Flat River or the already documented portions of the Tar would have been better options, but I’m now happy to know what’s there. I’d say it’s a good spot for a novice who wants a relaxing run with a few interesting rapids thrown in, but I wouldn’t drive more than about 20 minutes for this one. I’d recommend at least 6 ft on the Tar River gage for the most fun and less scraping and 7 ft would probably be the best it would have to offer. At higher water, my suspicion is that it would be an entirely different experience similar to how the Wilton Slopes to Green Hill Rd section is, but I can’t confirm this. I also drove over a few other bridges on the Tar upstream what had already been documented prior to my trip on the way that had rapids in view further downstream my run. On paper the gradient didn’t look good for those areas, but rapids looked decent from the bridge.