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Paddling near Bryson City, NC


Bryson City sits in Swain County in the western North Carolina mountains, widely recognized as one of the country's top paddling towns — Paddler Magazine listed it among the best in the U.S., and "101 Best Outdoor Towns" ranked it third nationally for whitewater paddling. The marquee waters are the Nantahala River, the Tuckasegee River, and Fontana Lake, covering everything from flatwater SUP and canoe floats to serious whitewater.

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