Linville River
Wild & Scenic🌿 Wilderness
Burke / Avery Co. · 40 mi · Class I–V
40CFS/ 2.11 ft
Below Optimal
Stable
Optimal: 200–1000 CFS · USGS #02138500
Flow data is live from USGS·Rapid classifications and CFS ranges need community verification·Know this river?
40 mi
Length
Class I–V
Difficulty
200–1000 cfs
Optimal
320 cfs
Avg Flow
290 cfs
Hist. Median
#02138500
USGS Gauge
Linville Gorge Wilderness Area · National Wild & Scenic River Study · Blue Ridge Parkway

Linville Gorge — the "Grand Canyon of the East." The Linville River plunges through one of the deepest and most rugged gorges in the Appalachians, with the upper canyon section delivering expert-only Class IV–V whitewater through a federally designated Wilderness Area. Below the gorge, the river transitions to more moderate Class I–III. Linville Falls, a dramatic two-tier waterfall, marks the gorge entrance.

Trip sections
Above Linville Falls — Class I–II, Blue Ridge approach
Linville Gorge — Class IV–V, expert wilderness canyon
Below the Gorge — Class I–III, Lake James transition
Outfitters
Linville Gorge Adventures
Guided Linville Gorge wilderness paddle trips
72-Hour Flow Forecast
NOAA NWPS
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10-Year Flow Patterns
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Data Quality

River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and trip sections may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level. If you spot an error, use the Improve This River button at the top of the page — your local knowledge is what makes this atlas accurate.