Monday is never an easy time for the outdoors enthusiast, especially come summer. After a weekend of adventure, returning to the humdrum work-a-day world can make one melancholy.
To help ease this trying transition from out-in-the-Sun-day to Mon-I-wish-I-were-back-in-the-sun-day, we’re running a new feature every Monday, at least during the summer, called 90-Second Escape. Essentially, it’s a 90-second mini-movie of a place you’d probably rather be: a trail, a park, a greenway, a lake … anywhere as long as it’s out in the sun. Because there’s a good chance you might want to make such an escape yourself, we’ll include a resource list with each escape showing where and how to make it happen.
Today’s 90-Second Escape: Paddling remote Jordan Lake.
Remote Jordan Lake? Can there be such a thing at a State Recreation Area where thousands — most of whom in some way associated a speed boat — converge every summer weekend to enjoy the heat?
Despite being less than two miles from Jordan Lake dam, the Robeson Creek area eludes the speed boat traffic common to Vista Point, Seaforth Point, Ebenezer Church and Jordan’s other popular gathering spots. Robeson Creek quickly feeds into the lower Haw River, which at this point essentially has become a backwater of Jordan Lake. There’s the occasional fishing boat powered by a 5-horsepower trolling motor, but for the most part this part of the lake is the domain of canoes and kayaks, its still waters making for easy summer paddling, it’s numerous small tributaries offering up good exploring.
The map below shows you how to reach the Robeson Creek canoe access from U.S. 64. The video above shows what you can expect.
Enjoy.
View Robeson Creek Access: Jordan Lake in a larger map
Joe, the map is wrong I think. The canoe put-in is a left turn off of Hanks Chapel Road before you hit the Roberson Creek boat ramp. Your map is taking you down to an access point I have never tried before on Roberson Creek.
The canoe launch is up very close to the start of the rapids, there is a sign as you drive down Hanks Chapel Road. Your put-in may be another that I have never tried, but it would seem the boat ramp would be esaier, I see no parking area on the sat map.
Hey Tom,
I see the boat ramp you refer to on the GMCO Map of Jordan Lake, but is it still active? We paddled up to the rapids and I don’t recall seeing a ramp along the north bank.
The access on the map above is relatively new, has ample parking and is the access marked on the drive in.
I’m curious: When was the last time you put in at the ramp you mention?
Joe
Joe, ok they must have moved it. Here is the GPS track I did a while back showing the boat ramp and the canoe launch. I always have passed the canoe launch sign on the way to the boat ramp. Never liked the canoe launch because of the muddy put-in and you can paddle up to the Haw rapids in about 1 minute 🙂
So, looks like the new canoe launch is at the end of Providence Church Road now.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://www.thehemps.com/JordanLakeRobesonCrkIIGPS.kml
I am behind the times, Tom
Now I am really confused. Here is a link to a Birder’s Guide to the Triangle and they seem to point to a different put-in. They describe the one I have linked as the whitewater take out. I actually tried to used their directions on all the maps I can find on the internet and still do not know what they are pointing to…
http://tbg.carolinanature.com/jlcanoe.html#RC
I guess the good thing is that there are a number of places to put in in the Robeson Creek area.