>>> NORTH CAROLINA HAS NEARLY
38,000 MILES OF RIVERS BUT ONLY ABOUT 145 MILES OF RIVERS IN OUR
STATE ARE DESIGNATED AS WILD AND SCENIC.
27 OF THOSE MILES ARE IN NEW RIVER STATE PARK IN THE
NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE STATE.
PRODUCER RICK SULLIVAN SAYS IF YOU'RE A CAMPER, A PADDLER OR A
HIKER, THIS PARK AND THIS STORY ARE FOR YOU.
>> NEARLY A HALF CENTURY AGO, PRESIDENT LYNDON JOHNSON SIGNED
THE WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT.
SOON AFTER, THIS INCREDIBLE SECTION OF THE NEW RIVER IN
NORTH CAROLINA WAS CLASSIFIED AS SUCH, A WILD AND SCENIC RIVER
THAT HAS BECOME PROTECTED SOME ALTERATIONS SUCH AS DAMMING,
DEVELOPMENT, AND DIVERSION.
INSTEAD, NEW RIVER STATE PARK IS THE PLACE TO GO FOR CAMPING,
CANOEING, AND A CAREFREE GETAWAY ON THE NEW RIVER.
>> WELL, NEW RIVER STATE PARK IS A GREAT RIVER FOR FAMILIES THAT
WANT TO COME OUT AND ENJOY THE WATER.
IT IS GENTLE ENOUGH FLOW FOR FOLKS TO GET IN AND
SWIM FOR CANOEING.
BEGINNING CANOEING IS THE BIGGEST RECREATION THAT WE HAVE.
>> EXPERIENCE IS NOT NECESSARY.
THE RIVER IS SHALLOW, AND THE CURRENT IS LIGHT.
>> FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO WORRY.
IF THEY FALL OUT, ALL THEY REALLY HAVE TO DO IS STAND UP.
IF YOU'RE NOT FALLING IN, YOU'RE NOT CANOEING.
THAT'S JUST THE BASIC THING.
>> BUT DON'T CONFUSE THE LACK OF DANGER FOR LACK OF ADVENTURE OR
THE QUALITY OF TIME SPENT HERE ON THE RIVER AND IN THE PARK.
NEW RIVER STATE PARK IS IN THE NORTHWESTERN CORNER OF THE
STATE, JUST CLOSE ENOUGH TO CIVILIZATION THAT AN OCCASIONAL
CAR CAN BE HEARD FROM HIGHWAY 221 NEARBY, BUT MORE OFTEN
YOU'LL HEAR THE BIRDS, WIND, OR SLOW-MOVING WATER FROM ONE OF
THE OLDEST AND MOST UNIQUE RIVERS AROUND.
>> THE NEW RIVER IS -- IT, UM, TELLS THE STORY OF BEING THE
OLD -- AN OLD RIVER.
IF WE TALK ABOUT IT BEING A BACKWARDS RIVER OR HEADING
NORTH, BECAUSE IT FLOWS FROM BLOWING ROCK AND BOONE AREAS
THROUGH NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND INTO VIRGINIA AND INTO THE
KANAWHA RIVER AND THEN THE OHIO RIVER AND THEN THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
>> AND THEN IT DOES IT A HOOK SHOT.
>> AND THEN IT DOES A HOOK ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN TO THE GULF.
>> THIS TRIO OF CANOER/KAYAKERS IS FROM THE CHARLOTTE AREA
SAMPLING A SHORT PADDLE THROUGH A SECTION OF THE PARK.
WITH WATER FLOWING AT JUST ABOUT 2 MILES PER HOUR, IT'S PRETTY
EASY TO DO SHORT TRIPS.
>> THE THING WE'VE ALL GONE KAYAKING BEFORE AND CANOEING A
FEW TIMES, BUT NEVER IN THE NEW RIVER, ON THIS SIDE OF IT.
SO THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME, AND WE REALLY LIKED IT.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
>> AND WE -- WE CAME OUT HERE YESTERDAY TO TENT CAMP, AND WE
LOVE TO COME UP HERE, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR, BECAUSE YOU
CAN SEE ALL OF THE LEAVES TURNING AND THE STARS.
>> NEW RIVER STATE PARK IS AN IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT.
IT NOT ONLY PROTECTS THE BEAUTY AND FUNCTIONALITY
OF THE NEW RIVER.
IT EDUCATES VISITORS SO THEY CAN LEARN AND SPREAD THAT
INFORMATION TO OTHERS.
>> YOU NEED TO VISIT THE CENTER, THE WELCOME CENTER THEY HAVE IN
THE PARK, AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF EDUCATIONAL
MATERIALS IN THERE.
AND THEY MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHY THE
VEGETATION IS ON THE EDGE AND WHY EVERYTHING IS LAID OUT THE
WAY IT IS AND NOT TO GO STOMPING THROUGH IT.
>> THE VISITORS CENTER ALWAYS ALLOWS FOLKS TO GET ACQUAINTED
WITH A SLIMY LITTLE CRITTER CALLED A HELLBENDER, WHICH HAS
THE FULL SUPPORT AND PROTECTION OF RANGER DOUG
AND HIS ASSOCIATES.
>> THEY LIVE UNDER LARGE ROCKS IN THE RIVER, AND MOST OF THE
TIME DURING THE DAY, THEY'LL STAY UNDER THOSE ROCKS.
THAT'S THEIR HOME.
THEY COULD LIVE THERE FOR 30 YEARS AND NOBODY EVER SEE THEM.
BUT IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE ONE, IT REALLY IS AN
EXCITING EXPERIENCE.
>> DID YOU SEE ANY HELLBENDERS?
>> NO.
>> NOT YET.
>> HAD YOU EVER HEARD OF A HELLBENDER BEFORE YOU CAME HERE?
>> NO.
I SAW A SIGN.
THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD OF ONE.
>> HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THE PARK?
>> I JUST DID A SEARCH ON NORTH CAROLINA
STATE PARKS, WHICH ONE
HAS, LIKE, TENT CAMPGROUNDS.
>> A LOT OF THEM DO.
HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THIS ONE?
>> I GUESS I SAW THE PICTURES AND IT LOOKED THE PRETTIEST.
>> AT NEW RIVER STATE PARK, I'M RICK SULLIVAN FOR
"NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."