Board Camp Creek
“The Short Cut to Soddy”
Class IV.2
Level Check: Use the Soddy gauge, if Soddy is running than Board Camp is running
Board Camp Creek “back in the day” use to be a remote paddle and for the hardy paddler who didn’t mind an epic day of paddling, hiking, and map reading from Jones Gap Road. Once Highway 111 cut it’s swath through the area it opened up access to the creek and cut a lot of the upper paddling out. This now the preferred put-in for paddling Soddy, other opinions may vary.
By paddling Board Camp you get more action when heading towards Soddy, Board Camp Creek has several Class III rapids and a couple of Class IV’s that stand out on their own, and at higher (good water) some Class V's come into play and this is a good thing, because Board Camp puts you right into meat of the action of Soddy Creek and having a solid warm-up for Soddy is a good thing.
One note although Board Camp cuts time off a long day if you paddle Soddy all the way from the top, and Board Camp also helps on access issues, because Soddy has access issues due to landowners, rock harvesting and development encroachment .You need to beware of trees. The Southern Pine Beetle was the first to nail the run. Second has been the 4 year drought that stressed the remaining trees, and third for the wind storm that got more. Board Camp is not a choke fest, but if you are thinking it’s a straight shot off the mountain, think again…beware of your surroundings while in this deep gorge.
Enjoy this run, for some reason it’s not paddled too much… and that’s a shame. It’s one of the last ones not to be totally untouched. The only true trash is some old abandoned cars and we found two old stills from days past. Some history in there for sure.
