Paddled from Saluda Outdoor Center to Dolly Cooper yesterday. Took about 1:45. Lots of lay downs and trash. Several tight openings, but only one point where trees spanned the entire river. I was able to pick my way through, but suggest carrying a saw just in case. Also beware that the floating dock at Dolly Cooper is damaged and there's a jagged metal post on the upstream end of the boat slide.

Is there any service in the area that will take you back from Piedmont to Dolly Cooper?

Did this yesterday with two girlfriends- adventurous paddle- did have to walk boats down last set of rapids - took longer due to the water being so low (cfs 290) using the website referenced in last comment) - would definitely do it again especially once the water flow is better - happy paddling

Also, the proper USGS water gauge data to view for this section may be found below. The current water gauge shown on this page is below the Piedmont dam, which is not correct. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/02162550

While this trip does not show minimum CFM to run, it is about 405 CFM. Lower than this, paddlers will have trouble navigating the two sets of Class I or II shoals south of Dolly Cooper Park, but north of HWY 153. This trip is always runnable below HWY 153 since it is flatwater and much deeper. A trip of 12 miles, up and back, is always available from Piedmont even when the flow above is way too low.

Water running 680 CFM - was easy in a canoe. One spot that we had to walk over bcs rocks were exposed and bottomed out - I guess at this CFM would be rapid #2. There is a marked debris field, but again at this CFM, no issues, easily paddled. I’d say great 4 hour trip for fishing and relaxing - at 680 CFM. Other comments sound horrific would be nice to know what the CFM is when you comment. Thanks. Enjoy to water.

All clear as of 05/15/2022. Some low hanging trees, but everything is navigable.

This adventure was not the best experience for my group of 4 ladies. We started at around 3:30 in the afternoon at The Dolly Cooper Park launch. It took us 3 hours and 8 minutes with steady paddling for a good part of the trip to get to the unofficial take-out spot. I about tipped my kayak going off of the launch dock. Getting it straightened up we headed down to some rough rapids or at the time what we thought was rough. Boy did we not realize what we were getting into. We came upon another kayak launch dock where the rapids knocked me into the dock and I got stuck for a moment and couldn’t clear the fast running water. After I screamed for my life like a baby I finally got free! Moving on downstream we came upon another set of rapids and I had an attack of tree limbs and struggled to not crash into them. I thought we were done but oh heck no that wasn’t the case. One of our kayaks flipped on a large rapid and lost her paddle but like a boss, she was able to stand on a rock and jump back on her yak! I’m sooo proud of her! Thank goodness we were able to get her paddle running downstream. We all scraped our boats on the huge rocks. Next, was a very large large tree blocking our complete path. Nothing to do but go under it. So needless to say we got low In our boats like the limbo and broke branches until we were able to fight our way through. If the water level was up you'd be stuck because there is nowhere to exit and get back in the water. I fear for future kayakers that go there with the water levels high. Gees! That was 2 hours into our 3-hour journey and I was done with this adventure. THEN…one of our other kayak friends got stuck on a tree under the water that you could not see so thank goodness for our fearless leader that rocked her free without tipping the yak. I’m done for the season. It was Rough!!!! I’m NEVER kayaking on a river again!!!! The research showed one set of rapids. There were 3 or 4 I lost count. I’ll take Flat Water from now on!!!! Only flat water!!!! There's much more to this story like the man that pulled us out of the water, keys getting left behind, a random Bonfire, and a beaver falling from a tree but I’m just gonna leave it!

First time out on this trip. Paddled this from start to finish. Both of us rolled our kayaks at the rapids, Hit the rocks and had a rough time. Guess the river was low. The down trees were manageable. Would do this trip again once we are better at rapids.

My daughter and I did about 1/2 of this today.. After 85 bridge, there is a big tree down across river to the right of the split. Go left! We went for a swim and were entangled in trees for a bit. Got a little rattled. Pulled up to a residence after that and got out on a very steep bank with the help of a very nice gentleman. Found out after getting out that it's very calm down to the take out before Saluda River Grill. We should've stayed in and finished but we were ready to be done at that point.

Did this today, June 30, 2020. River was high and muddy due to all the rain last night. NO ROCKS showing on any of the rapids/riffles in the upper half. Was a lot of fun doing these rapids in this high water. Second half of trip was flat, with some current. Put in at Dolly Cooper at 9:15AM. Took out at 1:20. Only 4+ hours. We fished and stopped for a 15 minute lunch break. Water was moving us along. NO tree clogged area as the caution symbol warned about. Perhaps that should come off the map. Only had to duck under one tree that had recently fallen across the river. A very good run. We will do it again in lower water. Boats today were two twelve foot Old Town Discovery canoes.

Completed this section yesterday (5/16/2020) In 4.5 hours. No issues, no swims.

Just ran this section yesterday (May 9, 2020) and pretty much all clear. Lots of debris throughout but nothing blocking your way entirely. River right just after the rapids and near “signsouth” in the map has a submerged log, maybe six inches down that was completely invisible. It runs parallel with the river. The canoe was fine but two of our kayakers bumped into it and got rolled. At the split if you stay left you won’t hit it.

River all clear, not blocked by any debris as of 03/28/2020.

There is another more recent option with @jasonjadams - a private resident offering guided tours, transfers/portage, equipment rental and even an AirBnb for 2.