Snorkeling in Appalachian waters isn’t about thrill-seeking or finding Nemo, it’s an immersive experience where you learn about your surroundings in slow-moving water less than two feet deep. With a little patience, the snorkeler becomes the focus of the wildlife’s curiosity, leading to encounters with what lives beneath the rippling water.

Kevin Merrill, a freshwater biologist and owner of Oxbow River Snorkeling LLC in Rosman, says many of the species in these waters are small, cryptic or active only inches from the streambed.

“Without a mask, they are easy to miss. With one, the river becomes something closer to an underwater savannah.”

“I thought I knew what was in the water,” Andy Hill says, “but until I got in there with a mask and snorkel, I had no idea how much life I was missing.”

Kevin opened Oxbow in 2016 as a way to share his enjoyment of snorkeling that blends science, recreation and conservation. He challenges long-held assumptions about North Carolina’s mountain rivers.

“When I first started talking about snorkeling here, people would say ‘Snorkeling? In a river?’” he says with a laugh. “They had never made the connection.”

Kevin’s guided excursions focus on education, teaching snorkelers how fish depend on each other, how land use upstream affects life downstream, how a healthy river is less about one “superstar” species and more about balance.

Education is the point. “If you want people to care about our rivers,” he says, “you have to show them what’s actually there. We then protect what we understand.”

A growing trail

Kevin shared his snorkeling enthusiasm with friend Luke Etchison, a conservation biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The idea of a trail was born. With support from a myriad of stakeholders — the commission, NC Wildlife Federation, Mountain True, Mainstream Conservation Trust, Western Carolina University, Tennessee Valley Authority, NC American Fisheries Society, Watauga and Catawba Riverkeepers, and local government and economic development entities — the first Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail access site opened in 2023 at Mills River Park in Mills River. This summer, approximately 21 sites will be open from the state’s southern border up to the Virginia line, including 8 new sites in Watauga County (2 more planned) and one in Virginia. Each access site features an information kiosk with photos of various species a snorkeler may encounter. Kevin helped fund the Transylvania County’s French Broad River at Champion Park site in Rosman, where the headwaters of the French Broad begin.

Andy Hill, a biologist and the Watauga Riverkeeper, traces his passion to protecting and educating about the mountain’s waterways to his years spent flyfishing.

“I thought I knew what was in the water,” Andy says, “but until I got in there with a mask and snorkel, I had no idea how much life I was missing.”

He now rarely travels without a wetsuit, snorkel or viewing bucket in his truck. He’s excited for the Watauga sites to open this summer.

“Our rivers are incredibly diverse. They are also resilient and timeless, teeming with life, rebirth and discovery,” Andy says. “The Southern Blue Ridge portion of the Appalachians are home to an incredible treasure trove of wonder. Vibrant native fish and water clarity that rivals a tropical reef, filled with ancient and magnificent creatures that are not found anywhere else on the planet.”

All involved in the trail echo the same sentiment about sharing the waters’ importance. Andy adds: “It’s educating the public about the beauty and fragility of our shared rivers—the vital natural, cultural and economic resources that make Appalachia special.”

The trail checks a lot of boxes for tourism in the region. It offers a unique experience not available everywhere, spotlighting a natural resource and includes an educational component tied to outdoor recreation. Kevin believes it could become a species checklist for enthusiasts, similar to birdwatching.

“Together, these elements make it an attractive, meaningful offering for visitors,” adds Clark Lovelace, executive director of Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) in Brevard. The TDA recognized the value of the French Broad, the third-oldest river in the world, and sought ways to support the river and its environs, helping fund access in the county.

What to expect

Snorkeling is remarkably accessible and a low- to no-cost activity, whether you go on a guided excursion or seek out an access point on your own. And it’s available for most ages and abilities.

A mask and snorkel provide the entry into this world. Both Kevin and Andy believe wetsuits are helpful, especially in colder months and rocky areas, as well as heavily fished areas that may have lost lures hidden underwater. Local outfitters stock gear, and some access points in Watauga County, such as at the Valle Crucis Community Park access on the Watauga River, will offer gear through the educational programs.

Those with a wetsuit could enjoy a longer snorkeling season, from March through November, but the typical season runs May to October, depending on the weather. May and into June is the best time to snorkel, despite the cooler water temperatures, because the spring spawning fish are colorful.

When asked what he marvels at, Kevin mentions the small darter fish that flash in jewel-bright colors, the river chubs that stack stones in elaborate nests that other species rely on for spawning, and the freshwater mussels, the “livers of the river,” that filter the water, cleaning gallons an hour. In the mountains, there are about 90 species of fish alone, hundreds of millions of invertebrates, snakes, turtles, salamanders and crayfish. And the hellbender? Yes, Kevin’s excursions experience encounters with these unique creatures.

Future of the trail

More snorkel sites are in the planning stages, with expansion plans into Clay, Cleveland, Avery and Burke counties. Hurricane Helene slowed the planning progress. Right now, the team is prioritizing adding sites in the Catawba River watershed.

Luke states that the main criteria for a possible site include six points: public access; safe river access; quality parking; an often clear waterway; a unique snorkeling experience; and most important, within 20 miles of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which covers quite a bit of the foothills and parts of the Piedmont.

“The Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail was created to give folks the opportunity to experience the beauty and wonders of our rivers in the Blue Ridge … in order for people to appreciate and take care of our rivers and streams,” Luke adds. “What better way to connect with our rivers than diving in headfirst with a snorkel and mask?”