Here's a nice swimming hole in the Watauga River bordering Hounds Ears Golf Course. I've seen swimmers and fisherman here. Some swimmers one day told me that there is an old piece of rail on the bottom close to where that pipe crosses. The Watauga runs from right to left here, and we are looking up Lance Creek. That abutment on the right for the golf cart bridge is the old Linville River Railway abutment for their bridge across Lance Creek. This is a beautiful part of the river, with 15-20 foot boulders lining the banks. It is accessed off of Old Shulls Mills Road. You might have noticed there are some nice hill-side homes in the background overlooking the golf course.