River outfitters

For any family that’s climbed aboard a raft and struck on a rollicking trip down the river, it’s without fail a prevailing highlight of their trip to the mountains. As captives of the raft for the duration of the trip, families and friends have a chance to bond, visit and squeal as they surge, bob and float their way downstream.

Western North Carolina has some of the most esteemed rafting rivers in the nation. There’s no shortage of rafting outfitters (see list) to make your trip a success.

But if suiting up in a lifejacket and wielding a paddle doesn’t fit into your vacation schedule this summer, there is still plenty of fun to be had from the river’s shore.

Any day of the week, the Nantahala River is alive with a burgeoning subculture of kayakers and whitewater canoers. Kicking back along the river’s edge and watching their antics as they barrel through rapids or surf waves is a fabulous way to wile away an afternoon.

One of the best spectator spots is the Nantahala Outdoor Center, a large outpost on the river complete with an outfitters store, general store and restaurants. Upriver from NOC is Nantahala Falls, where rafters take turns pummeling over a small waterfall. And just downstream is a spot known among paddlers as “The Wave” where kayakers hover in place on the water while doing a series of free-style tricks, boat and all flying out of the surging water and catching air.

Paddlers generally queue up behind the wave, waiting their turn to pull off a series of tricks. Boaters get to play until they land wrong and get flushed out of the wave, usually two or three minutes, and then paddle upstream and get in back of the line.

To get to the NOC from Bryson City, head south on U.S. 23-74. The highway will narrow to two lanes as you head into the Nantahala Gorge. From there, you can’t miss it.

Nantahala River

Adventurous Fast Rivers Rafting

14690 Nantahala River, Bryson City
800.438.7238 • www.white-water.com

Appalachian Rivers Raft Co., Inc.

Hwy. 19-74, Topton
800.330.1999 • www.apprivers.com

Carolina Outfitters Rafting

12121 Hwy. 19W., Bryson City
800.468.7238 • www.carolinaoutfitters.com

Endless River Adventures

14157 Hwy. 19W., Bryson City
828.488.6199 • www.endlessriveradventures.com

Nantahala Outdoor Center

13077 Hwy 19W., Bryson City
800.232.7238 • www.noc.com

Old River Outdoor Adventures

2612 Old River Road, Canton
828.235.8460 • www.oldriveroutdooradventures.com

Paddle Inn Rafting Company

14611 Hwy. 19W, Bryson City
800.711.RAFT • www.paddleinnrafting.com

Rolling Thunder River Company

10160 Hwy. 19W., Bryson City
800.408.7238

USA Raft Nantahala

110044 Hwy. 19W, Bryson City
800.745.9356 • www.raftingrush.com

Wildwater Ltd. Rafting

10345 Hwy. 19W., Bryson City
800.451.9972 • www.wildwaterrafting.com

Tuckasegee River

Dillsboro River Company

18 Mack Town Road, Dillsboro
866.586.3797 • www.northcarolinarafting.com

TJ’s Water Adventures LLC

10223 Hwy .107, Tuckasegee
828.293.5110 • www.tjswateradventures.com

Tuckaseegee Outfitters

4909 Hwy. 74W., Whittier
828.586.5050 • www.raftnc.com

Little Tennessee River

Great Smokey Mountain Fish Camp & Safaris

136 Bennett Road, Franklin
828.369.5295 • www.fishcamp.biz

Primitive Outback Inc.

210 Ronin Lynn Lane, Otto
828.349.1717 • www.primitiveoutback.com

Blue Ridge Outing Company

5472 Hwy. 74W., Whittier
800.572.3510 • www.raftwithkids.com

Watching the big ones

The most adrenaline packed whitewater in the region is found on the Cheoah, a river riddled with mega-rapids and thundering waterfalls. While it is for only the most elite paddler to tackle, watching rafts and kayaks shoot over giant waterfalls is better than fireworks.
The river only runs a few days of the year, when the floodgates of a large dam on the river are lifted to create a surge of water downstream, serving as a magnet for whitewater seekers.
If you happen to be in the far western corner of the state on June 20 or 21, check it out. To get there, head west out of Robbinsville on U.S. 129.