White Water Paddling in Asheville, NC

Located in one of the deepest gorges on the East Coast and offering some of the best paddling in the region, Nolichucky Gorge is a great place to spend a day paddling.

Big Creek is a classic and beautiful class III+ - V creek that is very convenient to Asheville and Knoxville, TN. It combines high quality and continuous boulder garden rapids, sparkling Smokies water, and simple shuttle logistics.

The South Fork of the Mills River is one of the most overlooked wilderness runs in Western North Carolina. Unlike other remote river reaches, the whitewater is relatively easy, allowing intermediate paddlers to access a spectacularly remote valley.

The Green is an iconic river located 35 miles from downtown Asheville. With three runnable sections (Upper, Narrows, Lower), the river has something for every level paddler. It is most famous for its Narrows section, a stretch of river that has molded the sport and established Asheville, and the Southeast, as a central hub of the whitewater kayaking industry.

The Nantahala is a river steeped in heritage. It has been a benchmark intermediate run for over 30 years, and the establishment of Nantahala Outdoor Center was a large catalyst in the development of such a strong outdoor industry in the Southeast. It remains one of the best rivers to learn how to kayak, canoe, or paddleboard in the world.

Big Laurel Creek is typically a nice intro into creeking with relatively soft and forgiving runs; however, after a good rain, more holes start to appear and this creek can become a lot more technical.

The French Broad is a beautiful river drainage (actually the 3rd oldest in the world) that has something for everyone. From its beginnings near Rosman, NC, the French Broad flows over 140 miles through the NC and TN mountains, eventually terminating in Douglas Lake near Newport, TN. This entire stretch of river can be tackled in a 10+ day trip, or segmented off into unique day or weekend trips.