White Water Rafting the Natahala River
It is that time of year when those of us with families are starting to look for ideas for our summer family vacations. If you are moderately adventurous and haven’t been rafting yet, the Nantahala River is the perfect place for you! This river is mostly Class II with the final drop (see photo above) being a Class III rapid. Located at the foot of the river, the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) provides guided river tours with top notch guides. NOC is world renown for their training for rafting and whitewater Kayaking. They also boast two restaurants and one food outpost, so there is plenty of food and facilities for everyone.
The adventure is 8 miles long along this scenic mountain river with occasional stops to allow the visitors enjoy the water. It is a cold 48 to 52 degrees in the summer but a refreshing swim on a hot summer day. The grand finale is a 6 foot drop over Nantahala falls. If you have time to sit at the bottom and watch, it is funny to see some the rafts miss the running line and end up tipping. We saw a boat load of young Girl Scouts get turned around and go down backwards. They ended up laughing, screaming and tipping. But it was all good FUN! The river is calm after the falls and perfect for recovery if you do take a dip. There is a lifeguard with a throw rope ready to rescue anyone who may need it. They also have professional photographers that take photos at the falls all day long to ensure you can take your moment of excitement home with you. Our guide told my son to look right and smile as we went over the falls as you can see in the photo.
If you really enjoy the rafting, the Pigeon and the French Broad Rivers will be the next step up for excitement but still good for the whole family. NOC also offers guided trips for these rivers.
If you have had enough and prefer to stay on land, my son and I took a ride on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad located in Bryson City. We also spent each afternoon Gem Mining at various mines around the area. For a full list of gem mines the Franklin Chamber of Commerce has maps of each type of mine. The first year we found an fairly large Amethyst with nice color. I took advantage and had a pair of earrings, a 4k ring and 6k pendant all made from the same stone. I cannot say each time we were that lucky but you cannot win if you don’t play!
For those of you who enjoy the more active adventures, the area also has several hiking and mountain biking trails. The Appalachian trail is accessible from the NOC. The Tsali mountain bike trail is also accessible from the NOC and they will rent mountain bikes to those who were not able to bring their own.
About the Author: Barbara is the owner of an online store Riverbanks Outdoor Store for two years and has frequently engaged in outdoor sports for years including camping, mountain biking, whitewater rating, kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking. Barbara also hosts a blog Riverbanks Adventure Forum that focuses on product reviews and adventure vacations.
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