FRENCH BROAD RIVER WHITE WATER RAFTING NEAR ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
We Have moved to 35 Little Pine Rd. Just 4 miles farther down the road toward Hot Springs, on your left, just before Mama's Country Kitchen.
Blue Heron Whitewater offers whitewater rafting trips on North Carolina's French Broad River near Asheville, NC. Our most popular NC rafting trips paddle the section of the French Broad River between Marshall, NC and Hot Springs, NC. This makes for an easy day trip from Asheville, NC. We provide excellent, fun-loving guides and all the appropriate river equipment so you can maximize your fun, while experiencing the western North Carolina mountains by river!
The French Broad River is a free flowing river with it's headwaters high in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Rosman and Brevard NC. Flowing from the Devil's Courthouse on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the French Broad River then flows to Asheville, NC before turning north and west toward Marshall, NC, Hot Springs, NC and Tennessee. Water levels vary throughout the season so we have a variety of boats for you to choose from. This variety of boat sizes helps insure your trip will be fun whatever the river level. At the most common water levels we can offer different sizes of raft as well as ducks (inflatable kayaks) for you to choose. Depending on the water level, ducks or self-guided rafts are a great option for folks who are looking to get little more adventure out of their North Carolina rafting trip on the French Broad River. You can always choose to go in a raft with a guide.
Located only 20 minutes from Asheville North Carolina on mostly four lane highways, Blue Heron Whitewater is the closest outfitter to Asheville NC. When you arrive at the outpost for your trip we will talk about the day's river level, the boat options available, and will help you choose the boat option that will best suit your group . A variety of boat choices insures we can help everyone in your group have a great North Carolina whitewater rafting or float trip on the French Broad River.
After everybody has checked in, signed whitewater rafting waivers, changed clothes, bought last-minute items from the store (chums, cameras, river shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc), the next step is your trip talk. The "what to do if ..." talk where we'll discuss gear (helmets, pfds, paddles, etc), procedures, and how the logistics of your river trip will work. After all your questions are answered and your gear is checked for proper fit, it's time to load the bus and head off for our whitewater or calm water float trip on the French Broad River in beautiful Western North Carolina, home of some of North Carolina's best family rafting adventures.
The French Broad River is a great NC rafting river. While not too wild for the novice, the French Broad River has plenty to offer the experienced rafter, particularly if they choose to paddle a duck. The rapids range from class I to III on the half-day white water rafting trips, and from class I-IV on the full day NC rafting trip. These are small to medium sized rapids on the class I to VI classification scale. The white water rapids on the French Broad River are considered drop-pool type rapids. Typically the rapids consists of a drop with a calmer pool at the bottom of the rapid.
The float trip stretch of the French Broad River has beautiful scenery, a few riffles, and plenty of opportunity for swimming and floating. The float trip is a great way for families with small children (minimum age is 4 for the float trip) to enjoy some time together on a fantastic NC river. Or if you just want to have a relaxing and scenic float, the French Broad River float trip offers fantastic mountain scenery, fascinating history, and lots of splashing fun.
North Carolina rafting is blessed with a long whitewater rafting season. Here in the Southern Appalachians we run white water rafting trips and calm water float trips from mid-March to early November. And unlike the cold water of other rivers in Western North Carolina, the French Broad River is cool and inviting. A NC rafting trip on the French Broad River is a complete river trip. More than a river ride, rafting North Carolina's French Broad River with Blue Heron Whitewater offers a fantastic combination of white water rapids, swimming holes, beautiful scenery, history and wildlife.
Although Blue Heron Whitewater is a new company, we are not new to NC rafting or to the French Broad River. The three owners of Blue Heron Whitewater have a combined 70+ years of NC rafting and river experience. We are friends with, and work with some of the most experienced and exceptional guides anywhere, guides who love to share their knowledge and experience of North Carolina rafting, and know how to have fun on the river. Check out our image gallery. You'll see lots of smiling faces. Couples, families, and groups all benefit from the dynamics of a whitewater rafting trip on the French Broad River. We see it every day. Actual teenagers smiling, hugging, and enjoying the company of their parents. So please join us as we embark on this new adventure of having our own whitewater rafting company. Please, grow with us and help us become a great whitewater rafting company. Blue Heron Whitewater is a company of friends, a company you can trust.