If you're on the fence about rafting the Nolichucky, stop thinking and book with High Mountain…read moreExpeditions. My wife and I had an absolute blast. This wasn't just a rafting trip, it was one of the most fun days we've had in a long time. Honestly, it felt like spending the day at an amusement park, except there were no long lines, no concrete, no crowds... just an incredible river, beautiful scenery, and a whole lot more excitement than we expected. From the moment we arrived, everything was organized, professional, and friendly. The guides were outstanding. They struck the perfect balance between making everyone feel safe and keeping the trip fun and entertaining. You could tell they genuinely love what they do. The Nolichucky Gorge is absolutely gorgeous. Between the rapids, calm stretches, and mountain scenery, we couldn't stop smiling. It was adventure without feeling intimidating. As for value, I honestly don't know of many experiences that give you this much fun for the money. If you're looking for something different to do with your spouse, family, or friends, this is it. We left exhausted, soaked, laughing, and already talking about coming back. Five stars isn't enough. High Mountain Expeditions earned lifelong customers, and I'll be recommending them to anyone looking for an unforgettable outdoor adventure.

My Husband and I went for our first Tubing experience on Saturday (7/11/26) and we had a great…read moretime! We had a 2p appointment and actually got into the water a little early; it was overcast that day and not crowded. We are also a bit older (59) and had no issues getting into or out of the tube or manipulating the rocks in the shallow spots. Overall wonderful time and we look forward to our next opportunity to Tube with High Mountain Expeditions!

An enjoyable trip from the Wilbur Dam down the river. Our guide, Daniel, was very personable &…read moreknowledgeable. We really enjoyed his conversation & information about the river. Trip was about 2+ hrs. We stopped for snacks & water & a bathroom break. Also an opportunity to jump into an area of still water. Rope swing & slide available as well. It was a rainy afternoon, we were provided ponchos. Water guns also included! Which was fun for the teenager in our group !

We had a wonderful experience rafting on the Watauga River. Our guide, Jerry, was really great. He…read morewas very knowledgeable, fun and informative. The owner was Teresa was super friendly. She took many photos of us along with our guide that she sent us for free. They even loaned us a hat to wear on the river! I highly recommend Watauga Kayak Tours & Outfitters!

Wonderful experience....great people. The water was low but the entire 3 1/2 hour trip was fun and…read morelovely scenery.

Great trip! Waterways are more intense since Helene! Couple good class 4's. Thank you John Wick…read morefor sacrificing yourself in the 1/4 mile run. Scenery was awesome and 9 miles of remote..no access. Wahoooo!

It was a cold rainy day, but our rafting on the Watauga river couldn't have been more perfect! The…read moreentire crew and especially our guides Bea and Justin were wonderful! They gave us rain jackets to keep us warm even though we were soaking wet. If these folks can make a less than perfect day,perfect then I can't recommend this group more!more

This experience was so much fun. First, very professional and very safe. Our group of 8 consisted…read moreof 2 four year olds a 6 year old and 5 adults. Jesse was our guide and he was wonderful. Before boarding the rafts we had a wonderful lunch. Sandwiches with a variety of cold cuts, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. The potato salad was delicious with cookies and watermelon for dessert. We were soaked to the skin , between buckets of water and water pistol "fights ". I must emphasize that safety and fun was emphasized. The staff was wonderful. I highly recommend this adventure. You will not be disappointed and you will have great family fun

I've known RiverGirl for probably about 20 years. I've gone kayaking multiple times with her outfit…read moreand have taken fly fishing lessons from her. To me she is the heart and soul of Todd. I'm sorry to read some of the critical reviews here. My experience and those of my friends and guests have been universally positive. I guess I keep an eye on the recent weather and the water level to know when the conditions are ideal so as to not be dragging my butt on the bottom and complain about it.

My two boys took fly fishing lessons from Kelly at River Girl Fishing. She is amazing with kids…read more They love all things fishing and she was so great teaching them all things fly fishing. She taught them how to tie flies, where to stand in the river, when to fish, and most importantly how to be a good steward of the land. They supplied waders, boots and rods. It was a great experience and we can't wait to go back.

Drove here from Asheville to go white river rafting with 3 others. We wanted to do Nolichucky Gorge…read morebecause of the level 3/4 rapids and overall were really glad that we did. Two of my friends were going white river rafting for the first time, and overall they said it was the highlight of the trip. It was around 3 hours long and went through around 20 level 3 rapids and around 3-4 level 4 rapids. We went Oct. 22nd and it was a little chilly in the morning but hit 75 during the day. Definitely would recommend, was a great time. Shoutout to Kenny who I talked to on the phone probably 10 times in 24 hours. Also the drive to Erwin from Asheville is quite beautiful, both in the morning and the way back. Would just recommend they update their gear/shoes, or maybe have the option to pay $5 or something to rent outfits and they be newer.

Super awesome experience on the Nolichucky with Andy! He was very informative of the surrounding…read morearea and history, kept us engaged with silly jokes, and kept us on the edge of our seats! Definitely a trip worth making. Can't wait to come back!

Our trip was an afternoon float down the Watauga River, which was a very tame stretch of water,…read moreclean and cold. We had two adults and a couple of young boys (8 and 11), and the guides were good sports with the splashy-splashy and the water gun distractions during the slow parts. There's a rock outcrop just after the put-in, and we stopped and jumped off. This is a no-frills rafting operation, and I really appreciated that. The focus is on getting you to the launch point, helping you enjoy your trip down the river, and then getting you back to your car. (I think they also offer a morning trip that includes lunch, and maybe an all-day rafting option.) They're not trying to make money with add-ons like gear and accessories you don't need (although they do sell water and those sunglasses strap thingies). The raft and the oars were of good quality and in great shape, so no worries there. The vests did have a bit of a funk to them, but nothing that got in the way of enjoying the trip. They even took some photos with their waterproof camera as we floated down the river and then shared them with us online for free. I can't guarantee that you'll also get this treatment, but it was refreshing to get a few nice shots of our day for no extra charge. You can tell that these guys enjoy what they are doing. Just the kind of small business I'm happy to spend my dollars with. Safe and fun, without any surprise fees.

Grant you have an awesome TEAM. It was a delight to meet the best FEMALE GUIDES EVER - Racheal and…read moreJess. we had a blast with Racheal and you will see us again. What a very experienced and professional group. Stay blessed and NEVER QUIT COL BEN & Griselle Mitchell , Angel and Gizelle !!! Stay Safe

We booked a tubing trip about a month out and upon our arrival, the weather was dreary, cold, and…read morenot exactly ideal for tubing. It was unusual for mid-June for NC. Anyway, my hat goes off to Grant, he upgraded us to kayaks, and our party was very grateful for that! It made all the difference in our trip, as we were able to stay dry. The weather was drizzling and we were cold, but not as cold as it would have been in a tube. Thank you, for making our trip memorable!

Great guides took care of us. The cave excursion was taxing and worth it. Not a walk through. We…read morecrawled, rolled, swam, climbed and got muddy. A real challenge. Rafting trip was relaxing after that. Just a few rapids. Zeb and Brody great guides. Cliff climbing was hard work and worth it too. Guides Josh and Caitlyn pushed us and it felt like a huge sense of accomplishment. Just ask what you need for each trip so you're prepared

If you are looking for a 1/2 day or full day to raft on the French Broad this is a great place to…read moreuse for your outing. Our guide, Tim, was the best. He was very knowledgeable about the history of where we were at, had some great stories to share as we rafted, and had the BEST sense of humor. This made our 1/2 day adventure that much more exciting. Your guide is really what makes or breaks your rafting experience and I could not have been any happier so thumbs up to USA Raft!!!! This place can and will accommodate just about any situation. I had family in from Texas and we had a participant that was paraplegic. No worries here they made accommodations for him and honestly probably enjoyed the trip the most however we all had the best time and will do the full day with lunch on our next adventure out. Kids of all ages will love the 1/2 day adventure and this leg of the river is a great starter for anyone that is starting out nothing too difficult.

I went with a group of 4 and had TJ as our guide. He did an phenomenal job making sure we had a fun…read moreand memorable ride! Also, the staff did a great job in preparing us for any possible incident that could occur while rafting. We went through 1,2,3 and 4 rapids and the constant view of the mountains was breathtaking. I strongly recommend TJ if you want a water rafting experience you won't forget!