Great excursion! Our group of 4 (ages 50's and ages 20's) had a great time together. Marti was a fun guide, as were all of the staff. We opted for the trip that included lunch and it was perfect - easy excursion without alot of extra need for packing, etc. Everyone was very friendly and professional- we would definitely recommend and would go back again. Nice family owned business. read more

Our guide Jonah was great. Very laid back and made our trip just right for our family. It was our family of 5 in one raft. Girls were 17 and 14 and son was 10. Everyone had so much fun. Water was way down but had enough adventure for us. We went on Fall break. Interesting enough the water stays pretty warm during this time. They had plenty of gear to wear to keep from freezing if it was colder but we did wear our cold gear stuff anyway. It worked out fine. Wife was always a little concerned that something might happen, I was very comfortable about the safety this outfit takes. No worries, just fun. It was beautiful scenery. We got to try some cool stuff in the raft. Guide took our picture. We would try the longer harder trip next time. Please go if you are thinking about it. read more

We booked a Full Day rafting trip and it was absolutely amazing! Our raft guide Robert told us it has been a couple of weeks they hadn't run the 9 mile trip (full day) due to low water levels, so we knew he was probably just as stoked as we were to do the 9 miles. The morning was a bit gloomy and cold as thunderstorms were forecasted for the day but it turned out to be sunny and beautiful! We lost Robert on our first Class IV ledge but we got him back on the raft in a jiffy! LOL. As for lunch, French Broad actually GRILLS hotdogs and burgers, no pre-made sandwiches like other rafting companies. Overall, friendly staff! Richard is the new up and coming North Carolina comedian and Amy is a future NASCAR bus driver. HIGHLY recommend them!!! read more

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Great time on the unguided calm trip! Our kids (6 and 7) loved the little rapids we went through. It was a 1.5 hour trip in total.

Great experience overall. Our rafting guide Richard was Top Notch. We learned a lot of history and details about the area and the river. Things we would have never known otherwise. The changing facilities inside the building Etc were clean comfortable with plenty of room. We have been to other rafting companies and there is no comparison! We will be back again and recommend it to anyone visiting this area. read more

This was my 4th time white water rafting and my 2nd time with this company. It was the first time for the rest of my family. This is a great 1st timer's trip. The river is easy going. The rapids were class 1, 2, and 3. We did the 5-miler. I understand there's a class 4 rapid on the 9-miler. All the staff are friendly. The guides are safety conscious and very funny. Tom was our guide. He was great and the leader of our group. We had 2 teens with us and they had a blast. There were a lot of younger kids on our trip so it's great for them too. The following day we came back to zip line. Josh "Juice" and Joe were our guides. They were great. Why? They are patient, explain things (repeatedly, if needed), funny, easy to talk to, and safety conscious. The zip lining was incredible. We've all been before on a one and done course. There were 10 lines on this course. The views are amazing. Speeding through the air was exhilarating. You mostly zip from one platform yo the next. There are a couple of times you have to walk a short distance on easy terrain. We all had a blast. read more

We had a great time on our rafting trip last week. My son has ASD and ADHD and had a hard time following directions, so our guide let him hand over his paddle and just ride. The rapids weren't as intense as other trips I've done but for a first time out with my kids it was perfect. We only spent about 2 hours on the river and we did the 5 mile trip without lunch. It was a little short but no complaints. I would do this again. Our guide was a great gal; I think her name was MaryAnne? Very smart and did a wonderful job steering the raft and instructing us on what to do. The bus ride to and from the drop off and pick up points was entertaining and the whole company is organized and efficient. Highly recommend this trip for families! read more

Amazing experience!! Our group of 13 made a reservation for the 5 mile morning trip (included lunch) via their website. Booking was simple and easy--and they answered all of my questions regarding concerns with my 70 year old in-laws coming with us in the trip. The guides did a fantastic job reviewing the rules and safety guidelines, and the process of equipping everyone with vests, helmets and oars was seamless. Speaking of guides, our guide Will was beyond expectations. He made our trip down the river such a wonderful experience! He had our raft rowing like professionals and his trip included the history and fun tidbits of information about the area. Highly recommend this company and Will as your guide. read more

We had a wonderful time rafting the 9 mile trek today. Caylor was the lead guide. Jesse was our guide. AJ was the other guide and Grant was transport. They were informative, professional & funny. The rapids ranged from .5 to 4. We had a lot of fun, got thoroughly wet, and now have great memories. Thank you!!! We are looking forward to doing the zip line later in the week. read more

We had a fantastic time on our white water rafting trip. Very well organized, knowlegeable staff, safe and professional. I highly recommend.

These guys are a real fun time. Evan and Jim were very knowledgeable (and jokesters) about the river's history in and around Madison County. Evan was a great river guide. Groups were small and Intimate, met some good people. Next time me and my girlfriend are doing the zipline tour! read more

Wish I could give them TEN stars! We researched every possible option within a 15 mile radius of Hot Springs, and there was French Broad, set right out on Main Street, welcoming us with open arms. Their guides were smart, funny, hardworking and SO FUN! Can't wait to return year after year - such an outstanding company that gave us the memories of a lifetime. read more

*** Rafting full 9mile*** (non-swimmer and first time rafters) The staff are extremely friendly, knowledgeable and hilarious. You can tell their staff really enjoy being around each other and give off such a positive and welcoming vibe. They are thorough with explanation of how to sit on board and safety instructions. We opted for wet suits underneath our rain gear (they provided due to it being a bit cold and rainy)My teenage daughter who can't swim was at first a bit scared of goin but once she sat in the raft and saw how well anchored in you are when you place your foot holds properly, she seemed more relaxed. As we got passed our first rapid she was definitely having fun and seemed at ease. It had been raining for several days (including the day we went off and on ) so the river was high and moving at a good pace. We happened to go when they had a school group booked. They scheduled my family of 3 with another family of 3 in the same raft. I was impressed with how efficiently they were able to get all the group's moving, even with our lunch stop (which they grill hotdogs and hamburgers- if you need veggie burgers you can book that option ahead, with drink coolers of water and lemonade available) it all seemed to move at a decent pace. Our guide Marti was awesome and the pictures they took were great. Easy system of finding your groups photos by looking for your guides name, the date/time of reservation. ***Just remember to bring cash for a tip, we regrettably did not *** On our last rapid, our raft mate wound up flailing backwards and hit my daughter in the face with his helmet pretty hard causing her to have a small cut above her eyebrow and a little swelling. I could tell at this point her excitement for rafting diminished, which is unfortunate since she was having a blast. So FYI to maybe also pay attention to the person in front of you and how they are positioned, as she did say she was only paying attention to his paddle and trying to keep in time with it and not his head/body placement. read more

Surveying the rafting companies on the French Broad, we were attracted by FBRZ's web site. We *completely* lucked up with our assigned guide when the family of 4 gals and I got into the boat. Jim H. was clearly an expert with the paddle and the craft. He was also very personable, entertaining, and knowledgeable about the river, history, and stories of the area. As for the River, in July it's downright warm, there is a jump rock, and a couple/few Class III rapids. We did the "snack" trip (but wished we did the lunch trip) but it was all good after a big breakfast. I recommend you figure out a way to bring your own water (with a carbiner) to lash to the boat. Lastly, I received some good information from Jim about my next trip where we'll visit yet another jewel of the Smokies. read more

Richard was an excellent river guide. While the water was low, making the rapids quite calm, we enjoyed our rafting very much. We felt safe at all times while still having fun. I highly recommend Richard as a raft guide; he clearly knows what he is doing. I could have done without other rafters splashing us in the face with water from their paddles. Ziplining wasn't quite as spectacular of an experience. They do have 10 ziplines in a variety of lengths. The equipment used was quality, but we could have used a little more instruction (especially in regards to hand breaking) before going on the long zips. On one of the longest lines, my hand slipped off the line while breaking, causing me to spin wildly on the line, hit the padded tree back-first, and ricocheting into the ends of the cable at significant speed and. Of course, this isn't their fault, but I would have appreciated a little more instruction of what to do in this type of situation in advance. I continued to finish the ziplines after getting a bit more instruction on controlling my speed throughout the lines and how to maintain a front-facing position without losing grip of the line. I came home very bruised and sore from the ziplining, but it was still a good time. Make sure you are completely confident and in control of your speed, steering/directionality, and breaking before starting a long zip. The rafting was the highlight of the experience. read more

We had enjoyed our canyoneering experience with our guides , but the covid-19 precautions were not even considered . Actually the other family that we were paired with had driven up from Miami, A MAJOR covid-19 hotspot and no precautions were taken. We cancelled our upcoming whitewater rafting trip on Saturday because everyone was put into a VERY crowded van to get to the destination. This does not follow covid-19 cdc guidelines. read more

The absolute BEST rafting trip down the French broad River!!! The crew here is just top notch ! They are friendly, funny , experienced and just do it right!! From the moment you arrive things are organized and you just enjoy the fun. Even the bus ride down to the river was fun w I think his name was Craig "historical tour". Our guides name was Mikey and he was excellent!! Super friendly and extremely knowledgeable of the river. We too the 5 mile tour w lunch. We loved it. I'm 46 and was comfortable on the trip- the 9 mile w more Rapids would have been too much for me. My kids 18 and 21 want to go again and take the 9 mile trip. Overall excellent excellent day and cannot say enough great things about every single person who helped make our day great!!! read more

French Broad Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

We went on a rafting trip down the French Broad River with TJ as our guide. We had an amazing time. He was very informative and easy to talk to. He shared lots of personal stories and you could see that he loves what he does. The lunch we were served was very good as well. We had a choice of burgers or hotdogs, chips and local homemade humus, cookies, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. read more

We did the 5 mile trip with lunch the website says it's about 5 hours it's only took 3 hours. We did have a lot of fun the only think that sucked was the pictures there was only one spot they took pictures of us coming down the river. About 10 pictures which they charge $42 dollars and tax for them on a flash drive. Very disappointed there were more then one Rapid on the river they could have took pictures in more spots on the river. Also some of the photos on the flash drive were duplicates so definitely not worth the $42 dollars pulse tax for the flash drive with the photos. Also one of the photos were of a bird not of us rafting. Next year when we come we will definitely try another company. But we must say thank you to TJ are rafting guide he was great very personal and full of information of the area and the surroundings the river. read more

The river is flood level, we were a little apprehensive. Our guide Calvin navigated it without a hitch. I felt so confident in his knowledge of the the river, he knew every line and how to get us there, I'm biased, but please request Calvin, he knows the river. read more

We had a party of 12 and called ahead to reserve. The reservation process was straightforward and quick, and the girl on the phone was very helpful when I had to modify our reservation. Arriving at French Broad Rafting, we were informed on safety procedures before embarking on our 5-mile rafting adventure. Six passengers ride to a boat, and my boat guide was Chance. He was very knowledgeable of the river and area, very clear in terms of verbal commands and directions, and he joked around and had a lot of fun with us. The 5-mile rafting trip is EASY. You will get wet, and you will physically exert yourself, but you will not get hurt, nor will you submerge yourself under or tip the raft as long as you follow your guide's instructions. I can not recommend enough! read more

Such a great time! From the check in point, to the check out point, everything was well organized. Our rafting guide Katie was great, she was excellent at giving commands to assure an exciting, safe trip down river. The whole crew were very professional, and knowledeable. Another cool thing was that we found out that our guide Katie had Massachusetts connections, where my wife and I are from originally! Small world. A must try adventure! read more

French Broad Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

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Had an absolute great time rafting with French Broad Rafting! We were a last minute booking and they did an amazing job accommodating our group plus giving us a great trip down the French Broad. Our guide Jim made sure our mixed group of veteran rafters and newbies felt comfortable and had a good trip and we definitely appreciated it! Highly recommend them for future rafting trips :) read more

We rafted here twice and both times had great experiences. The river itself is scenic, beautiful, and lives up to its reputation as a class 2 - class 3 adventure. The equipment is well-maintained and the facilities are clean. The guides did a great job of being helpful and organized, without over managing the trip. They were characters, with plenty of Carolina humor, plenty of lame jokes, and interesting tidbits of history along the way. My only minor complaints are that the mid-journey snack consisted of a single granola bar per person and that they charged $20 for a 5 x 7 photo, which seems to be typical with any rafting outfit. But overall, it was a great trip for beginner to intermediate rafters who want to catch a glimpse of the beautiful North Carolina outdoors. read more

Andy was an awesome river guide. Very personable and entertaining. My mother and I were on our virgin white water rafting trip and we felt well guided & instructed. Lunch was included- burgers & dogs (w/ vegetarian options if requested in advance). I can't wait to go again!! read more

French Broad Adventures - Photo taken on trip down river. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

Awesome, will be back , Matt was great on zip line , and rafting was great will be back to do a 9 mile did a 5 mile last time . Hope they put in another zip line and all the guides was great cannt wait for a chance to take my Friends and do this again read more

My family had a blast for our first time white water rafting. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I can't wait to do it again. Our trip guide was Auggie and he was amazing! Very knowledgeable of the area and you can sense his passion for the area and water. Highly recommended!! Would love to return for the Canyoneering but I'm gonna need to get in better shape! Thanks for the memories! read more

This was not my first raft trip. Richard is a great guide with lots of experience, a high regard for safety, and a desire to entertain. The boat was excellent. We took the half-day trip because we had limited time - if I have time the next time I'm in Asheville I will take the longer trip. read more

Went on the 5 mile (snack) tour today. Great day - great rafting guides - hilarious main guy - awesome bus driver (those hills in that school bus are NO joke). Overall, a wonderful experience. Rapids at this time of year were fairly tame (Class I-III), but what scenery!! Awesome job guys! read more

Amazing experience! My husband and I went on the 5 mile guided rafting with Auggie. He was very helpful and funny, he made sure we had a great time. The rapids weren't too crazy, which was a concern as this was my first time white water rafting. Auggie's experience and guidance made the whole trip seamless. After rafting we went ziplining with Matt, Zoey, and Shelby. I can't recommend this enough. It was also my first time ziplining, but the guides gave such thoughtful instruction that there were no issues. Overall, we had a fantastic time and will Zipline/raft again based on how awesome this experience was. Next time we are in Asheville, we will definitely book through French Broad Adventures! read more

A few of us were nervous at first but we were pretty confident in our guide Jim. He was extremely knowledgable and personable. The whole experience was extremely fun and definitely worth it. We bought our tickets with lunch along the French Broad and it was better than we anticipated. They grilled burgers and hot dogs for lunch along with plenty of condiments and additional snacks. We will be returning! read more

French Broad Adventures - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

We did the zipline on our first day here, and Taylor and Lilly were amazing. They made sure we had a blast and kept us laughing the entire time. The course is amazing! The rappel was a bit of a surprise and they did an amazing job keeping us feel safe. We did the rafting (9 mile) and would definitely recommend. Jim was our trip leader and really made sure that we were enjoying ourselves. We had Jessie as our guide in the river, and he was awesome! He was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. We did have some wet moments, and they were some of the best of the trip. Highly recommend, as everyone we have encountered with this company is above and beyond friendly. read more

Super fun trip. We rafted one day and zip lined the next. Mikey our rafting guide was awesome. Brian and Cam our zip line guide made us feel totally safe and we had a blast. Highly recommend this on your trip and request these guides. read more

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We had a group of seven and Shawn (Shaun?) for our guide! He was amazing! He knew so much about the river and the animals! He's great with adults and kids and so experienced! He makes jokes and makes you feel right at home! Will definitely go back and ask for him! read more

French Broad Adventures - Shawn is by far one of the best guides we've had here! We had an amazing time! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

Amazing experience for my whole family. We ranged from ages of 75 to 5 and everyone had a blast. HIGHLY recommend!

We had an INCREDIBLE time white water rafting with this group! As a group of first-timers, we didn't know what to expect but they provided safety training, splash gear and really professional, knowledgable and friendly guides so we felt like we were well prepared. The water level was super high and we were doing class 3-4 rapids but we truly felt like we were safe the entire time (even when two of us fell out!). I recommend getting the package where you stop for lunch as well - the food is actually very good and it gives you a chance to take a break. This was our favorite thing we did on our trip and I can't recommend this company enough! read more

Awesome time with rafting guide Justin! He's was very knowledgeable and friendly. We had a group from ages 8-68 and he made sure everyone had a great day! Awesome time and we can't wait to visit again. Thanks for taking care of us Floridians! read more

Had an absolutely wonderful time with them last weekend!!! Our guide Corey (sorry if I spelled it wrong!) was so good! I never felt unsafe, she was so kind and patient with us. Her commands were easy to hear and follow, and she was a great source of knowledge. I will 100% recommend this to anyone looking to have a GREAT time white water rafting!! Thank you guys SO much! read more

You must do this ! This rafting trip has been on my bucket list for years and I was trying to find the perfect place and this surpassed my expectations. I am more of an adventure seeker than my friends but they agreed to go and I was thrilled that they both raved about the trip. Matt was our guide and he was great. All of the guides seemed to love their job. This trip was the perfect combo of excitement and relaxation and gorgeous scenery. read more

First time white water rafting and this was the right place to do it. All the employees were friendly and professional and the operation was very smooth. Big thanks to our guide Auggie for being a legend and making the whole experience very enjoyable! read more