If you're on the fence about rafting the Nolichucky, stop thinking and book with High Mountain Expeditions. 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. read more

My Husband and I went for our first Tubing experience on Saturday (7/11/26) and we had a great time! 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! read more

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Our guides Aiden, Sophi, and Elizabeth were fantastic. They made an instant bond with our family, and played off our very different personality types perfectly. They encouraged us to get involved with different side quests, such as jumping off of a 25 foot boulder into the water. Our guides also had to make a surprise rescue of a couple, and made it a rewarding part of the trip. The group made every part of the event pure entertainment. I won't ruin the surprises for you. Views were beautiful. Can't recommend this company enough. read more

High Mountain Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Great experience. The tubing was fantastic. The staff was very friendly! Definitely recommend!

Great people. Nice lazy river. Tubes all needed air. Nice facilities, but it is a drive through the mountains to get there.

Very relaxed scenic tube trip. A full two hours for $20. Not much excitement- just leisurely floating down a pretty section of river. You did have to push yourself under one low bridge and around a couple obstacles. But mostly just a relax in shallow running water. Only feel short a star due to not having enough solid bottom tubes in a rocky river area and being a public area pull out. The crowds were rather inconsiderate as we stood waiting to get out with our tubes and they keep plowing by to get in the river. With Covid19 you don't just mix in. The employee there finally got someone to let us up but it was more crowded than I'd have liked on exit. read more

High Mountain Expeditions - Relaxing Tube Trip in Boone - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

This is an absolutely fantastic outfit! We had such a great day rafting ! They provided a nice lunch with fresh baked cookies! The guides were all so fun. They made the ride fun out to the put in near the dam. It's a very scenic drive too. We all felt safe and cared for. The jump rock is very fun. They helped us up the rocks and back in the boats after a brisk refreshing dip! There are several class 1 to 3 rapids and then flat areas to do fun things in the rafts. We loved the spinning game and splash battles. It was so family friendly! I'd happily go again and I'm definitely interested in their other tours! They have longer rafting, a cave experience and then skiing in the winter! read more

We had a great time with the team from High Mountain Expedition. We did the easy white water rafting and it was leisurely. Just a couple of speedy rapids to go though. But it was fun. Every raft has water guns and all the boats battled with those. You were encouraged to take a jump into the water if you wanted. It's quite a bus drive to the river. About 45 minutes. But the guys on our bus kept us entertained with jokes and sing a longs. Lunch was fine. Sandwiches. It's amusing because they do say 'gourmet' in their information. So don't expect much. Will definitely do it again sometime. read more

High Mountain Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

So, for no fault of their own, our scheduled tour was cancelled. We scheduled a river tubing tour for 2pm on Sunday, and it turned out to be a day of lightning storms all afternoon long. Sadly, we called ahead twice (once before we left and once when we were halfway there), because we had an hour drive from where we were, and they kept telling us that everything would be okay, and to keep on driving. As soon as we got to the counter to check in, they told us that all tours were cancelled. We got a full refund, but now had to drive an hour back to where we started from with no tubing experience to talk about. read more

High Mountain Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

Perfect way to spend a few hours with extended family. We rented kayaks and took along some beverages for the trip. The staff was helpful and we only had a short wait to get paired with our kayaks. Most areas were an easy float with spectacular views. The only tricky part was the bridge about halfway down the river. Due to high water levels, we could not kayak under the bridge so we had to wait on the side of the river as the staff lifted each kayak individually over the bridge. It was pretty stressful for the staff but once we were up and over the bridge, our relaxation continued. Nice facilities and hard-working staff. read more

Here's the long truth. My friend and I booked a river rafting experience through this company yesterday, as he saw they were the highest rated in the area on Google (which is the platform he uses instead of Yelp; he is rated as a Level 7 tour guide). We booked the experience for two to float down the river in Todd, which cost a whopping $45. This is expensive merely to float down a river (which can be done for free), but if you don't have a tube, you have no other choice. The price is comparable to other companies in the area. So, we did it. You do have the option to also book a floating cooler, which could be really cool if you were intending to drink. Our trip was booked for 10:00 am this morning. Off we went from Boone, about a 10 mile/15-20 minute drive to the drop location of High Mtn Expeditions. We put in the address on our Google maps GPS, and off we went. Right near our final turn, there was a detour; the road was closed. This set us back. We were in the middle of rural Todd, with no cell phone service or network for internet, and at this point our GPS stopped working. We had no other idea how to get to the location. We drove around until having some spotty service, called the company, and reached Mark, who was calm and understanding and explaining to us how to get around the detour. Unfortunately, it was hard to understand him given the reception, and the instructions he gave us seemed, at the time, long and convoluted, for two stressed-out, lost, individuals, who already missed their reservations (in retrospect, it wasn't, but that's not how we were feeling at the time). So there we go, driving again, trying to remember the instructions and ultimately getting lost, again. We find spotty service, call back the facility, and get in touch with a woman who assured us everything was okay, we could still float, and not to panic about the appointment. She helped us again with instructions, this time giving us road names and landmarks. We finally made it. Upon arriving to the location, we were "greeted" by a woman who was working the post. She wasn't exceptionally nice or welcoming or kind, but she was efficient and got us what we needed and directed us on the float. She said it would take 3 hours to float about 1/4 a mile, and she wasn't wrong. We just knew we would get out sooner, and it was not true. It literally took that long. You pass 3 bridges then finally get out on the left-hand side where a white sign says Exit Here. Once we were there, we were actually greeted by a male who was waiting for us at the exit ramp. He helped us get our rafts out of the water, loaded them into the bus, then drove us back to our cars where we originally started. Easy enough. Overall, the float was fun, and the freezing cold water warmed up after laying in the sun, and ultimately felt very good to be in. You wouldn't have been able to convince me otherwise, at first. The rafts they provide are great: very comfortable, filled with air, contains a cupholder, and the best part - a back rest. This made floating actually comfortable. What is uncomfortable is the shallow water (mostly about 4-8 inches the entire way with the exception of a few spots) and rocks galore. TL;DR Pros: - Location (1 star); as in, being in Boone - Raft (1 star) - Being picked up and driven back to location (standard; but 1 star) Cons: - Shallow water and rocks - Expensive - Easy to get lost, since no internet or cell phone service, and a map or list of instructions was not provided online or via e-mail confirmation - Not the friendliest bunch, in regard to those operating the post Tips: - Make sure you have water shoes. Good water shoes. I had water shoes and my friend had cheap ones from Walmart. Still doesn't help much with the slipping and sliding on rocks. - Find the directions to the location prior to leaving town, print them, and bring them with you. Make sure you have a map in case you run into a road detour like we did - Assume it will take you 3 hours, if not even a little longer read more

First to Review Me and 8 others went river tubing today with High Mountain Expeditions. They have top of the line tubes and great customer service. They were helpful in assisting us get on the tubes and off. It was easy to find even with road detours that were no fault of theirs.It was a fun ride down the river and took about 2 hours...I loved it and we are already planning on coming back and doing it again soon.Lisa Newman read more

Our first time tubing down any river. We are a family of 5 and the staff was very friendly and answered all of our questions. It took us 1.5 hours to tube down the river and it was a great time. The shuttle back to our cars was prompt. We will definitely be back! read more

High Mountain Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

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Had a blast this past weekend with my church! We had an awesome tour guide, who made our experience so much fun! Definitely recommend this place very family friendly with great service! Enjoy every minute! our guide name was Sam! He did great and is super fun! read more

High Mountain Expeditions Banner Elk Buckets of Water and Waiting 847871284 High Mountain Expeditions, a Formal Complaint (in outline form) Attn: Bill Leonard 7/12/2022 * Driving a bus of 30 ppl and more during a rainstorm on windy mountain roads, with a broken defroster, fogged up windows, the driver eating, talking, and taking eyes off the road, while carrying on full conversation with passengers, while looking in rear view mirror, and NOT on the road. * NO water / hydration on raft provided to patrons during a sunny afternoon, on a lazy river for 5 hours. * NO mention of a lazy river excursion that is to be shared with 130 ppl and more, causing enormous time delays, long waits, bottle necks, etc. * NO mention of a "Jump Rock" side note, that causes a 45min wait, til all 100+ patrons jumped off rock, while patrons waited still, in the dark shady, buggy, tree and brush area for 45 min. * "World famous lunch?" really? NO more than 2 picnic tables to sit on to enjoy this lunch. No porta-potties. Was told to pee in the woods. We ate this basic kindergarten lunch on the ground. * NO participation clause and waiver was provided to patrons that a constant and incessant 3 hour "water gun and 5 gallon bucket of water" thrown at your face, and at the back of your head, was part of the excursion. * NO more than (1) swift water guide provided for 130ppl, and more. * Only 1.5 hrs actual forward motion and in no way would the river be considered rapids. We had MAYBE one class one rapid. The rest was lazy river, we didn't even need to paddle. Lastly, our guide literally said nothing to us the whole entire trip. We were a boat of 6 adult family members who enjoy high action sports and are very outdoorsy. Etc...etc read more

Awesome experience river tubing. Great customer service. Good tubes. Ask for a paddle and make sure you can tie tubes together.

What an unexpectedly wonderful way to spend Father's Day weekend. My wife, I and our son took a tubing trip with HME and it was as close to perfect as it could be. It's located right outside Boone in Todd, where you park, grab your tubes and jump in. You enjoy a leisurely 1-3 hour float and then at the end they have a bus to bring you back to the start. A pro tip is if you are on the river early on a not too busy day, they don't mind if you do another run. The tubes have backs and beer holders, and we also got a raft to put our cooler on. I think the cost was less than $80 for everything, though we forgot cash for a tip which we'll do next time. And the staffing deserves tips because they were OUTSTANDING and the best part of this company. The briefing before we got started was on point, they had staff at the only low bridge to help us get through and everyone was cheerful and helpful. So, if you want to spend a wonderful, lazy, fun few hours, you can't get much better than floating down a river and enjoying a cold beverage in some of the most beautiful mountain scenery anywhere. And High Mountain Expeditions is the company to go with. read more

Great lazy river day on the tubes! Surprised they don't offer food (other than snacks). Still worth the trip :)

My daughter, Charlotte and I had the best time! Our guides were experienced and really fun. We can't wait to go back this summer. Definitely recommend High Expeditions!!! read more

Fun times, easy process and nice team to get you going for a fun day. Bring your water shoes, but they do sell them there for $15 if you need them, but not all sizes. read more

High Mountain Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Boone, North Carolina

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We had an amazing time white water rafting with Kyle, Fabio, Jesse etc. They were very organized, and interacted with our children in a way that kept them interested (we didn't hear 1 complaint from our 8 & 6 year olds about being bored on the bus ride.) Our family had so much fun rafting down the river. We will definitely use this company again next time we are in Boone. Our experience with this company was 1000 times better than the company we used last year. read more

Great time with friends. HME provides great service with tubes, instructions, and bus pick up. They even provided masks to get on bus. We appreciated their friendly service. Next time we come to Boone we will definitely return here, probably try kayaking or rafting. read more

Great facility, really nice, and easy to setup and get on the kayaks. Where we went the waters were little slow but yet fun and relaxing.

Had a great time. The water was calm and warm the day we were there. The staff was courteous and helpful, putting us in and pulling us out. It was a great way to spend a day with friends and family. Will come again on our next visit. read more

Great Customer Service! They even called to inform us of possible storms and to see if we wanted to come earlier. We had a great time!! read more

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Awesome experience whitewater rafting. Our tour guides were amazing. Definitely one of my most enjoyable experiences in Boone

I was very disappointed in how they handled social distancing and Covid safety procedures. When we got there (I was with my 2 children and mother), no one was wearing masks. There was no mention of whether tubes had been sanitized between use. As we entered the river, there was no one to monitor when people "set sail." Meaning...everyone left at the same time and I had random people (groups of 10+) hitting my tube. I was very stressed and made my children wear their masks the entire time. As we drifted and broke away from others, I started to relax. Until...halfway through, an employee had to make sure everyone passed through a particular area of a bridge. No gloves, no mask, and this individual is touching my tube and within inches of me and my family. Finally, as we arrived at the end of the river, we were required to take a shuttle back to the starting point where we had parked our car. I watched an entire bus leave, packed to the brim, with no one but the driver wearing a mask. I called the manager and she acted as if I was the crazy one asking that we follow these safety guidelines. Finally, when it was our turn to get on the shuttle, upon my request, the driver made everyone (except children--and there were many), wear masks. The entire experience was stressful and overall disappointing. I couldn't enjoy myself because of how ignorant people were acting during this activity. read more

My family of 7 (60s parents, 40s wife and sister and me, kids in their early teens) spent the week in Banner Elk, and did 3 separate excursions with High Mountain. Watauga River Rafting: This is a good warm up for the real rafting trip on the Nolichucky. Mostly, it's floating/bumping down the river, with a 12-ft rock you can climb/jump off of, water guns to shoot at other boats, and VERY cold water. The water of the Watauga comes from the bottom of the dam-created lake, and it's about 50 deg. This is a very fun day, but not much on the excitement scale. They feed you first with cold cuts, bread, and fruit... not the best catering, really, and about the only down tick for the week. Oh, they take pictures on this trip, and the disc is worth it if you have a decent-sized group that would buy pictures anyway. Physical rating: 2/10 Nolichucky River Rafting: This is what you're looking for as far as rafting goes. Quite a long day of rafting through several stage 3s, a couple stage 4s, and a few stage 2 rapids. You will be feeling this the next day. If you like rafting, this is a great trip. If you're new to it, I'd try the Watauga first, as a warmup and to learn how to stroke, etc. If you don't know what an adductor muscle is... you will. Again, they feed you the deli lunch (which they have to bring on the boats, so it's more understandable). I'll talk about the guides later. This was the highlight of the week for me. Physical rating: 7/10 Worley Cave exploring: This is an unusual trip my wife found out about. You drive out to the cave, then spend 3-4 hours walking/climbing/crawling through a living cave. There are several fairly tight crawl-ways, all of which can be bypassed by more open, yet not easier trails. I suggest doing the crawl-ways if you can fit (only 1 is really tight). My mother of 64 with a 2-yr-old hip replacement did fine, if a little slower than she liked. You'll see some great water-sediment structures (stalag-, stalact- and full columns/walls). We even saw a bat! Physical rating; 6/10 Note, each excursion included at least an hour in a school bus. I'm 6'0", and I was fairly cramped riding around, especially after the rafting when I got very stiff. Bring some Ibuprofen or something to take for the trip home. The guides are what make these trips special. These guys really know the area (or enough to fool us), and on the water/in the cave they're very competent and helpful. Be sure to let them know how good a job they did ($). All in all, High Mountain's summer excursions are a great way to spend a week. The food is nothing to write home about (I was hoping for some BBQ, but there's some of that around), but everything else was very fun and exactly as advertised. read more

Great time tubing down the river with my husband and 10 year old son. Relaxing and beautiful! The staff was very nice. The only thing I'd change is have more than one bathroom to change clothes in when you return. read more

We had to much fun with Kurt and Trey's humor and zest for a great time-don't get me wrong they were very thorough with white water rafting. Although it was a rainy day- we had a blast. This will go down as one of our family's best times. The lunch was fresh and yummy- including a wonderful home-made potato salad! There were 8 boats of people and the day flew. It's so worth getting up early in the morning!!!! read more

The staff was very nice, knowledgeable, and great with kids. Very safety conscious. Staff was there the entire tubing trip to help out (beginning, middle and end). Wear river shoes on the trip, and if you forget, they sell them at the meeting point. They also sell ice for the cooler tubes. The tubing trip was great, smooth and perfect for us and our 4 kids (5, 5, 8, 11). Side note, it took us 2hrs to get from the beginning to the end. read more

Very friendly service. Very laid back, ver chill. We super enjoyed it and would most definitely do it again. We did have a wait for pick up, but we didn't mind. read more

Great location, great staff, great facilities ... what more could we have asked for? We had an amazing time. Thanks HME!

Had a great time white water rafting with this company. The guides and staff were all great and had some corny jokes and stories on the bus ride which helped to pass the time. Everything was well organized. We received lunch prior to getting on the rafts which was a nice. My only complaint was 1 family was 30 minutes late and the bus was held for them. It was very nice to wait, however it might be better to have a more strict statement on website about departure time. It all worked out though and it was a fun day! read more

We had a great time taking our kids out on their first float trip. The Watauga river is mild, but was a fun family day. Our guides made the bus ride entertaining and fun for the kids. Lunch was well organized and they offered a great selection. We had a really nice guide and overall just enjoyed our day. read more

What an awesome time yesterday on the Watauga River! Ashley, Kyle, and Steve were terrific. I appreciated the picnic lunch and the fact that all details were taken care of from start to finish! My family simply pulled in and got in the van (which was clean and looked well-maintained). The scenery on the rafting trip as well as the drive there and back was beautiful. Thanks so much! read more

Excellent whitewater rafting trip on the Nolichucky River! The guides are friendly and knowledgeable. Lunch was awesome too. My son and his friend definitely want to come back. read more

Me and my sister both arrived on time having purchased our tickets in advance. We were not greeted by any of the staff and had to ask multiple people who was in charge, when we finally figured out who to talk to we signed in and took our pregnant selves to a bench to sit and wait for the next bus. It was so unorganized that two full groups of people that arrived after us left before we did. We sat there for an hour before our van even left. Honestly if we had left at the correct time there might have still been some sun and we wouldn't have been cold for three hours. Two stars for the river, the staff left MUCH to be desired. I will definitely go with a different company next time that doesn't have kids working for them. read more

Okay, lets start by saying my entire group loved tubing down the river on Saturday, 7.06.19. It was everyone's 1st time. The staff helping getting into the river and tethering us together was super friendly, as well as the staff at the Outpost was super sweet. Now, lets talk about the 2nd bridge that is mostly in the water that you are required to maneuver through with no assistance by staff members. Customer's of Wahoo's were driving over this bridge while people tried to go underneath!! This is the only part of the river that has serious depth to it, you have to get out of the raft to swim underneath and then once to the other side the current is so strong that my mother could not get her footing and kept being taken under water.... we realize that this is part of the fun and that we are in a natural setting but this was dangerous and should have a staff member assisting. Once at the end we were asking about the bridge and was told "there is a staff member there, but he is young and this is his 1st job." This must of been the guy sitting on a tube, on the bridge just chillin! Not any instruction as to how to get past the bridge or anything. Other Kayakers were trying to help probably 12-16 people figure out how to get under the bridge to pass by. This was the only thing we thought needed attention. Other than that we loved it and will be back! read more

This was my first time rafting and it couldn't have been better! Guides were all awesome and helped you every step of the way. I did the 1/2 day trip with the lunch. My only regret is that I didn't have time to do a longer one! Absolutely loved it! read more