An enjoyable trip from the Wilbur Dam down the river. Our guide, Daniel, was very personable & knowledgeable. 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 ! read more

Watauga Kayak - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Elizabethton, Tennessee

We had a wonderful experience rafting on the Watauga River. Our guide, Jerry, was really great. He was 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! read more

We had a wonderful experience kayaking on the Watauga River and our guide Jerry, was really great. He was 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. Awesome service! I would highly recommend Watauga Kayak Tours & Outfitters! read more

Watauga Kayak - Getting ready to enjoy the river! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Elizabethton, Tennessee

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We had an absolutely amazing trip today! Jerry was our guide who was fantastic! He was informative and great with our kids. We had a group of 4 including one child who is 4 and the other 6- both had an incredible time on the trip. From start to finish the staff were friendly, helpful and really made it feel like a private tour. We will definitely be doing this again! read more

We had a wonderful experience with Watauga Kayak! Our 16 year old wanted to do whitewater rafting and none of had ever been. I called and the gentlemen on the phone was so friendly. He gave me lots of information and recommended the classic trip. We went with Hannah on a 2.5-3 hour trip and she was awesome. We learned about the local history, ecosystems and of course, rafting safety. We got to experience some cool rapids (just enough thrills for us first timers) and see some amazing scenery. There was a midpoint stop with snacks, drinks and bathroom as well as a swimming area with a rope swing and slide for the kids. The staff took amazing photos for us along the way. There was no long bus ride (15 minutes?) And we floated past the rest of the outfitters take out points. I highly recommend trying them out! read more

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It was a wild ride today on the Watauga river. My husband and I took our 7 & 8 year old kids on the river. We are staying on Beech MTN and didn't want to ride a bus to raft so we opted to drive to Elizabethton and use this local company. It was a drizzly start to the day, but we knew we would be getting wet anyway...so we didn't mind...the weather cleared up about half way through the trip. Don't let a little rain scare you away!! Having said that...since there was so much rain...the show stopper rapid was right at the beginning of our trip...Bee Cliff. It was a bit much for my mom-o-meter, but we made it and our guide (Myah) did a great job talking us through it. I would definitely recommend this trip for a family and first time rafters. Covid era comment: the staff didn't wear masks during check in or short transport, but they did have a "one family in office policy". The absence of masks during the administrative portions...is my only complaint, but this is not enough to rate this business lower. The owners did accommodate us and allow us to be only family in the transport vehicle. read more

Watauga Kayak - Teacup!! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Elizabethton, Tennessee

Our family of four did the 2.5 hour rafting trip. This setup was absolutely perfect. It's a smaller operation, so we didn't have to deal with the hassle of getting on a bus and waiting for everyone to get into the river. Our guide John was friendly and informative. This is a more relaxing rafting tour and will be loads of fun for smaller children. read more

We had the best time rafting/tubing with Watauga Kayak. We had picked them since it was a combination of rafting and tubing. Teresa was so knowledgeable and John was helpful during the trip. I was nervous and uneasy but they made sure I was always comfortable and helped when needed. My family went on a Sunday which is slow and low water day but it was perfect for our first time rafting/tubing. I really liked that we were given camera to take pictures during thr trip down the river. Also so nice that you receive all pictures for no additional fee and emailed straight to you. Highly recommend them to anyone that wants to go rafting. read more

Great Sunday afternoon float on the beautiful Watagua River. Teresa was a great and friendly guide. Would definitely recommend.

After doing some research I found Watauga Kayak Tours & Outfitters -it offers a kiddo friendly whitewater rafting trip on Sundays. I jumped on this b/c it's the perfect way to introduce my 4 & 8 year old to river rafting w/out the crazy rapids that my husband and I enjoy. Theresa, the owner, was our guide. What a wealth of knowledge, sweet, lovely, oh and my kiddos thoroughly enjoyed learning about the creatures and ecosystem we were rafting through (as did we). The pace of this trip is ideal for any child, right blend of learning to paddle, sightseeing, wading and snack time. The 2-hour trip was extended, thank you Theresa, allowing us more time to play at each stop along the way. And, a major plus - they provide waterproof cameras so you are able to capture memories, coupled with Theresa's pictures, all of which are provided to you complimentary. Lastly, when you book this trip and head to Watauga Outfitters, don't worry if you feel lost - you will drive through a residential area before you hit the shop! I will update the post once I have the pictures to share! read more

Our group of 13 had an amazing time rafting, despite the onset of a wild thunderstorm towards the end of our run. Our guides safely navigated us to a spot under a bridge. Most in the group had never gone rafting before and the guides were very patient and informative, and calming with the younger kids who didn't love the storm situation. The scenery was beautiful and all of the staff were super kind, especially while we were drying off afterwards. Great choice! read more

We loved our white water rafting trip with Hannah yesterday. She knew so much about the area and was so friendly. The river was beautiful and there were only two rafts out since it was a weekday. We would definitely do this trip again. read more

Ask for Hannah!! I had a great experience. I visited family and they always take their guest to Watauga Kayak. The service is great! The experience is wonderful. Hannah always hosts my family's guest because she's so good. ITs a great experience for all levels! I recommend to take the tour. Its fun and beautiful! read more

After checking numerous companies in boone we made the drive here! Excellent wonderful easy fun! Family run and sweet knowledgeable people! Great free picture e mailed same day. Excellent guide Sam who. Was fun and knowledgeable. Fun rope swing and swim half way. Very reasonable rates. We are use to raft trips and have done rapids 4 Jackson hole, this is 1-2 class and more sedate. All 7 of us one rafts. Great time! Saw deer fish cow and numerous birds. Before the raft trip we stopped at blue falls nearby and that was excellent teenagers loved it and close easy hike. A fun filled day on a beautiful river with nice people and family.. perfect! read more

Had an AWESOME time kayaking with Jerry! Super professional and informative; focused on safety AND fun! We almost didn't go because it was rainy but Jerry and John assured us that if we wanted to go they would tough it out with us. Luckily, the weather cleared up and it was a beautiful day! Class 2 rapids were perfect for us, with the high tide from the rain.. we did hit a class 3 which was a little scary but really FUN! Looking forward to doing another tour in the future read more

Great time on the river. The staff did a great job keeping our group of 13 entertained. They are personable and really made the trip fun. I highly recommend them for a fun and wet experience! read more

My husband wanted to spend the day on the river for his birthday. We chose Watauga Kayak for their exceptional value, ability to work with both of us, one being an experienced kayaker and one who had never been kayaking. Teresa, our guide was fantastic and put together a day full of fun, skill level and guided water nature tour for all of us. There was so much to see and this time of year was a treat! So many babies and wildflowers. Could not have asked for a better time. The laughs were many! We thank this family owned and operated business for an unforgettable birthday! The pictures Teresa took and sent at no extra cost were priceless! read more

For the price this was a great adventure! We've been on others but so far this was the best for the money. Just right - nice for our family of 14,11, and 8 year olds. Jody was a fun guide. We Recommend this place! read more

Great place to Kayak. Teresa was our guide and we couldn't have asked for anyone better. We were all beginners but she helped us catch on quick. I can't think of any way this could have been any better. Teresa took over 100 pictures while we were kayaking and emailed them to us the same day at no extra charge. Trip was well worth the money. Will defiantly do this again! read more

Thank you Watauga Kayak. This was the first time for my husband and I to ride some rapids. It was a mix of things we wanted to while we were here for my birthday our anniversary and father's day. Our driver was outstanding. We had fun before we where even on the river. Our guide Jerry was full of information. He had fun joking around with us all the while making sure safety was first. My husband nicknamed him "JOHNSON" because he did most the work becoming our motor. I love the fact that the guides got involved with the fun at the swimming hole. It helped us join in. The free pics where great. I posted them on facebook. My husband and I are planning to go back. It's a great way to have fun and relax to enjoy the beauty of the land. read more

With extremely nice people, great location, best prices and longest river trips in the area, locally owned Watauga Kayak is a great choice for your water adventures. A real bonus is the free photography memorializing your trip, sent promptly by email following your adventure. Our guide Ben did a great job providing interesting conversation, and was generally just a really nice guy. Thanks, Ben and Teresa! We had a great time! read more

this was a highlight of our trip. the staff is very polite and sent us the best pictures with no extra charge. Lots of fun for our children and an affordable price. We drove from Blowing Rock NC , it was a nice ride and well worth it . I would recommend this trip to anyone and for all ages. read more