Experience the exhilarating adventure of whitewater rafting or a peaceful float, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Pisgah National Forest. Our team of professional, experienced, and entertaining whitewater rafting guides will ensure you have an unforgettable day on the French Broad River.
Half-Day Whitewater Rafting
Half-Day Whitewater Rafting + Lunch
Full-Day Whitewater Rafting
Guided Calm Water
Self-Guided Calm Water
Half-Day Rafting + Ziplining
Zip & Dip
Half-Day Rafting w/ Lunch + Ziplining
Zip & Dip (w/lunch)
Full-Day Rafting + Ziplining
Ridges & Rapids
Half-Day Rafting + Canyoneering
Whitewater & Waterfalls
Half-Day Rafting (w/ Lunch) + Canyoneering
Whitewater & Waterfalls Plus
Full-Day Rafting (w/ Lunch) + Canyoneering
Whitewater & Waterfalls Expedition
Half-Day Rafting + E-Mountain Biking
Pedal & Paddle
Calm Water Rafting + Ziplining
Chill & Thrill
Calm Water Rafting + Canyoneering
Chill & Skill
Ziplining + Self-Guided Calm Water Rafting
Fly and Float
Asheville’s Closest Whitewater Experience is an Unforgettable French Broad Adventure
Our whitewater rafting trips offer an exhilarating yet manageable adventure, perfect for beginners while still providing enough excitement for experienced paddlers. Starting and ending just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, these tours take you through the heart of the scenic French Broad River valley. Choose from half-day or full-day trips featuring Class II to Class IV rapids for an unforgettable experience.
Learn more about whitewater classifications.
Relax and Unwind On Calm Water Trips
French Broad Adventures provides both guided and self-guided rafting excursions on tranquil waters, showcasing gentle class I-II rapids. These serene float trips navigate leisurely through the picturesque, pastoral stretch of the French Broad River. Perfect for families with young children or anyone seeking a peaceful aquatic experience amidst stunning scenery.
FAQs
Food Options
We offer a limited variety of drinks and snacks for purchase at our rafting and zipline / e-bike outposts in Marshall and our canyoneering outpost in Asheville.We do not offer full food options at our Outposts.
We only offer Lunch Options for on-the-river activities; Half-Day Whitewater + Lunch, and Full Day Whitewater adventures, but we do not have lunch options at our Outposts.
If you are going on multiple adventures with us, we encourage you to bring lunch with you to have in between trips. We have multiple porch and picnic areas for you to enjoy.
What Are The Age Requirements?
Our minimum age limit for whitewater rafting is 8 years old.
How Many People Per Boat?
The rafts that we typically use on our guided river trips can fit as many as 7 guests plus 1 guide.
Will I Fall Out Of The Raft?
Possibly! There is a chance that you may fall out of the raft. But relax and enjoy the float. Your guide will get you back in the raft as quickly as possible. BUT, before you even begin your trip and touch the water, your Trip Leader will go through a safety talk on how to brace into the raft, and what to do if you should fall in the water.
What Should I Wear When Rafting?
REQUIRED:
- Shoes: You must wear shoes that won’t come off in the water (i.e. sandals with a strap on the back, water shoes, or old tennis shoes.)
- Clothes: Wear clothing appropriate for the weather. On warm days a swimsuit with shorts and a t-shirt / tank top may be enough. On colder days we suggest that you wear multiple layers, avoid cotton or denim, and we recommend wool or synthetic material (i.e. polyester, nylon, or dry-fit).
- We can provide complimentary wet suits (please wear swimsuits underneath) and splash gear (rain jackets and/or pants) as needed at no extra charge.
What Is A Duckie?
A duckie is another name for an inflatable kayak. If you would like to paddle a duckie on one of our trips, please request one when you make your reservation. Availability cannot be guaranteed and is dependent on river levels. Prior paddling experience is preferred but not required.
Is Whitewater Rafting Safe?
Like all outdoor adventure activities, whitewater rafting has inherent risk. A safety orientation and demonstration will be given prior to your trip, with an opportunity to ask questions. You will be asked to read and sign a waiver prior to your trip. For everyone’s safety, we do not allow anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol to go on any of our trips. No refunds will be made.
Do Water Levels Impact Trip Distances?
The French Broad River is a free-flowing river and water levels fluctuate depending on rainfall. This is beyond our control. If the river is much lower or higher than normal this can potentially affect the quality and safety of your trip, so we will modify the trip distance or location as necessary. Check current water levels.
Do I Need To Know How To Swim?
No. We have taken many children and adults down the French Broad River who do not know how to swim. Not only does French Broad Adventures provide top-notch safety equipment (life jacket and helmet), but our guides are all certified in CPR and first aid, and our Trip Leaders have advanced medical certifications as well as swift water rescue experience.
What They Say
View More TestimonialsVisited the french broad this summer, what a blast. Me, my boyfriend and our four grown boy went and we can’t stop talking about it. The company was very well ran, and made us feel safe at all times! The rafting and ziplines were awesome but it is the guide who really make this trip stand out above all the rest. Mitch,Justin and Jason aka "bacon" knew their history of the area and very very very funny!!! Have recommended this company to many friends who were heading that way for vacation! If your vacationing in the area or just passing threw, this is a must stop for your trip!!!! See you guys soon! Can’t wait to nite zipline and planning to visit on my honeymoon!!!! You guys rock!!!
Comedy show plus white water rafting - what more can you ask for!?!? Richard was amazing as our guide. He knew the river like the back of his hand. He's funny, personable and most of all you could see that he cared about his client's having a great time. The hot lunch is a total bonus. Highly recommend!
It was awesome! Zip line and white water rafting for the first and they made the experience very memorable. I would recommend this place 100%.
This was so much fun! The staff are all very helpful and friendly. Their main objective is to make sure the customers have fun, but they are all about safety first and foremost. The entire trip was loaded with history and information which made it more than just a fun excursion. Richard was our guide, and he did such an awesome job keeping all of us focused and working together. He is very good at what he does. We had a great time!
This was my 5th time rafting in North Carolina (first time with this specific rafting service, though), and I can say that our guide, Jim, was the best one I've had so far. Jim displayed an amazing level of skill and knowledge of white water. He was also very personable, and shared his knowledge of the region's history and biology. Jim was super positive and encouraging to everyone in the boat. I suspect the other guides are very professional as well. Seems to be a great rafting company overall.
