2 Day Nolichucky Rafting Adventure
2 Day Nolichucky Rafting Adventure
Plunge into an unforgettable Nolichucky rafting adventure. An overnight trip on the famed Nolichucky River is the perfect trip for those in search of a true whitewater adventure. The Nolichucky River gorge is the deepest river gorge east of the Mississippi River. From breathtaking scenery to exhilarating rapids, the Nolichucky River is consistently rated one of the best whitewater rafting trips in North America. Travel through the Nolichucky River gorge and be surprised by the unique and majestic landscapes that await you at every turn. Spend the night under the stars on the sandy shore of the Nolichucky River. Let High Mountain Expeditions prepare all your meals using fresh, high quality, healthy food often with organic choices.
Now Launching: French Broad Rafting Trips
While we’re temporarily pressing pause on our Nolichucky trips for Summer 2025 due to the river restoration efforts following Hurricane Helene, we’re already looking forward to unveiling a revitalized Nolichucky River in Spring 2026—better than ever!
In the meantime, we’re thrilled to announce a new chapter of adventure: thanks to our partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, we’ll be offering commercial rafting trips on the French Broad River this summer! Get ready for stunning scenery, splashy rapids, and the same high-quality, heart-pounding fun you’ve come to expect from High Mountain Expeditions.
For breakfast, expect steaming hot French press coffee, blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, and scrambled eggs. For lunch, you can expect our famous gourmet deli buffet style lunch that includes a bountiful selection of fresh meats and cheeses, delectable breads, ripe locally grown fruits and vegetables, and yummy homemade desserts. For dinner, the guide’s culinary skills are truly unleashed.
You will begin your dinner experience with appetizers on the bank of the river while reminiscing of the day’s adventures. Main courses typically include grilled chicken breasts, tender prime steaks, rainbow trout, or pasta, which is accompanied by a crispy green salad, fresh vegetables, and delicious dinner rolls. The evening is completed with a scrumptious homemade dessert or S’mores for the younger guests on the trip. On the morning of day two, take a hike and explore a lost colony or take a plunge in Devil’s Creek. Discover the thrill of the world-class whitewater the Nolichucky River offers on a Nolichucky River overnight trip with High Mountain Expeditions this summer.
DAY 1 10:00 AM
Departure from High Mountain Expeditions Banner Elk out-post, located inside of Ski Country Sports. A breathtaking morning drive through the back country of the North Carolina Mountains awaits you. Upon arriving at the Nolichucky River, your guides will issue you the necessary equipment and give a detailed river safety speech. Your guides will then launch the rafts onto a calm section of the Nolichucky River, perfect for swimming and relaxing. This section offers the ideal warm-up rapids to get you ready for what lies ahead. After some exhilarating rapids, you will arrive at High Mountain Expeditions overnight campsite. Enjoy your first camp dinner on the banks of the river, explore the area, play a game, or just relax and soak in the beauty of the Nolichucky River gorge while your guides handle all the cooking.
DAY 2
Awaken to a hearty breakfast and enjoy a short hike to the Lost Colony rich in folklore. Then climb back on your raft and enjoy some more class 3 and 4 rapids. If you are up for it, you can enjoy a short hike to the mysterious Devil’s Creek complete with a natural waterslide. After the hike, savor High Mountain Expeditions famous gourmet deli buffet style lunch. Once lunch is complete, enjoy surfing at Big Eddy and then we will head for High Mountain Expeditions Nolichucky River take-out point. Celebrate your successful adventure and arrive back in Banner Elk around 4:00 PM.
*Note: This itinerary is provided as a sample. Actual times and activities are subject to change as a result of weather conditions, current water flows, and guest preferences.
- Personal Flotation Device (PFD)
- Dry Top
- Wetsuits
- Paddle
- Helmet
- Wilderness First-Aid Kit
*If you do forget something our outpost stores carry a full selection of Water Shoes, T-Shirts, Waterproof Cameras, Sunscreen, and more.
Clothing
- Swimsuit or Quick Drying Shorts- Shorts and Sports Bra, or a 2-piece swimsuit and quick drying shorts are recommended for women.
- Water Shoes or Strap Sandals
- Light-weight Waterproof Rain Jacket
- Quick-Drying Shirt
- Comfortable Lightweight Pants or Shorts
- Lightweight Fleece Top
- Ball Cap
Personal Items
- Personal Hygiene Products
- Waterproof Sunscreen
- Biodegradable Soap and Shampoo (Travel Size)
- Sport Water Bottle
- Headlamp or Flashlight
- Sunglasses with Strap
- Camera – Waterproof Digital Camera
- Small Travel Pillow
- Sleeping Bag
- Tent – 2 or 4 person
- Special Medication
- Wallets, Jewelry, and Watches – Leave all valuables at home or locked in car at outpost.
- Flip Flops
- Non-Waterproof Electronic Devices
- Pets
- Cotton Clothing Items – Cotton dries very slowly and actually draws heat away from your body
- Cigarettes – High Mountain Expeditions is a Smoke-Free Company
2-Day Nolichucky Rafting Adventure
Trip Details
- Price: $249
- Trip Time: 2 Days
- Trip Mileage: 18 Miles
- Classification: Class III-IV Rapids
- Minimum Age: 9
- Begins & Ends: Banner Elk, NC
What Our Clients Say
Testimonials
SarahRD952025-05-28Verified Highly recommend! We’ve used High Mountain Expeditions multiple times for tubing in this area. We highly recommend this company. The staff are especially kind and welcoming. The river is so beautiful and peaceful. We always have a wonderful time here. Christopher H2024-08-13Verified Amazing canoeing adventure We had an amazing time canoeing down the New River. The canoes we rented were in great shape and the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful BigSacagewa2024-07-16Verified High Mountain Expeditions is a good operator We went at 2 p.m. on a busy Saturday afternoon, but had reservations. I had read most of the reviews prior to going, and that was helpful in knowing to bring something to push your tube off rocks in shallow places, and to bring rope to tie your groups' tubes together, in case the company ran out ( and they did) We also rented a cooler tube, and I recommend that to not only keep your cooler, but to serve as a dry box for things. The staff were very polite and courteous, and the trip was very fun and memorable for our family of six ( ages 9-73 !) Larry N2024-06-27Verified Family Tubing Trip Our family had a great time on the river with High Mountain Expeditions! The ride was relaxing as well as just a fun time together with lots of laughs and just perfect weather.We would truly recommend High Mountain for your trip as they were helpful and had us covered from put in to a bus ride back to our cars. Thanks again for a fun trip. Kristen W2023-10-08Verified Beautiful views Amazing views in the mountains. Water was nice. The tubes are nice and very friendly staff. You can even stay in a tree house Bruce C2023-08-26Verified Great experience! Started late but everything else great…. Friendly staff, clean new facility, safety focused, good stations, customer focused Jamie T2023-08-18Verified Tubing Relaxing (don't go after a hard rain) Beautiful views and mostly relaxing, although not as much after a hard rain. Normally takes 2-2.5 hours in clear water, we floated for 1.5 hours in high muddy water. Had to get out to go across a low bridge. Bumped into thorny brush alongside the river. Overall would do it again, just not after a hard rain. Would also bring along a small paddle to steer away from the sides. seasideljs2023-08-08Verified Great time amazing staff!! Great trip on a calm river! Management here does everything right.. the whole area is super clean, too! They schedule trips each hour which helps the river not be so crowded and clumped together. We had an hour or more of beautiful weather then it rained. The bus came by to let us know where the pickup point was. He helped me out of the water since I have a bad knee. He was super kind!! I would highly recommend this company!! It was a blast! It’s not their fault it rained.. we will go again and take our four year old as well. Our nine year old loved it!! Elizabeth W2023-08-07Verified Best Ever! Our rafting trip was amazing! Beautiful views and great people running things. Evan was the best guide and entertaining! Sam was also entertaining and a great driver! I would recommend them over and over again and will definitely do it again!