Canoe & Kayak Rentals
New River Canoe and Kayak Rentals
The ancient New River really seems to have it all: gorgeous Appalachian river gorge scenery, easy floating on this gentle section of the New, and warm, clear waters that practically beg you to jump in to cool off in the summertime. The New River is one of the oldest rivers in the world. It flows north, from its headwaters in North Carolina downstream into West Virginia and beyond. High Mountain Expeditions offers the unique opportunity to paddle this pure, clear, free-flowing river. Water temperatures are inviting and offer relief from the hot summer sun.
What is the Canoe and Kayak Rental Trip on the New River Like?
You’ll pick out your rental canoe or kayak (or a mix of boats with a group!) and get a safety talk and instruction on paddling your boat. On this section of the New River as it flows outside of Boone, the depth of the water ranges from 2 feet to as deep as 8 feet with gently moving Class 1 and 2 water that is comfortable for novice paddlers to navigate and have a lot of fun. Our new canoe and kayak rentals are designed to serve kids, parents, and grandparents of nearly any age – making this the perfect outing for families and multi-generational groups.
After you get your gear and rental canoe or kayak, and complete your safety talk and navigation instruction, you will launch your vessel and paddle at your own pace to High Mountain Expeditions New River take-out where you will take our High Mountain Expeditions shuttle to our New River Outpost.
What Kind of Canoes and Kayaks Can I Rent?
High Mountain Expeditions offers custom tandem canoes, solo kayaks, and tandem kayaks that allow you to navigate the New River comfortably. The littlest kids love to sit in the middle of the tandem canoe and enjoy the views. Our New River Outpost, where you will pick up your boats and gear, is conveniently located only minutes from Boone, North Carolina. Our friendly and experienced staff includes canoe and kayaking guides who are eager to share their knowledge of the area with you.
Do I Need A Guide?
Canoe and kayak rentals are unguided; you get to be the captain of your boat and enjoy your time on the river. If you aren’t quite sure about paddling by yourself in your group, you might like to hire one of our experienced guides to join your group. They are available separately for an additional charge.
We know you’ll appreciate our comfortable and well-maintained new fleet of kayaks, canoes, PFDs, and paddles. We have PFDs (personal flotation devices) for kids as young as 3 – so bring them out for an awesome time on the water. We love introducing families and friends to the wonders of paddling down rivers – so you’ve come to the right place!
Daily Rentals
High Mountain Expeditions Canoe and Kayak Rentals for the New River begins operations daily at 9:00 AM with the last canoe and kayak rental departing no later than 3:00 PM, throughout the summer season.
All canoe and kayak rental guests must first make a reservation before arriving at High Mountain Expeditions outpost on the New River.
Reservations can be made online or by calling one of our friendly adventure consultants at 828-202-7292.
Upon arriving at High Mountain Expeditions New River outpost, we will brief guests on river safety and how to properly maneuver their canoe and kayak rental boats.
After launching your rental boats, it will take approximately 1-3 hours to float and paddle to High Mountain Expeditions New River take-out.
Then you get to celebrate the completion of your paddling adventure!
*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.
New River Canoe and Kayak Rentals
Trip Details
- Price: Solor Kayak - $35 | Tandem Kayak - $65 | Canoe $65
- Trip Time: 1 to 3 Hours
- Classification: Calm Water
- Minimum Age: 3
- Begins & Ends: Outside Boone, NC – New River Outpost
What Our Clients Say
Testimonials
Wonderful experience. Wonderful experience. The people working the experience were very helpful and friendly. We asked to leave early and they said no problem and made it happen.Dolph SSeptember 4, 2022Laid back fun in the sun. A great time with friends floating down the New River. We got 10 friends together over Labor Day weekend and hooked our tubes together. The staff was helpful. Signing up was a breeze online. I would highly recommend.Georgia MSeptember 3, 2022Beauty and fun all in one place My friends and I haven’t done tubbing east of the Mississippi before. Was not sure what to expect. We all had an amazing time! So peaceful, with the slowness of the river, surrounded by the mountains all while having a great time chatting it up. We also rented the cooler tube. It held our cooler and dry packs. For sure you want a pair of water shoes. Couple areas you may have to walk. Would do it again!Erin SAugust 16, 2022Great fun Entertaining from beginning to end. Delicious lunch picnic then World Class karaoke on our bus ride by Dalton. Skillful driving by Meagan who doubled as the entertainer of the year Rafting Guide that back flips on call. This was a great time led by confident, skillful staff. Highly recommended for the whole family. 5 Stars from a highly experienced Travel Agent. Kudos guysRobin HAugust 9, 2022Family tubing trip Great experience! I’ve tubing before in Boone area without going through a company. Having a safe place to park your car and a shuttle back is with every penny! Would do it again!David BAugust 8, 2022Amazing time! Very fun! Well organized and having the forms available to fill out before we got there was so great. Everyone was nice and the floating was beautiful and relaxing. Would definitely recommend to anyone!bethanyl3077August 7, 2022Fun time! We had a great time tubing in the New River. It was a relaxing and fun day. The people at High Mountain Expeditions were very friendly and helpful. We would highly recommend them.KimMohntonPAAugust 3, 2022A great day rafting with High Mountain Expeditions This was our first family rafting trip with High Mountain Expeditions and we can’t rave enough on how fun the whole experience was. From comedy and music on the bus … to rapids, water cannons & water buckets on the raft, High Mountain Expeditions did a phenomenal job from beginning to end. Our guide Dalton was super entertaining, knowledgeable and a total pro. Even though we were lame and didn’t want to jump in the artic water (we’re used to Myrtle Beach water temps, lol) he rolled with it and still made every minute entertaining and fun. Thank you to everyone on the High Mountain Expeditions team for making our day great 👍🏼Greg and Jen MAugust 1, 2022Professional and Super Fun Rafting Adventure Guide and Quality Company! Well planned and executed adventure by an outfit clearly demonstrating competency and expertise running a great rafting trip!From beginning to end the communication, leadership and care provided by the whole team was outstanding.Our guide Patrick was exceptional! Highly recommended fun, enthusiastic, professional and compassionate leader who made everyone on our trip feel comfortable and confident while making the trip exciting and exhilarating. We highly recommend Patrick and the team at High Mountain Adventures!kmsandrJuly 31, 2022