North Carolina whitewater - Watauga River, Watauga County Watauga county, North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS I-II     12 miles   The sections for whitewater rafting and kayaking here in North Carolina are often more forgiving than in other states, so you'd better keep in mind that lots of rivers here are good for beginners. The natural beauty of North Carolina and the water flowing gracefully down Watauga River attract people from near and far. If you'll be staying in a hotel you're in luck, lodging is available very near the river, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking around here you'll find a large number of good     spots. The North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge stretch of Watauga River is 12 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class I-II section. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. If you hurry you can run this stretch in a day but why not make it an overnighter, so pack your sleeping bag. Great exercise and just hanging out with mother nature are great reasons to come. The starting point is not too far from Boone, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. The North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge stretch is one of many paddling stretches in this river system. Briefly about the general area: If you want to stop by some attention-grabbing stuff, stop by Hayes Bluff. Watauga River sees pretty high levels of rain; all through   May this area sees the most rain, and December is the month with the least moisture. A splendid site to stop at close to Watauga River is Lou Hollow; Dutch Creek Falls is a fine local attraction. Summertime highs at Watauga River typically tend to be in the 70's with nighttime lows in the 50's. High temperatures through the winter are normally in the 40's; after the sun is down during the wintertime temperatures at Watauga River drop into the 10's. Watauga River, North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: I-II Length: 12 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.194 Longitude: -81.74411 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.2485 Longitude: -81.83191 Paddler input for Watauga River, North Carolina: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Watauga River, North Carolina Local climate location: BANNER ELK 19 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. La Quinta Inn & Suites Boone, Boone 5 miles away Only a 1/2 mile from downtown, the brand new La Quinta Inn & Suites Boone is a beautiful mountain lodge with a spectacular view of the Appalachian and Sugar Mountains. We even have some rooms with Fi... Beech Mountain Inns, Banner Elk 6 miles away Nothing tops the Beech Mountain Inns in Eastern Americas Highest Town with an Elevation of 5,506 feet. The Beech Alpen Inn compliments its Mountain setting with the old world charm of the rustic Inns ... Best Western Mountain Lodge At Banner Elk, Banner Elk 6 miles away The Best Western Mountain Lodge at Banner Elk offers comfort and convenience in a beautiful mountain setting. Nestled in the 'Heart of the High Country', we are within minutes of the area's best attra...   All North Carolina Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in North Carolina. Books about whitewater paddling on Watauga River, North Carolina List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Watauga River, North Carolina. Find a whitewater outfitter in North Carolina Whitewater Basics If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info. Outdoors Recreation Near Boone, North Carolina Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Boone, North Carolina, the metro area neareast to Watauga River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Watauga River.   Whitewater Near Watauga River: Watauga River, Watauga County , 4 miles away, Class II-IV - 2 miles long (SR 1557 to North Carolina 105) Boone Fork, Watauga County , 5 miles away, Class III-IV(V+) - 4.5 miles long (Julian Price Park to Watauga) Watauga River, Watauga County , 5 miles away, Class II-III - 4 miles long (US Route 321 Bridge to Route 1200) Watauga River, Watauga County , 9 miles away, Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Watauga, Watauga / Johnson County , 9 miles away, Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Thunderhole Creek, Caldwell County , 10 miles away, Class III+ - 3.5 miles long (Globe Road to Upton) Elk River, Avery (NC)/Carter (TN) County , 10 miles away, Class IV-V(V+) - 4.8 miles long (Route 130 to bridge above Sone Mtn Church Tennessee) Elk River, Carter and Avery County , 10 miles away, Class IV-V - 5 miles long (Big Falls to Poga Rd) Gragg Prong River, Avery County , 10 miles away, Class IV-V - 1.6 miles long (Roseboro to Lost Cove Creek) Wilson Creek, Avery/Caldwell County , 11 miles away, Class IV - 5 miles long (Upper Wilson)   Ski Areas Near Watauga River: Hawksnest, North Carolina , 5 miles away, 619 vertical feet Ski Beech, North Carolina , 6 miles away, 830 vertical feet Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 7 miles away, 1200 vertical feet Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 9 miles away, 365 vertical feet Wolf Laurel, North Carolina , 52 miles away, 700 vertical feet Winterplace, West Virginia , 90 miles away, 603 vertical feet Cataloochee, North Carolina , 97 miles away, 740 vertical feet Scaly Mountain, North Carolina , 125 miles away, 225 vertical feet Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 126 miles away, 600 vertical feet Sky Valley, Georgia , 129 miles away, 210 vertical feet   Hotels Near Watauga River: La Quinta Inn & Suites Boone, Boone , 5 miles away Beech Mountain Inns, Banner Elk , 6 miles away Best Western Mountain Lodge At Banner Elk, Banner Elk , 6 miles away Super 8 Motel Boone NC, Boone , 7 miles away Red Carpet Inn Boone, Boone , 8 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Watauga River: Vanderpool Campgrounds, Vilas, 2 miles away Flintlock Campground, Boone, 4 miles away Grandfather Campground and Cabins, Banner Elk, 5 miles away   Trails Near Watauga River: Daniel Boone Scout Trail, Caldwell County , 6 miles away Yancey Ridge Trail, Avery County , 11 miles away Iron Mountain Trail, Johnson County , 18 miles away Little Pond Mountain Trail, Carter County , 19 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter County , 20 miles away   National Parks Near Watauga River: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 64 miles away   Lakes Near Watauga River