North Carolina whitewater - Watauga River, Watauga County Watauga county, US Route 321 Bridge to Route 1200 section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS II-III     4 miles   This stretch of Watauga River in Watauga County is 4 miles long and is a class II-III section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. The starting location is a short drive from Boone, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, good for a one day paddling trip. The natural beauty of North Carolina and the cool fresh water attract people from near and far. There are so many sections to paddle in this river system, the US Route 321 Bridge to Route     1200 section is just one of many. The average North Carolina whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be easier to run than those in other states, so don't forget that many of the sections here are safe for beginners. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking in this general area you'll find lots of paddling rivers. You can pitch a tent or park your RV at a nearby campground. Getting your paddling muscles activated and spending some quality time in nature have people coming from far and near. Briefly about the general area: Ski Beech has great slopes and a friendly staff, and a short tour to Laurel Creek Falls is always worthwhile. Watauga River is close to Ward Hollow which is absolutely worth visiting, and Watauga Falls is a picturesque spot to visit while you're at Watauga River. A river like this is   too good to miss. For the period of the months of summer at Watauga River highs are ordinarily in the 70's, and the night is slightly colder of course, commonly in the 50's. The cold days of the winter come with highs in the 40's while the cold winter nights at Watauga River are in the 10's. A large amount of rainfall falls at Watauga River; May is the wettest month with most rain, and the driest month of the year is December. Watauga River, US Route 321 Bridge to Route 1200 road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: II-III Length: 4 miles    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.25199 Longitude: -81.83301 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.26789 Longitude: -81.88501 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 25 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Beech Mountain Inns, Banner Elk 5 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... Sugar Ski and Country Club, Sugar Mountain 9 miles away Sugar Ski and Country Club is a year round resort that offers four seasons of enjoyment. Summers offer wonderfully cool, mountaintop accommodations for family vacations. Autumn is simply awe-inspiring...   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 IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Watauga, Watauga / Johnson County , 4 miles away, Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Watauga River, Watauga County , 5 miles away, Class I-II - 12 miles long (North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge) Elk River, Avery (NC)/Carter (TN) County , 6 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 , 6 miles away, Class IV-V - 5 miles long (Big Falls to Poga Rd) Elk River, Avery County , 8 miles away, Class IV-V - 8.4 miles long (Route 1326 to Route 1305) Elk River, Carter County , 9 miles away, Class II-III - 4.3 miles long (Route 2520 to US 321 bridge Close to Elk Mills) Watauga River, Watauga County , 9 miles away, Class II-IV - 2 miles long (SR 1557 to North Carolina 105) Boone Fork, Watauga County , 10 miles away, Class III-IV(V+) - 4.5 miles long (Julian Price Park to Watauga) Gragg Prong River, Avery County , 14 miles away, Class IV-V - 1.6 miles long (Roseboro to Lost Cove Creek)   Ski Areas Near Watauga River: Ski Beech, North Carolina , 4 miles away, 830 vertical feet Hawksnest, North Carolina , 7 miles away, 619 vertical feet Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 7 miles away, 1200 vertical feet Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 14 miles away, 365 vertical feet Wolf Laurel, North Carolina , 48 miles away, 700 vertical feet Winterplace, West Virginia , 90 miles away, 603 vertical feet Cataloochee, North Carolina , 94 miles away, 740 vertical feet Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 121 miles away, 600 vertical feet Scaly Mountain, North Carolina , 122 miles away, 225 vertical feet Sky Valley, Georgia , 126 miles away, 210 vertical feet   Hotels Near Watauga River: Beech Mountain Inns, Banner Elk , 5 miles away Best Western Mountain Lodge At Banner Elk, Banner Elk , 6 miles away Sugar Ski and Country Club, Sugar Mountain , 9 miles away La Quinta Inn & Suites Boone, Boone , 10 miles away Highland Hills Cabins - A Master Hosts Resort, Boone , 11 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Watauga River: Grandfather Campground and Cabins, Banner Elk, 5 miles away Vanderpool Campgrounds, Vilas, 6 miles away Flintlock Campground, Boone, 8 miles away   Trails Near Watauga River: Daniel Boone Scout Trail, Caldwell County , 9 miles away Iron Mountain Trail, Johnson County , 13 miles away Little Pond Mountain Trail, Carter County , 14 miles away Yancey Ridge Trail, Avery County , 14 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter County , 15 miles away   National Parks Near Watauga River: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 61 miles away