North Carolina whitewater - Watauga River, Watauga County Watauga county, Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS IV-V     4.9 miles   There are commercial rafting outfitters from both NorthCarolina and Tennessee run the section of the Watauga River flowing downstream of the TVA Wilbur Dam Resevoir to Elizabethton, Tennessee.'' Says Robert Ritchie The average North Carolina whitewater rafting or kayaking river tends to be easier to run than those in other states, so keep in mind that rivers here are not as hard as elsewhere. The wonderful North Carolina scenery and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water beats anything. The Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake section of Watauga     River in Watauga County is 4.9 miles long and is a class IV-V section of whitewater according to American Whitewater. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. This is not the only paddling section in this river system, there are others too. There are campgrounds quite near the river where you can camp. This section is long enough to enjoy a good non stop paddle, it's perfect for a one day trip. Great exercise and just being out on the river for a while are great reasons to come. Some people prefer whitewater rafting and some kayaking, either way around here you'll find a large number of good rivers. Briefly about the general area: While staying at Watauga River you could always discover Keller Gap.   For the period of the days of summer, highs frequently are in the 80's at Watauga River. Summer night lows fall down to the 60's. The winter comes with highs in the 40's; after the sun is down all through the wintertime temperatures at Watauga River dip into the 20's. A common amount of rain falls here at Watauga River; July is when you get the most rain here while October is usually the driest month. Watauga River, Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked. QUICK STATS AW Class: IV-V Length: 4.9 miles Average Gradient: 103 fpm    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.26821 Longitude: -81.88473 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.29515 Longitude: -81.93334 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: BRISTOL WSO AP 22 miles away RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river. Beech Mountain Inns, Banner Elk 7 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 8 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 12 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, Watauga / Johnson County , 0 miles away, Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Watauga River, Watauga County , 4 miles away, Class II-III - 4 miles long (US Route 321 Bridge to Route 1200) Elk River, Avery (NC)/Carter (TN) County , 4 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 , 4 miles away, Class IV-V - 5 miles long (Big Falls to Poga Rd) Elk River, Carter County , 5 miles away, Class II-III - 4.3 miles long (Route 2520 to US 321 bridge Close to Elk Mills) Elk River, Avery County , 7 miles away, Class IV-V - 8.4 miles long (Route 1326 to Route 1305) Watauga River, Watauga County , 9 miles away, Class I-II - 12 miles long (North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge) Watauga River, Watauga County , 13 miles away, Class II-IV - 2 miles long (SR 1557 to North Carolina 105) Boone Fork, Watauga County , 14 miles away, Class III-IV(V+) - 4.5 miles long (Julian Price Park to Watauga) Doe River, Carter County , 14 miles away, Class II-III - 4.6 miles long (Crabtree to Blevins Bridge on Bear Gauge Road)   Ski Areas Near Watauga River: Ski Beech, North Carolina , 5 miles away, 830 vertical feet Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 9 miles away, 1200 vertical feet Hawksnest, North Carolina , 10 miles away, 619 vertical feet Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 18 miles away, 365 vertical feet Wolf Laurel, North Carolina , 45 miles away, 700 vertical feet Cataloochee, North Carolina , 91 miles away, 740 vertical feet Winterplace, West Virginia , 91 miles away, 603 vertical feet Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 118 miles away, 600 vertical feet Scaly Mountain, North Carolina , 120 miles away, 225 vertical feet Sky Valley, Georgia , 124 miles away, 210 vertical feet   Hotels Near Watauga River: Beech Mountain Inns, Banner Elk , 7 miles away Best Western Mountain Lodge At Banner Elk, Banner Elk , 8 miles away Sugar Ski and Country Club, Sugar Mountain , 12 miles away La Quinta Inn & Suites Boone, Boone , 13 miles away Highland Hills Cabins - A Master Hosts Resort, Boone , 15 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Watauga River: Pappy's Marina and Campground, Butler, 7 miles away Grandfather Campground and Cabins, Banner Elk, 7 miles away Vanderpool Campgrounds, Vilas, 10 miles away   Trails Near Watauga River: Little Pond Mountain Trail, Carter County , 10 miles away Iron Mountain Trail, Johnson County , 11 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter County , 12 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter County , 12 miles away Daniel Boone Scout Trail, Caldwell County , 12 miles away   National Parks Near Watauga River: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 59 miles away