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 beautiful scenery of North Carolina and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water attract people from near and far. The put-in location is a reasonable drive from Boone, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. There are many good hotels to choose from, but do book a room before you come because     it is a very popular destination. And of course, there are campgrounds nearby. The Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake stretch of Watauga River in Watauga County is 4.9 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class IV-V section. The rivers for whitewater rafting and kayaking here in North Carolina are often easier than in other states, so if you're not from around here don't forget that quite a few of the sections here are pretty easy. Getting a good workout and just hanging out with mother nature are great reasons to come. This is a pretty decent length section, it's good length for a morning trip. You might be into whitewater rafting or kayaking or both, doesn't matter, this is an area with plenty of places for that. This river system is full of great paddling stretches, the Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga   Lake stretch is just one of them. Briefly about the general area: A visit to Keller Gap is always fun. Through the long summer days here at Watauga River, high temperatures generally reach the 80's with nighttime lows in the 60's. High temperatures all through the wintertime are normally in the 40's while Watauga River overnight low temperatures during the winter are in the 20's. Watauga River gets a normal amount of rainfall; July is the month that gets the most rain, and October is when it's the driest. 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. Archers Mountain Inn and Luxury Cabins, Banner Elk 5 miles away Archers Inn features fifteen hotel rooms with a fantastic restaurant and bar. Our hotel and cabins are located on the side of Beech Mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. We ... 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 Experience outstanding customer service and convenient access to the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lee's McRae College and more at this pet-friendly Banner Elk, North Carolina hotel. Welcome to the Best Wes...   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 Ridge, 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   Hotels Near Watauga River: Archers Mountain Inn and Luxury Cabins, Banner Elk , 5 miles away 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 AND Suites Boone, Boone , 13 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