Tennessee whitewater - Watauga, Watauga / Johnson County Watauga / Johnson county, Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS IV-V     4.9 miles   The natural beauty of Tennessee and the playfulness of the water are reasons enough to come here and paddle. If you're coming from Boone it's not a long drive at all to the starting location, there's a road map further down the page with more info on that. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, but if you don’t have reservations you might end up sleeping in your car. There are plenty of other stretches in this river system that can be paddled as well. This stretch has has enough mileage, suitable for     an afternoon trip. And of course, there are campgrounds nearby. The Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake section of Watauga in Watauga / Johnson County is 4.9 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class IV-V section. Whitewater rafting and kayaking in Tennessee is often tougher than elsewhere, so if you're not from around here don't forget that many of the rivers here are not very forgiving. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking there are lots of good spots for that around here. Getting your paddling muscles activated and a chance to spend some time outdoors will make you glad you came. Briefly about the general area: During the summer highs here at Watauga reach the 80's. All through the moonlight hours it's generally in the 60's. High temperatures throughout the winter are normally in the 40's while   Watauga nighttime low temperatures during the winter are in the 20's. An average amount of rainfall falls at Watauga; July is when you get the most rain here; October meanwhile is the driest month. Watauga is near Keller Gap which is definitely worth taking a look at. Watauga, 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: 100 fpm    Putin Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.26527 Longitude: -81.88695 Takeout Location Coordinates: Latitude: 36.30277 Longitude: -81.93445 Paddler input for Watauga, Tennessee: Submit Input: Your Name: Write or Paste Input here: Upload picture:      Input Submission Guidelines Current weather conditions at Watauga, Tennessee 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... La Quinta Inn & Suites Boone, Boone 14 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...   All Tennessee Whitewater Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Tennessee. Books about whitewater paddling on Watauga, Tennessee List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Watauga, Tennessee. Find a whitewater outfitter in Tennessee 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. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.       These outdoors activities are available near Watauga.   Whitewater Near Watauga: Watauga River, Watauga County , 0 miles away, Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) 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) Watauga River, Watauga County , 4 miles away, Class II-III - 4 miles long (US Route 321 Bridge to Route 1200) 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: Ski Beech, North Carolina , 6 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: Beech Mountain Inns, Banner Elk , 7 miles away Best Western Mountain Lodge At Banner Elk, Banner Elk , 8 miles away La Quinta Inn & Suites Boone, Boone , 14 miles away Super 8 Motel Boone NC, Boone , 16 miles away Red Carpet Inn Boone, Boone , 17 miles away   Camp Grounds Near Watauga: Grandfather Campground and Cabins, Banner Elk, 8 miles away Vanderpool Campgrounds, Vilas, 10 miles away Flintlock Campground, Boone, 12 miles away   Trails Near Watauga: 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 Pond Mountain Trail, Carter County , 12 miles away   National Parks Near Watauga: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 59 miles away