North Carolina whitewater, Watauga River Watauga county, North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.   CLASS I-II     12 miles   Whitewater rafting and kayaking spots in North Carolina tend to be more forgiving than the national average, so if you're not from around here don't forget that a lot of the rivers in this state are suitable for beginners. If you're coming from Boone it's not a long drive at all to the starting location, please print out a copy of the road map further down the page so you won’t get lost. The wonderful North Carolina scenery and the beautiful     way the water current moves down the stream make the trip here worthwhile. Getting a good workout and just being out on the river for a while have people coming from far and near. For all you camping people there are campgrounds nearby. The North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge section of Watauga River in Watauga County is 12 miles long and has been determined by American Whitewater to be a class I-II section. If you hurry you can run this stretch in a day but why not make it an overnighter, so go ahead and pack your camping stuff. There are nice comfortable hotels here, but do book a room before you come because it is a very popular destination.   You might be into whitewater rafting or kayaking or both, doesn't matter, in this general area you'll find lots of paddling spots. There are plenty of other sections in this river system that can be paddled as well. Briefly about the general area: Near Watauga River you come across the Daniel Boone Scout Trail which is a good hiking trail; if you like skiing, you're in luck; Hawksnest is quite near. You'll meet a lot of people from Vilas here; going for a hike on the Yancey Ridge Trail is always a delightful adventure. This river has it all. Dutch Creek Falls is always fun to check out, and a tremendous place is Lou Hollow. 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.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Watauga River.   Whitewater Near Watauga River: Watauga River, Watauga County, 3 miles away       Class I-II - 12 miles long (North Carolina Route 105 Bridge to US Route 321 Bridge) Watauga River, Watauga County, 4 miles away       Class II-III - 4 miles long (US Route 321 Bridge to Route 1200) Watauga River, Watauga County, 4 miles away       Class II-IV - 2 miles long (SR 1557 to North Carolina 105) Boone Fork, Watauga County, 6 miles away       Class III-IV(V+) - 4.5 miles long (Julian Price Park to Watauga) Whitewater Outfitter - High Mountain Expeditions, Avery County, 6 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Watauga River, Watauga County, 7 miles away       Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Watauga, Watauga / Johnson County, 7 miles away       Class IV-V - 4.9 miles long (Guys Ford Bridge to Watauga Lake) Whitewater Outfitter - River & Earth Adventures, Watauga County, 7 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Whitewater Outfitter - High Mountain Expeditions, Watauga County, 8 miles away       Whitewater outfitter Thunderhole Creek, Caldwell County, 9 miles away       Class III+ - 3.5 miles long (Globe Road to Upton)   Ski Areas Near Watauga River: Hawksnest, North Carolina , 5 miles away, 619 foot drop, 4 lifts, 12 runs Ski Beech, North Carolina , 6 miles away, 830 foot drop, 10 lifts, 15 runs Sugar Mountain, North Carolina , 7 miles away, 1200 foot drop, 8 lifts, 20 runs Appalachian Mountain, North Carolina , 9 miles away, 365 foot drop, 5 lifts, 9 runs Wolf Ridge, North Carolina , 52 miles away, 700 foot drop, 5 lifts, 20 runs Winterplace, West Virginia , 90 miles away, 603 foot drop, 9 lifts, 27 runs Cataloochee, North Carolina , 97 miles away, 740 foot drop, 4 lifts, 10 runs   Marinas Near Watauga River: Pioneer Landing Campground, Butler , 12 miles away Pappy's Marina and Campground, Butler , 16 miles away   Hotels Near Watauga River: Highland Hills Cabins, Boone , 6 miles away Best Western Mountain Lodge At Banner Elk, Banner Elk , 6 miles away Super 8 Boone NC, Boone , 7 miles away Jackalope's Mountain Lodge, Banner Elk , 7 miles away Blue Ridge Village, Banner Elk , 7 miles away   Campgrounds 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 , 6 miles away Yancey Ridge Trail, Avery , 11 miles away Iron Mountain Trail, Johnson , 18 miles away Little Pond Mountain Trail, Carter , 19 miles away Laurel Fork Trail, Carter , 20 miles away   Public Lands Near Watauga River: Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville - NC , 64 miles away Roan Mountain State Park, Tennessee , 21 miles away Sycamore Shoals State Park, Tennessee , 25 miles away Mount Jefferson State Park, North Carolina , 25 miles away   Golf Courses Near Watauga River: Willow Creek Golf Club, Vilas , 4 miles away Hawksnest Ski Resort, Seven Devils , 5 miles away Diamond Creek, Banner Elk , 5 miles away   Lakes Near Watauga River Wildcat Lake, Avery , 8 miles away Fleetwood Falls Lake, Ashe , 17 miles away Trout Lake, Watauga , 19 miles away