Whitewater Rafting in West Virginia

West Virginia offers some of the best whitewater rafting in the eastern United States. Not just a popular vacation destination for its state residents, whitewater rafting is also one of West Virginia's major tourist attractions for out-of-state visitors.

  1. History

    • In 1968, Jon, Tom and Chris Dragan, along with Chris' soon-to-be-wife Melanie, hired guides and opened the third-known whitewater rafting company of its kind in the United States. By 1994, nearly 200,000 people had rafted along these rivers, bringing in millions of dollars to West Virginia communities.

    Locations and Destinations

    • Northern West Virginia offers guided tours on the Big Sandy, Cheat and Tygart Rivers, while the eastern panhandle offers the Shenandoah, North Branch and South Branch Rivers. Southern West Virginia offers the Blue Stone and Meadow Rivers, as well as the hugely popular Gauley and New Rivers.

    Guides and Outfitters

    • West Virginia has more than 20 licensed whitewater rafting outfitter and guide companies. Most of them also offer a wide range of weekend getaways or week-long vacations that include or offer lodging, horseback riding, fishing, mountain biking, hiking and other recreational activities.

    Types

    • West Virginia's whitewaters offer rides suitable for all ages and expertise levels. For example, the Songer Whitewater Company offers guides on both the Middle New River, with waves for beginners ages 6 and up, and Lower New River, a more adventurous ride for riders 12 years of age and up.