Paddleboats, Whitewater Rafting and Scuba Diving -- in the Mountains? Yep -- Inside Appalachia

[TexasTowelie]

For many people in Appalachia, the lakes, rivers and creeks are the first places we swam, played in the water or caught crawdads. For many adults, our waterways are some of the best places to get outdoors and cool off in the summer. We have whitewater rafting, swimming, boating and even scuba diving to choose from (yes, scuba diving, you read that right.)

Whitewater

Just about any web search for “best white water rafting” or “most dangerous white water rafting” includes West Virginia. Around 150,000 people commercially raft a West Virginia river each year -- most on the New and Gauley rivers, which go through Fayetteville, West Virginia.

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What’s In A Name -- The New River

Some people claim the New River is more than a billion years old. But it turns out, that is not true. According to Steve Kite, geologist with West Virginia University, there are rocks in the New River drainage that are a billion years old, but that does not mean the river is a billion years old. Geologists just do not know exactly how old the river is. Kite says it could be as old as 320 million years old, or it could be 3 million years old.

Read more: https://www.wvpublic.org/post/paddleboats-whitewater-rafting-and-scuba-diving-mountains-yep-inside-appalachia

[happybird]

1. Yes!

We rafted the New and Upper Gauley back when I was in college and it's still some of the most fun I've ever had in my life. WV has amazing opportunities for outdoor activities and gorgeous state parks. We did a ton of hiking, camping, lazy river days, and skiing.

[JonathanDough]

2. Fun area

Wife & I honeymooned on a trip that included driving all the BRP and a two-day upper/lower Gauley adventure. Morning of day two we had to knock ice off of our wetsuits we'd stored outside of our tent. It gets cold in the W. Virginia mountains in October. With the exception of an eight day trip on the Colorado River, the Gauley is the biggest water we've run. Rafters & kayakers come from all over the world to run the Gauley during the fall drawdown of Summerville Lake to winter pool.

In Oct. there is also Bridge Day. The public can walk on the New River Gorge bridge, one lane of which is closed for the event, and watch the spectacle of bungee jumpers and parachutist jumping off the bridge. The road deck is 900+ ft. above river level. The deck is constantly moving & shaking as vehicle traffic flows on the other, open lane. Looking down at the New River, one sees tiny whitish areas that look calm & peaceful. They're neither; they're big rapids that must be negotiated immediately prior to beaching the raft after running the New River.