Lower Gauley River Whitewater Rafting Trip

Overview

Quite possibly one of the best river trips in the country, the Lower Gauley offers some of the single biggest waves, gigantic holes and steep drops runnable by raft. The Lower Gauley serves up 55 rapids rated from class I-V, with most of them III or higher. With the help of a professional guide, you and your crew will tackle this whitewater fanatic’s favorite. It’s no wonder that guests flock from around the world to catch one of these 22 release dates. Delicious hot lunch included.

City: West Virginia

Mon 23 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $139.75

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Dec

Starting at $139.75

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Professional guide

Lunch included

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Personal flotation device, helmet and paddle

Beverages

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Minimum age is 12 years

What To Expect

Adventures on the Gorge

Meet your rafting trip leader at the departure point. You will listen to a brief orientation and get your gear (personal flotation device, helmet and paddle). Then, you will have a 45-minute ride on a school bus down to the river put-in. Your guide will go over additional instructions once you get in the raft. A return shuttle with complimentary beverages brings you back to the resort.

Gauley River

The trip begins with a few smaller class I-III rapids as you ease into paddling and working as a team. Then, you hit some bigger rapids rated class IV-V. About half-way through the trip, you will pull over and eat a grilled hot riverside lunch on the shore. After lunch, you will continue downstream into some more booming whitewater. Here you’ll go through several rapids rated class III-V, like Koontz’s Flume and PSH. Between rapids, there is time for a swimmer’s rapid and maybe (based on water levels) jumping off of rocks. A return shuttle with complimentary beverages brings you back to the resort.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (23)

tygsk

Jun 2021

My husband and I really enjoyed this activity. Ray Ray was our guide. He was funny and very knowledgeable. He made the adventure a great experience. Definitely recommend him. At 65 years old and reasonably fit (but not athletic) I was a bit anxious but Ray Ray was reassuring and his guide experience made the trip a joy. We were assigned to a raft with a very pleasant family of 6. The river was flowing at 7000 cubic feet per second (2.5X the usual flow), making for a beautiful, stimulating ride! Half way through the trip, AOG provided a nice lunch (cold cuts, cheeses, fruit salad, corn salad, chips and salsa, pudding) and also provided soft drinks or beer on the bus ride back to the starting point. We enjoyed jumping off the raft and swimming in a calm part of the river with a water temp in the low 50s. The sun was warm and the air temp was in the low 80s. The restaurants, overlook, camp grounds, and pool at AOG were very nice but wish they had more accommodations for couples. Most are designed for families and large groups. The only thing I think could be improved is the management of the photography. Photos are taken before boarding the raft and along the rafting trip. The quality of the photos is good but the cost is quite high. Plan on spending a pretty penny if you want photos!

clintellis99

Oct 2020

My friends and I drove from Tulsa, OK which is a 15 hour drive and I would absolutely do it again for this rafting. We camped for 3 nights on their beautiful campus. We rafted the Lower Gauley the first day and it was a great warm up for the Upper Gauley as it is much more technical. On the bus, you need to wear a mask, you know, cause of COVID, but once you are on the river it’s all good. The guides are incredibly nice and they know the river really well. The lunch for both days was also great. It’s just sandwiches in a bag, it’s a full blown hot lunch, which is nice when the weather is a little cooler. Highly, highly recommend.

N5657XDjasonc

Sep 2020

This outfitter is first class. They make you feel right at home before your river trip. They are absolute professionals on the river. I completely trusted our guide on some gnarly rapids. The bus ride back to base camp was an absolute blast. When returning back to camp, the atmosphere was awesome. Beverages, live music, videos, pictures of the day, and hanging out around the fire added to the whole experience. Highly recommend