Lower New River Whitewater Rafting Trip

Overview

With the help of an expert guide, your crew will navigate the most exciting stretch of the New River. The Lower New is one of the most popular river trips in the country with over 25 rapids rated class I-V. Between rapids, enjoy calm and relaxing pools, stories about the area’s old coal towns and beautiful scenery. The ever changing water levels offer a different and exciting trip every time. The Lower New is the perfect first-time rafting trip balancing adrenaline and fun. Riverside lunch and equipment included. Minimum of 2 guests required to book. Maximum 8 guests per raft.

City: West Virginia

Sat 19 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $130.77

Make a reservation

Sat 19 Oct

Starting at $130.77

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Professional guide

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Lunch

Beverages

Additional Info

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Minimum age is 12 years
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Face masks provided for travellers
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Need guests' permission to combine groups on activity.

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 30-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. 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, your trip will pull over and eat a deli-style lunch on the shore. After lunch, you will continue downstream into the heart of the Gorge. Here you’ll go through several rapids rated class III-V. Between rapids, there is time for swimming, floating and maybe (based on water levels) jumping off of rocks. The trip ends just past the New River Gorge Bridge.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (119)

Explore60654978476

Sep 2022

If you are looking for a very touristy commercial operation, this business is very well run. Guides were great and camping facilities were well maintained and clean. I personally was looking for a more natural experience. I did not want to hear a heavy metal band banging thru the trees and campground until 11:30 pm or have my raft run into other rafts with 48 other people in the river closely bunched up. It was a real party atmosphere so if that is your thing, it is a perfect place. It is not a place to commune with nature like you think camping near a national park would be.

Response from Host

Sep 2022

You're correct. Explore. We are an adventure RESORT, and while I dare say this is more rugged than most people are used to, you will be around other people during our high seasons. Thank you for taking time to write this!

shadow0987

Sep 2022

Ended up in inflatable Kayaks instead of the advertised rafts. Owing to night before rainstorms river was running at high volume. 8 of 9 Kayaks capsized in single swollen rapid. Guides did not adapt trip to river conditions and were cavalier about safety and risk during the trip. As this trip was advertised as a mild challenge suitable for children and beginners guides should have adjusted to river flow conditions and implemented one or more of the following. 1) canceled trip owing to increased flows from storm 2) Placed participants in more stable rafts as opposed to inflatable Kayaks. 3) Increased guide to participant ratio in order to have quicker response to multiple kayaks capsizing simultaneously. Overall the supervision of the rafting guides was poor placing participants at risk owing to the outfitters failure to adapt to unusual river conditions for late August. Would not recommend this outfitter. If you do use them exercise your independent judgement regarding river flows on the day of the excursion and whether to float the New River on an inflatable kayak or a large raft containing a guide familiar with river navigation. Not sure if other guided rafting services are more responsible, however I recommend you try another outfitter based on the experience of my group.

Response from Host

Sep 2022

Thank you, Shadow. While no river section should be taken lightly, we run the Upper New with families because of its relative lack of any appreciable hazards, including at levels the we saw this past August. But we will definitely learn from your experience—I'm forwarding this to our CEO right now.

Tricia D

Sep 2022

This was a very safe and well-run rafting trip. The training and tips they provided allowed us to have a wonderful adventure on a day when the water was running very fast and high! They are also very customer focused, even to the point of calling us when we had not arrived (we had a different time on our ticket) and waited for us. Our guide Derek was not only a great guide on the water, but he also provided us with much of the history of the area as we passed through. He was very knowledgeable about the early days when coal mining was done along the river and what and who was involved over the years - so it also was a history lesson. A nice lunch was provided midway - no fuss but very good. I would highly recommend this adventure in this beautiful and virtually untouched area. Apparently AOG has various lodging options, restaurants and many other adventures you can engage in. We were unaware of this but it is something to consider.

Response from Host

Sep 2022

Thank you, Tricia!