White water rafting trips on the Lower Gauley River

There are many ways to experience the "Beast of the East"! Choose the white water rafting trip that is perfect for you, there are several options to choose from, one thing is for sure... you will never forget this river journey into one of World's "Top-Ten" whitewater adventures!

CLICK HERE FOR UPPER GAULEY RIVER PACKAGES

Lower Gauley

Whitewater Rafting on the Lower Gauley River

The Lower Gauley is a white water jewel in West Virginia, This jam-packed, fast, fabulous and fun trip, it is our most challenging trip recommended for first-time rafters. It is a remote canyon with breathtaking scenery and world-class rapids. Some of the biggest holes and wave-trains on the river are on this section. It there wasn't an Upper Gauley then this would be the East Coast best whitewater and it would be getting all the hype! Don't miss the boat...

Most challenging trip recommended for first time rafters.
11 1/2 miles, 30+ rapids ranging from class III-V rapids.
A favorite among veteran guides for it's perfect mix of scenery, big wave trains and excitement.
Often considered a stepping stone between the New River and the Upper Gauley.
Our private Sugar Creek takeout saves rafters 1 1/2 hours (3 1/2 miles) of flat-water paddling at the end of th eday.
Hot Grilled riverside lunch included.

Trip Description	Min Age	Trip Length	Season	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon
Lower Gauley	12	1 Day	Sep-Oct	$150	$180	$160	$130

Spring/Summer Gauley

Spring and Summer Gauley River Trips

The Gauley River runs most of the year. You don't have to wait until the Fall to experience this world-class river. Check out all of our Spring and Summer Trips we offer. It is never the same experience twice and is constantly ranked as a guests and guides favorite trip!

Secret: During the Fall Release weekdays (Tue/Wed/Thu) and in November... the Summersville Dam is still releasing water and you can run it at different levels depending on what they release. If your lucky, you can catch one of those magical levels that is like nothing you have ever experienced and it will blow you away!

Note: Kayakers from around the world come here for weeks just to be able to catch the Gauley at all these different water levels because it is like running a totally different river every day.

Raft Upgrades

raft upgrade

Raft Upgrades

Go smaller. It's actually the biggest ride! Did you know that by upgrading to a smaller boat, you dramatically increase the intensity of your rafting experience? NARR offers several different raft sizes to customize your rafting experience. NARR uses the standard 16' raft unless you request a raft upgrade. There is a minimum number required for each raft.

Raft Upgrade	Min Age	Min # Required	Max # in raft	Additional Per Person Rate
14' Raft	14	6	7	$10
12' Raft	18	4	5	$40

Note: Smaller Rafts have a higher intensity level with more chances to swim. With a 12' Raft you are almost guaranteed to swim!

Grilled Lunches

Fall Release Grilled Lunches

hot grilled river lunches Experience the NARR difference! During the Fall Releases NARR pulls out all the stops with their Hot Grilled riverside lunches and includes:

Burgers
Veggie Burgers
Tuna Steaks
Chicken

Pasta Salad
Potato Salad
Hummus and Pita Bread
Chips and Salsa
Veggies and Dip

Pudding
Cookies
Fruit
Drinks

Note: Some items on this menu can change slightly.

Fall Release Dates

Fall Gauley Release Date:

2012 Release Dates have not been determined yet.

This is the Superbowl of white water rafting. Every year for 22 Days, the Army Corps of Engineers opens the Summersville Dam and releases water specifically for optimum white water flows, helping to reduce the lake water level for winter pool. These guaranteed dates make the Fall Gauley Release - allowing rafter to experice some of the best whitewater on the planet! September is typically warmer and busier, while October has better Fall colors and is less crowded. Gauley trips have become an annual event for many of the 60,000+ rafters that come every year.

Gauley River Map

Gauley River Map

Ranked in the Top-Ten commercially run rivers on the planet. Within the 25-mile stretch of the Gauley River National Recreation Area, the river is divided into two major sections, the Upper Gauley River and Lower Gauley River.

In the spring and summer, the Gauley River opens up a new level of adventure opportunities in addition to the Upper, Middle and Lower sections.
The Upper Gauley has the legendary runs known the world over - steep drops, massive holes and colossal waves.
Roller coaster waves and challenging drops also characterize the Lower Gauley, though not as steep as the Upper, it has some of the biggest waves and holes on the river.
Overall, the Gauley is technically demanding with more than 100 major rapids, and over half of them rated Class III and above.

gauley-river-map-small

*Map is not to scale.

This map represents the named rapids during Fall Release. There are more than 117 rapids and shoals on the Gauley River during the Fall Release. Spring and Summer water levels can vary significantly and the the rapids change dramatically - even the smaller Fall Release and no-name rapids can have multiple drops.

Click here for Rapid Descriptions

Download Gauley River Map

Fall Hot Deals

Play More • Bring More • SAVE MORE!

Save $$ by bringing more people, or by the number of activities you reserve!*

*Only 1 discount per activity; number of activities or group size, whichever is the larger

Savings by Activities Savings by Group Size

3 Activities: Save $5 per Guest 10 - 24 Guests: Save $5 per Guest

4 Activities: Save $10 per Guest 25 - 39 Guests: Save $10 per Guest

5 or more: Save $15 per Guest 40+ Guests: Save $15 per Guest

Double Feature Friday

Any Friday release date - buy one Double Upper Gauley Trip, get one FREE!

Marathon Mondays

Any Monday release dateBuy one Marathon Gauley Trip, get one FREE!

Sunday/Monday Overnight Special

Any Sunday/Monday release dates

Save an additional $25 per person on any of our Fall Gauley Riverside Overnight Trips.

Fall Gauley Add Ons

September 9 - October 16, 2011

Add one of these activities to any Fall Gauley Trip for $59 per person!

Half-Day Zip Line Tour
Half-Day Rock Climbing
Half-Day Mountain Biking
Half-Day Paintball

Triple Play Whitewater Package

Fall Gauley Season

Day 1: Lower New River
Day 2: Lower Gauley River
Day 3: Upper Gauley River

Includes 3 nights of camping, 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners.

Only $339 per person!

Columbus Day Special

October 10, 2011 Only

Choose any trip below - Buy One Get One FREE!

Full Day Lower New
Full Day Lower Gauley
Full Day Upper Gauley
Full Day Gauley Marathon

Fall Rapid Run

November, 2011

Half-Day Lower New River Rapid Run only $49 per person!

Lazy Days Of Autumn

September 6 - October 31, 2011

Stay Monday and Tuesday night in any cabin and Wednesday night is FREE!

Upper vs Lower:

Without question if the Upper Gauley wasn't there... the Lower Gauley would get all the hype! This is the most challenging trip recommended for first-timers. It's fast, fabulous and fun! We recommend you try the Lower Gauley first and see if you really want to experience the Upper Gauley. There are a few people who don't want that intensity challenging one of the Top 10 white water sections in the world - who come back year after year to do the Lower only.

But if you are an experienced rafter and you like to push the limits... the Upper Gauley is simply a mind-blowing experience that everyone should try once! Our Fall Reverse 2 Day Trips is ideal to test the waters - if you don't want to set it up and challenge the Upper on day two, you can do the Lower Gauley again the second day.

Questions about availability? Need more info on the Lower Gauely?
Give us a call at 800.950.2585

A $3.00 per person, per guided activity Resource Use Fee is applied to each reservation.

Release Forms
Save time and download and fill out your release form before you arrive.

Download the Rafting and Adventure Activities Liability Waiver

Gauley River Overnight Rafting Trip Checklist Be prepared for your Overnight Trip