Western North Carolina Vacations

Some of the Blue Heron Whitewater staff have just returned from a 21 day river trip through the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. It was a fantastic trip combining perfect weather, great friends, spectacular scenery, and exciting whitewater. It is difficult to describe the majesty of the Grand Canyon and photos can only hint at the sensory experience you get being on the river and camping for three weeks. The smell of the desert, the early morning light, the roar of Lava Falls, the accompanying knot in your stomach, sleeping under the stars as the Milky Way unfolds above you. These impressions, and a thousand more a day make up a river trip through the Grand Canyon.
It's great to be back in Western North Carolina. The leaves are still beautiflu, there's plenty of water in the river, and it's warm out. If you can stand the thought of listening to stories about the Colorado River come on out. We are still running fantastic trips here on the French Broad River near Asheville, NC.
For more info check out our website at www.BlueHeronWhitewater.com or give us a call at 888-h2o-raft (426-7238)

Asheville North Carolina's French Broad River is a great NC rafting river for groups of just about any type. Corporate, church, school, scout, and family. All these group types and more can benefit from a NC rafting trip on the French Broad River. Only 20 minutes from Asheville, NC, Blue Heron Whitewater is the closest outfitter for this stretch of the French Broad River. You can spend a half day on river, or a full day and still be back in Asheville for other activities.
Rafting with Blue Heron Whitewater is an amazing way to get out into these ancient mountains of western North Carolina, and has the added benefit, for groups, of providing a natural format for team building, cooperation, and just plain fun.
Rafting through North Carolina's majestic Blue Ridge Mountains is a tradition for many families. Many folks tell us that they are bringing their families rafting because they have such positive memories of their own childhood rafting trips in North Carolina. Many even incorporate a rafting trip into wedding and family reunion plans. A family rafting trip on the French Broad River can be a long-lasting and even a profound bonding experience for families. The minimum age for Blue Heron Whitewater's standard whitewater trip is 8 years. If you have children as young as 4, or you just want river float trip,  that kind of trip is an option for you as well.
Among the traits that make the French Broad River ideal for groups is the moderate nature of its rapids. Not too scary for the inexperienced, but plenty of action for those who have been rafting before. Another group-friendly trait for a group rafting trip on the French Broad River is the variety of boats you have to choose from. The variety of boat types means that a group that has different experience levels can still go down the river together as a team. If some members of your group have more rafting experience an inflatable kayak or a self-guided raft might be an option. If everyone in your group wants to stay together in guided rafts that is up to you. A raft with a guide is always one of your options. (The French Broad River is a free-flowing river so water levels can affect the boat choices available.)
So if you are looking for a group activity that is fun, unique, and educational consider a group rafting trip down the French Broad River. We are proud to say that we have 20+ years of experience with group rafting trips and can accommadate groups of just about any size. From two to two hundred (or more), a group rafting trip down the French Broad River will be a fun and memorable time for all.
For more information please give us a call at 888-426-7238 (H20-Raft), and check out our web site at www.BlueHeronWhitewater.com.

Frank Bell's rapid is an easy, fun and exciting class IV rapid on North Carolina's French Broad River. This rapid is named for the whitewater pioneer, educator, and camp director Frank Bell. Also known as "Chief", Frank Bell encountered this rapid in the 1920's on a canoe trip from western North Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico. He survived the rapid, but his wood and canvas canoe did not. Not deterred, he bought another canoe and continued on his journey. His name, however, stayed with the rapid.
After paddling the class II and III white water of the half-day section of river and the beautiful and scenic windy flats, thoughts and talk turn to Frank Bell's rapid. The biggest rapid of the day on Blue Heron Whitewater's full day raft trip produces a good bit of anticipation and a little apprehension. You come around a bend in the river and you can hear it. The roar of the rapid is up ahead. You can't see anything but mist yet, but you can sure hear it. And it's getting closer. Everyone in the raft is silent. The guide is focused, reminding everyone of their roles and what to do if they end up in the river. You get to the edge of the drop, you look down into what looks like liquid mayhem. Then you are in it. Big waves, lots of splash, the guide calls out: "back left!, all forward!, back right!, all forward! Then, before you know it, you're through. At the bottom, in a calm pool. You suddenly realize that you've made it. Smiles and laughter erupt in the raft. Paddle high-five. Lets watch the rest of the trip, maybe one of them will flip.
To learn more about the raft trips offered by Blue Heron Whitewater check out our website at BlueHeronWhitewater.com or call us at 888-426-7238 (H2O-RAFT).

North Carolina rafting is some of the nations best. Western North Carolina is home to a variety of whitewater opportunities. From experts-only steep creeks to mellow, meandering water ways. Smack dab in the middle of this range of river trips is the French Broad River. Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Smoky Mountain National Park, the French Broad River flows north and west toward the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. The stretch of river just outside Asheville, NC and near Marshall and Hot Springs, NC has a wonderful stretch of moderate white water. This North Carolina rafting river is a free-flowing river. Never a worry about the water being shut off by power companies and dam operators. Thats how we like it here at Blue Heron Whitewater. The free flowing aspect means the river is never the same twice. One day the water is up and we take bigger rafts, then the water drops a bit and we get to try out inflatable kayaks (aka: ducks). We also appreciate the historic and natural aspects of this river trip. There are no roads along this stretch of the river giving river runners on this North Carolina river the feel of a true wilderness river experience. Blue Heron Whitewater is now running both half-day and full-day rafting trips on the French Broad River here in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. This is the perfect river trip for families, couples, youth groups, corporate groups, and just about anyone who loves to get out in nature for a unique view of the world we live on. The moderate nature of the rapids combined with the variety of boat choices we have available means that the French Broad River and Blue Heron Whitewater can satisfy the whitewater desires of both the beginner and those with more experience. So if you live in North Carolina, or you plan to visit come rafting with Blue Heron Whitewater on a great North Carolina river. You can reserve online at www.BlueHeronWhitewater or call us at 888-H2O-RAFT (866-246-7238).

It is time. Time to shake off winter and get outside. Get out on the French Broad River and enjoy the rapids and views of the mountains. If you are in the Asheville NC area head to the white water of the French Broad River. Only 20 minutes from Asheville, Blue Heron Whitewater is the closest rafting outfitter running half-day and full-day rafting trips on the mighty French Broad. The French Broad River is wide and warm with moderate rapids that are fun and sure to make you smile. Between rapids the spectacular spring scenery will have you in awe of the natural beauty of the hills and mountains of Western North Carolina. As you float down this ancient river your guide will regale you with stories of the natural and human history of the area. Until, that is, the next rapid. Then it's time for your group or family to focus, work together and navigate the rapid. That's how it is rafting on this river. Fun and excitement one minute, then the sudden realization that you are floating on a river through the oldest mountain range on the planet. Rafting North Carolina's French Broad River. Come join us.
Check out our website at www.BlueHeronWhitewater.com or give us a call at 888-426-7238(H2O-Raft).

On Sunday 9-22-08 we of Blue Heron Whitewater had the great pleasure of paddling down the French Broad River with our good friends at Zuma Coffee in Marshall, NC. Marshall is a wonderful Western North Carolina town down on the river with a mix of traditional old hardware and general stores and a growing community of artist, musicians, and good restaurants. At the core is Zuma, an oasis of good coffee, good food, live music and wi-fi.
A whitewater rafting trip on the French Broad River is a great way for work, church, or school groups to get together in a different environment that is both fun and challenging. The wonderful thing about the French Broad River is that it is fun and exciting for all comfort levels. Whether you are a beginner or you have some whitewater experience under your belt, The French Broad River and Blue Heron Whitewater can meet your needs.

Sunday, September 7th was my fourth rafting trip with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina.  Donated services by Blue Heron Whitewater, along with a grant from Big Brothers Big Sisters (http://www.bbbswnc.org) allowed us to take thirteen pairs of “Bigs” and “Littles” down Section 9 of the French Broad River.  For the fourth year in a row, this has been one of my favorite trips of the season, so I’m going to take a minute to list off my top three reasons why:
1)    Local Kids.  Don’t get me wrong, I love going rafting with visitors to the area and introducing them to the beauty of the Smoky's, but we get to do that all the time.  Introducing local kids to the natural fun and beauty in their own backyards is a far more rare experience.  
2)    The “Bigs.” The energy and attitude that the adult volunteers for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program has impressed me since my first trip with the group.  They are happy to be there, happy to be with these kids, and you can really see and feel how that makes a difference in the way the kids behave. There is so much positivity.
3)    The “Littles.” On Sunday’s trip, we had about 26 folks rafting, and about 10 of them were in duckies at any given time.  Before we got to Barnard Ledge (the first rapid on the Section 9 trip), Cosy, one of the Littles, announced with a shriek that she was petrified of rocks and did not want to try out a duckie after all.  She was moments away from switching out when she had a brief change of heart and decided to just give Barnard ledge a shot before switching into a raft.  Cosy ran the ledge cleanly, and though she continued to shriek every time she floated into a rock, we didn’t hear another word about switching out of the duck for the entire rest of the 5 mile stretch.
Thanks for joining us again Big Brothers Big Sisters, and we’re looking forward to next year!

Another beautiful day for rafting on the French Broad River here in Western North Carolina. Sunny and clear and the water's warm. I was shooting photos today and although I almost got run over by this ducker it turned out to be my favorite photo of the day. I like the wide-angle, in-the-boat perspective but the best part is the big fun-loving smile (and the pink shoes).

Welcome to Blue Heron Whitewater's new blog! As of the date of this posting (today is July 21, 2008), our new website is "under development", so check back often here for news about us, and for tips on great things to do near Asheville NC.

We asked our marketing friend and former river guide, Julie, to help us get started in this brave new blog world.  We like this approach for several reasons: we are busy starting a new rafting company after all!, we would rather be on the river than online, and, we aren't very comfortable writing about ourselves.  Ok, here goes!

Meet Fritz Johnson, Ciro Pena, and Sandy Melton - the wizards, power, and fun behind North Carolina's newest whitewater rafting company - Blue Heron Whitewater.

Ciro, Sandy, and Fritz each have over 20 years experience in the rafting industry, having led operations for powerhouse big companies like Nantahala Outdoor Center. Besides being best of friends, these three love rivers, people, and adventure.

On a Blue Heron Whitewater rafting trip on the French Broad River, you get over half a century of expertise, experience, quality, river smarts, and people passion, all working to bring you the best outdoor vacation experience in Western North Carolina. The guests who raft with Blue Heron Whitewater meet Ciro, Sandy, and Fritz every day. 

Fritz ran the French Broad Rafting operations for NOC for over 10 years, turning the outpost into one of NOC's most successful rafting centers. Fritz knows the French Broad River better than probably anyone else. She has seen the river at every imaginable water level (it's one of the few free-flowing rafting rivers in the US). Every rock, riffle, and rapid is known to Fritz.


Sandy was senior guide, trip leader, and manager on the Nolichucky and French Broad rivers for over 20 years. Sandy's calm spirit, extraordinary paddling skills, and warmth is loved by guests. She raises goats and spins Angora wool on her North Carolina farm with her husband in the off-season. 
 

Ciro is a professional photographer, retailer, and forever raft guide who has worked on just about every river in the Southeast for over 20 years.  Geez, these guys have it happening.


Visit our photo album of Blue Heron Whitewater's rafting center under construction. (Do you think they are having too much fun? How many people can you recognize helping them get started?)

You can email Fritz, Ciro, and Sandy at blueheronwhitewater@gmail.com, or call them at 1-888-H2O-RAFT (1-888-426-7238).

Or, reach out to them via this new blog using the comments field at the bottom of this entry.  Rock on dynamic trio!