Seven days, one legendary river, and every kind of adventure the New River Gorge can throw at a crew.
This isn't a lazy float. It's a full-on river expedition — paddling, camping, swimming, fishing, and exploring a gorge carved over millions of years.
The New River builds from playful riffles to booming rapids. You'll learn to paddle as a team, read the current, punch through waves, and celebrate at the bottom of every drop. Guides ride with the crew the whole way.
Pull the boats up on a sandbar, pitch camp, and cook dinner as the gorge glows at sunset. Nights on the river are quiet, wild, and packed with stars.
The New River is famous for smallmouth bass. Between rapids, cast a line, cool off in a calm pool, or just float and soak in the scenery.
Stretch your legs on trails to gorge overlooks, poke around the remnants of old coal-town history, and paddle beneath the famous New River Gorge Bridge.
Bald eagles, herons, deer, river otters, and dense Appalachian forest — the gorge is a living national park, and you'll see it from the best seat in the house.
Whitewater is rated on a difficulty scale. On the New River you'll paddle Class I through IV — here's what that means.
Every paddler wears a properly fitted PFD (life jacket) and helmet on the water. Trained river guides lead the crew, brief every rapid, and set safety on the big ones. You never run whitewater alone — the crew runs it together.
A sample rhythm for our seven days. The base confirms the exact daily plan — but the adventure looks a lot like this.
Roll into the Summit, meet the guides, get fitted for PFDs and paddles, and learn the safety basics before the first launch.
Push off onto the New River. Warm up on the gentle stuff, practice paddle commands, and make our first riverside camp.
Bigger water. Learn to read currents, ferry across the river, and work as a paddle team through Class II–III rapids.
Run rapids in the morning, then slow down to fish for smallmouth bass and swim the calm pools in the afternoon.
The heart of the trip — the crew takes on the New's biggest Class III–IV rapids beneath the towering gorge walls.
Hike to an overlook, explore coal-country history, and paddle under the legendary New River Gorge Bridge.
One last stretch of river, a final camp breakdown, and the ride home as a crew that ran a legendary river together.
Another taste of what's waiting for us on the New River.
▶ New River Experience at Summit Bechtel Reserve