Such a fun time! This is my second time rafting down the French Broad River with Blue Heron and both times have been a blast. The guides are knowledgeable, engaging, and they make you feel very safe. The total time in the water was around 5 hours with a lunch break on a pretty rocky side of the river. Prices were very reasonable for the photos at the end. Highly recommended experience. read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

Very focused on safety and good overview. Felt comfortable with Wags' safety overview. Our guide was a little less experienced, which got us stuck a few times, but that added to the excitement of an overall pretty easy ride. Nice scenery and felt comfortable the entire time. Kids loved jumping off a rock and into the river. Would recommend for those looking for a not-too-crazy adventure. read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - The river - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

Eric was our guide and he did great!! We had fun and also learned some things about the area. Made our first timers feel comfortable (a group of six) and also got to know us too. Would def like to go back!! read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

This place was amazing! They were all such nice people and very hospitable. The tour was fantastic and the price for everything you really can't beat. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and you can tell they all love what they do! Definitely recommend read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

I had a terrific day. The guide provided a full day of information about geology, geography, history and local lore, while safely guiding us down the river. The company is very serious about proper gear and safety, and even first time rafters should feel safe with these experienced guides. It's a beautiful river, we had a great lunch and a wonderful day. Low prices in the shop and great photos to take home at a reasonable price. The staff members- from start to finish, were terrific. I'll be back! read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

My girl gang thoroughly enjoyed our day trip on the river. Our guide Jordan was very knowledgeable, clearly experienced, and definitely easy on the eyes! He was also easy going, was tolerant of our colorful language and rolled with all of our inappropriate jokes. If I had any complaints at all it would be that the water was just too wet and Jordan, while friendly and accommodating, did not accept any of our advances and declined to come home with us. Other than that, I'd rate this an A+ time! read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Jordan for the win! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

Great float! Took my 8 year old son and his two cousins - we had a perfect afternoon! Wags was our guide and he was great with the boys and on all of the rapids. Doing this again soon for the full day. read more

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When my family decided we would do whitewater rafting I literally thought I wouldn't see my home again haha the anxiety was so real yall! As soon as we arrived "Wags" took AMAZING care of us! He was so funny and very informative! I don't know how to swim so I was worried but our guide Leslie was very helpful guiding us and as small as she looked she was VERY strong! Overall, I had an amazing time and I definitely want to come back! read more

My first interaction was with Fritz, who helped book my wife and I on short notice on a rafting trip. Showing up to Blue Heron it was actually a bigger shop than what I expected/use to. We first met Sam, very personable and positive. After we watched the safety video and got our gear on, we were assigned to our guide Doug who was awesome during our trip, and didn't get us stuck once on a rock (one raft got stuck 3x lol). Overall a great, fun, safe trip and I would highly recommend these guys. read more

Two words sum it all up. EPIC & JOSH! If you are looking for an experience of a lifetime, laughter at a ten, adventures you won't forget and an overall perfect day, book the full day white water rafting experience with Blue Heron!!!!!!!! Second, if you can, book with the guide JOSH! He was above and beyond any guide I have ever experienced. We were on a raft with multiple parties and in the parking lot after the day, every single person from our raft was RAVING about his professionalism, personality, expertise and brilliance in this position. I have rafted in CO, UTAH, CA, and here now and I have no hesitation telling you to book this tour! It was well worth the cost, a perfect day and I cannot wait till I return again. You guys are doing everything right! Way to go! read more

If you're going rafting choose them. They take care of all the details. Restrooms are immaculately clean. They care about your safety. We had Jordan as our guide and couldn't have had a better time. They even gave 2 birthday people mini cupcakes!! read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Hitting rapids! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

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AMAZING trip!! If you are looking for a well run whitewater company with an amazing and knowledgeable staff, look no further!!

Had an outstanding float for my family and I with our guide, Sandy. You couldn't have asked for a more caring guide who made sure my family was taken care of. My children (7 and 9) loved it, as did we. Special care was taken with my son who is autistic and they made sure he had a great time and was comfortable. Thank you Sandy and Blue Heron! read more

This is a great water adventure for family and friends! I bought this excursion for me and my siblings and 100% enjoyed our time. I chose blue heron because it was only a few Minute Drive outside of Asheville compared to most places that we would probably had to stay somewhere else compared to the city. Fritz who I booked with beforehand was super nice and accommodating to what I was looking for and our family adventure. I do suggest to book in advance if you're planning to go. Location is easy to find and is a welcoming place! The staff was super friendly they were such a great bunch to hang around with. We did a Half day ride which was perfect for us since it has been a while and we had first timers in our group. Our guide was Sam he was super nice and laid back which I think our group enjoyed the most! The river was great it wasn't hard of a ride. We did enjoy being able to jump off a small edge and swim for a quick few minutes in the river! Most important part I learned was make sure to dress appropriately and have the right footwear like WATERSHOES, not crocs. Don't expect to bring anything with you, if you want pictures they have a great photographer who will take your pictures and the price for the pictures are great because you get a thumb drive! Lastly I recommend to tip your guides and the photographer they truly make a great effort for you to be safe and have fun! read more

Great experience for a party of 9. We loved having Sandy as our guide. She taught our 5 year old and my friend's 6 year old how to use the paddles so well. It was so fun and we saw lots of different kinds of birds. We went down the level 1-2 rapids since we had younger kids. We loved it! Patrick was the guide for our other group members and he was fantastic too. Both Sandy and Patrick were knowledgeable and shared interesting facts, were patient with us learning how to paddle, and made it fun for the kids to help out. We appreciated the snacks and short time to take a quick swim. I loved how they gave us two cameras for someone to be the designated photographer during the raft ride. They uploaded them all onto a file and gave them at the end. Very nice way to get some momentos. read more

I have to say that I was a little nervous going on a white water rafting trip in the middle of a COVID pandemic but the staff at Blue Heron completely took every precaution to make sure that my family was safe. There were two groups of 6 that went on the shorter white water trip. Each group was split into 2 groups of 3 so in total we had 4 rafts. When we arrived they made sure that each group stayed socially distanced and was wearing a mask at all times. When we got on the bus to go to and from the river we were made to sit apart from each other. When we arrived back at home base one group could go in the store while the other looked at pictures from the trip. Then we switched. Now for the rafting. My family had Wags and Paul for raft Gods. They made the trip very enjoyable with descriptions of the scenery and perfect instruction on how to navigate the river. This trip is perfect for beginners. It has just the right amount of fun without being overly boring. My more adventurous girls wanted a little more but I had to explain you have to walk before you can run. I would highly recommend this adventure for white water beginners. read more

Day 4 of my summer vacation took me this this cool place. Guides were great, River was fun, weather was beautiful, and we all had a great time. If you're a beginner, I recommend this place. They preach safety first and do their best to make sure you're having a great time! read more

I'm with a group from out of town and we had a few days off from work. We decided to go rafting and had so much fun! We called ahead to get some clarification and the lady speaking answered all of our questions and was super nice. The whole staff was great and very friendly (our guide was Sydney and she was AWESOME. Not only really funny, but also very competent..we felt safe with her!). Jordan and another guy (I didn't get his name, but he is also a guide and he's from AR) were also great! The views were beautiful, the process was easy, and the rafting was fun. They drive you in a bus to and from your starting and end points, load the rafts for you, and provide the equipment--so all you need to do is show up! read more

Worth every penny! We did the full day 9 mile route as a group of 6. Our guide was excellent and very knowledgeable of the area. Highly recommend for those looking to spend a fun-filled day on the water. read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

36 minutes ago Thank you for a most amazing and exciting afternoon. I have been white water rafting before but for my teenage girls it was a first. They loved the rapids. Thank you Wags for keeping everyone safe with your Covid-19 social distancing and mask policy. Mask on at all times except for on the water. Each party was in a separate boat with guide. Val was very skilled and engaging. We had a blast on the water. We were able to get out of the boat and swim. That was lovely and surprising. Please come support this local business. They have boats half loaded to social distance. A photographer joins the crew on the water and takes pictures. Beautiful quality pictures. Very affordable. Amazing times!! Come help this business to keep them a read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

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As a first timer, I was beyond scared! Upon arrival, we checked in and watched a short video and then got our gear and were taken on a bus to the rafting spot (about a 12 min drive). We had photos taken and met our rafting guides and off we went! When we got back, there were some lite snacks and water and then went back to our car on the bus (about 25 min drive). Our rafting guides, Luke and Sam, were awesome! They made me feel safe. Couldn't have asked for a better first experience thanks to them. Entire staff was nice and helpful as well. read more

This was the absolute best rating experience we've ever had! This company redefines professionalism. They are some of the most positive people I've ever interacted with. Our experience was top notch! We've rafted much bigger rivers but this was the best. I highly recommend this company!! read more

BEST EXPERIENCE EVER! It was my first time white water rafting, and now it might be my new favorite hobby, everything was so awesome. Would 100% recommend! read more

Thank you to everyone at Blue Heron for the entire rafting experience. We did the moderate level trip and it was gorgeous and exhilarating! I'd like to compliment the entire operation, which is perfectly organized, personalized, and safety is prioritized. It's NOT a huge factory type outfitter- they were friendly and sweet. The bus ride to the launch site was itself very fun and very scenic. A special thanks to our fantastic guide Laura- she rocked!! read more

So glad my first white water rafting experience was with Blue Heron. Even with the forecasts predicting cold weather, I couldn't pass up the chance of white water rafting. My girl and I were the only people who booked March 2nd, 2015 so we got a private tour of the French Broad! We got there and met our guide, Sandy, who was so friendly and hospitable. The great thing about Blue Heron is that they truly care about giving people a great time. The first sign of this, I noticed, was their reluctance to place a price on gear such as wet suits, fleece, water shoes, and plenty other key layering items. I knew they offered wet suits from their website, but everything else they offered was going above and beyond. My girl and I came dressed and prepared in what we were wearing, which was not many layers at all considering the cold weather. Blue Heron invests their money in stocking plenty of gear for their riders which I'm truly grateful for. Sandy does a great job of letting you know everything you need to know about the river along with the tutorial video you watch prior. She also includes fun facts about the area and cool stories while on the river. The sights to see leave you in awe and there's just something about being in the mountains that gives you peace, even despite the cold. And when you're not admiring all around you, you're paddling with fast currents into plunging, raging waters which is fun in its own unique way! The full day trip offers a lunch break as well as photo opportunities from another staff member throughout the trip. For more details, Google their name and check out their website. I would definitely come back again, in warmer weather for sure! read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - March 2, 2015 Cold day but fun, nonetheless! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

My first whitewater rafting experience. It was a blast. Cool instructors/guides. Beautiful river & scenery. It was a really cool experience. I would like to do again & do the class 4 rapids. I would have on this one, but I was limited in time. The meal they provided was simple yet tasty. We made our own sandwiches & they had hummus and carrots too. Yum. Everybody there was very friendly. I picked this place based on their reviews and I'm very happy with my experience. read more

I was beyond impressed with Blue Heron. This being my first time white water rafting I really didn't know what to expect and to be honest a little nervous. Our guide, Drew, was awesome. He was just a cool dude and a pleasure to spend the day on the river with. He dropped a lot of knowledge on us about the river and the towns history. We had an eight person raft but they have four person rafts or kayaks that they can actually bring along for a little extra fun. We went against it at first but halfway through the trip we wished we would've brought one along. The photographer had a kayak. She was just zipping along the river. Looked fun! The photographer snapped pics all throughout the trip. At the end of the trip they offer the pics on a flash drive for a steep price. We booked the half day trip with lunch. About an hour and a half in we stopped for lunch. They provided delicious multigrain bread, turkey, ham, provolone, Swiss, Oreos, carrots, hummus, water, condiments and chips. It was a nice relaxing lunch surrounded by nothing but nature and the sounds of the river. We went in early September, so the river was much lower than it would be in the summertime, which means the Rapids are less intense. We went on a couple of class three Rapids and a few class two. It was pretty mild. After this experience I definitely want to go back in the summertime when the class fours are available! read more

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What a great experience. Blue Heron Whitewater is doing a great job at implementing safety measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. The staff was organized and courteous. Patrick was our guide who made this experience fun and adventurous while educational. We learned so much about the area and enjoyed the history! Thank you to everyone who contributed to such a wonderful day on the French Broad River. read more

On the recommendation of a friend, my son and I took the half day trip which began in the morning and included lunch. We could not have been more satisfied. Wags and his guides went above what I would have expected to make the day memorable for the 25 or so that made the trip down river. My only regret is that we didn't do the full day trip. We won't make that mistake again. The cost was reasonable at $52 per person, and for $25 we got some incredible pictures to take home - about 30 in all. We can't wait to come back. read more

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Honestly, I was beyond impressed with our experience at Blue Heron. We arrived on a pretty blustery morning (48 degrees!) and were worried about how it was going to go due to the sudden change in temperature. We parked and were immediately welcomed by Wags, who told us not to worry because they had tons of clothing we could borrow, including wetsuits. We (four girls) felt much better about the situation and suited up. After a quick informational/safety video and rundown of the whole rafting process, we were on our way. Both Wags and Ari were excellent guides. Two of us had never been rafting before and the other two had only been once, but they made us feel so comfortable! We had an absolute blast and learned a lot as well. Wags is super informative and taught us a ton about the area and its history. Everyone was so professional and kind. We were the only ones there and felt like we had the ultimate VIP treatment! When we had finished our five-mile trip, we were even given water and cookies on the van ride back to the building. Sweet people who made our trip incredibly fun! read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Having too much fun! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

By far one of the greatest experiences I've ever had! I had never been white water rafting before, so I (obviously) read the reviews on here before I went. And the reviews don't lie! The crew that took us out were incredibly enthusiastic and knew how to have a good time. They were the one's who really made this a 5 star experience! Impeccably clean facility, especially since the entire center is outside. I was pleasantly surprised. The bathrooms have showers, changing stalls, etc. for you to use before/after you get done rafting. The shop also has water shoes for you to buy, or if you're more adventurous, you can check out their lost & found of shoes they found over the years. I would reccommend this place to anyone who was looking for a whitewater adventure! The prices are incredibly reasonable for what you're getting out of it. read more

Blue Heron Whitewater - Staff member takes pictures for y'all to buy at the end! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Marshall, North Carolina

Customer experience all the way. I made a last minute reservation for the following day and drove here from Burnsville (such an easy drive). It was neat driving through Marshal, a cute industrious baby town right on the river with a cool rusted bridge. I was annoyed that my friend had gotten sick and wasn't able to raft so I worried about having to prepay the spot. When I arrived and let BH know he was sick they said they wouldn't charge me because he was sick. I was relieved and at $48 for my ride I was having a good time. I laughed hard when I saw they offer you a string to tie your sunglasses on for free or to purchase a $2 sunglasses band. Wow too funny I'm glad they try to not nickel and dime you. Also it was nice they had a giant tub of sunscreen, very nice changing rooms and showers, and they lock your key up for you while you are rafting. My advice is to wear a long sleeve water shirt and pants if you burn easy which is what I did. I also had a hat and sunscreen on my face and water shoes. I was all set. Also I advise you leave all your rings and jewelry and watches at home. Many valuable things have been lost on this river, just don't even bring them. Also rings can be uncomfortable when you are grasping the paddle and I didn't want my rings to get caught on anything and create a danger. Tod was our raft driver and he was spectacular being so supportive and sweet and interesting to talk with. At first I sat right in the middle seat, but he said no you have to sit on the edge and good advice Tod gave was to use thigh muscles to wedge yourself against the sides if there is threat you may come out of the raft. I had to do that a few times on rapids and I felt very secure!!! Also the other guides were super friendly and the red headed chap was a great jolly ring leader with great jokes. Also when returning they were super positive about everyone's participation read more

My family and I had a great time white water rafting with Blue Heron Whitewater! The guides were all friendly, knowledgeable, engaging and kind! You could tell they loved the river and the surrounding area. This is a great small company to support!! read more

My extended family descended on Burnsville, NC, just outside of Asheville, for a 6 night, 5 day family reunion. Since we all live far apart from each other we spend most of the time just hanging out and catching up. There are a few "outside" activities that we plan for people that want to get out and I decided to plan a whitewater rafting trip. Of the 23 people at our reunion, 15 decided to do the rafting. For most of them it was their first time. After reading a number of reviews I chose Blue Heron, and what a great choice. We met Josh at check in and were blown away by how friendly and outgoing he was. After a 15 minute bus ride we got to the put in point and there we were divided into groups. With our group being so large we took up 2 rafts, plus myself and another of our group had to share a raft with people in another group. Our guide was Sydney (spelling?) and she was awesome!!!! Not only was the trip a lot of fun, but she gave us quite an interesting history lesson about the area. While I would have liked to have done the full day trip, which included a couple of Class IV rapids, the half day trip was very enjoyable and probably enough for all the newbies in our group. Besides rafting, we got a chance to get out of the rafts to do a bit of swimming-1 place where you can jump off a rock about 12 feet above the water, and another place where you can actually float through a set of small rapids. I wish I could remember every guides name as they were all great, but a special shout out to both Josh and Sydney for the great job they did. It was one of the highlights of our trip! read more

Such a fun day! We chose to do the full day trip which put us on class IV rapids and since the river was moving fast, we were back on the bus not too long after lunch. Everyone is very professional and safety is a priority, but that doesn't mean they aren't fun. The entire staff and owners are kind, hilarious, and overall a joy to be around. You will get wet and there are several spots to jump out and cool off so be prepared! Be sure to lather sunscreen on before you leave on the trip because you will get burnt. The lunch is basic sandwich and chips but yummy. Everyone in our large group were a lot of fun to be around and there were even 2 wedding parties there! All around good time. read more

Thanks to this great outfitter for an amzing day. They run a very fun and gorgeous section of the river thats fun for all experience and comfort levels. Our group had a nervous 1st timer but that was no big deal for our guide malcom. Malcom was outstanding and left all us wanting to turn around and go again! If you are looking for a great day and a perma grin then give the 9 mile trip a go! read more

We've rafted at least a dozen times, and this was one of the most fun! Not because the Class 2's and 3's (with one triple-drop 4 at the end) were the most exciting we've experienced, but because the Blue Heron team, led by "Wags" were the perfect guides. Knowledgeable, funny, warm and friendly, we thoroughly enjoyed our full-day trip. Even the gift shop was engaging and reasonable...a first for a tourist shop! 5-stars for Blue Heron! read more

Me and my family had a wonderful 1st rafting experience together! They took all the proper Covid safety precautions and our guide was fabulous. I can't wait to come back and try a harder level when the kids get bigger. read more

What a great experience!! Patrick was our guide and he was super knowledgeable kept us safe the entire trip. We had a great day out on the river. I was impressed with the picnic lunch,. We will definitely be recommending this company to friends and family who will be visiting the area. read more

This place is awesome! They are very informative and safe. Angela was our raft guide and she was amazing, she made us laugh and all had a great time. Would recommend asking for her if your thinking about using this company (tips are encouraged). Overall amazing, down to earth folks here. read more