Activities Offered Through the NOC:

Whitewater Rafting

Zip Lining

Kayaking

Mountain Biking

Tubing

Kayaking, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, biking, rafting, tubing, fishing, horseback riding, nature viewing, scenic drives, water activities.

The Nantahala National Forest lies in the mountains and valleys of southwestern North Carolina. Elevations range from 5,800 feet at Lone Bald in Jackson County to 1,200 feet in Cherokee County along Hiwassee River below Appalachian Lake Dam. Nantahala is a Cherokee word meaning “land of the noon day sun,” a fitting name for the Nantahala Gorge, where the sun only reaches to the valley floor at midday. With over a half million acres, the Nantahala is the largest of the four national forests in North Carolina.

Each year, thousands enjoy the thrill of a rafting or kayaking trip down the Nantahala. The last eight miles of the river is one of the nation's most popular whitewater venues.

Yet when you venture up the mountain above the Nantahala Gorge, there's an entirely different Nantahala — a scenic mountain river with world-class trout fishing and, at 3000 feet elevation, a crystal clear lake with boating, fishing and all kinds of fun. Make sure to bring a kayak or two!