The Adventure Collective 2017 WNC Adventure Guide | Page 9

9 Asheville River Expert: French Broad Outfitters 704 Riverside Dr, Asheville, NC (828) 505-7371 || frenchbroadoutfitters.com Paddleboard The Broad: With two 6 mile trips to choose from, paddleboard the french broad and see Asheville from a different perspective. Either float provides the opportunity to test your skills on the newest paddlesports niche, paddlboarding. River paddleboarding is a whole new scenario as you guide yourself down the class I French Broad, riding waves or catching eddies. Perfect for beginners and no experience necessary, paddleboarding is a new take on an old scene. French Broad Outfitters is the only outfitter in town with two trip options, providing shuttles and a great selection of boards for your trip. After the float hit up either of French Broad Outfitters’ takeout bars and enjoy some post paddling refreshment. Directions from Asheville: Head to either French Broad Outfitters locations (704 Riverside Dr. or 203 Hominy Creek Rd) to get setup for this trip and reserve boards and shuttle at www.frenchbroadutfitters.com. Paddle Biltmore: The quintessential Asheville trip, avoid the tubers and relax on a 2.5 hour, 6 mile stretch through the majestic Biltmore estate. Beginning and ending at French Broad Outfitters’ Hominy Creek location, guests are shuttled to the southern end of the estate and float through the heart of the 8,000+ acre property. Greenery surrounds on this float and guests should expect to see plenty of wildlife, in- cluding deer, turkeys, egrets, herons, eagles, and maybe even otters! Finish at FBO’s locals oriented event space/watering hole to refuel with food trucks, live music, corn hole and a hammock village. This being the number one river trip in Asheville, reservations are rec- ommended. Directions from Asheville: Head to either French Broad Outfitters locations (704 Riverside Dr. or 203 Hominy Creek Rd to get setup for this and other trips to ensure you have everything you need to enjoy a great day on the water. We recommend calling ahead to book your trip (828-505-7371). Try Whitewater: Local and visiting paddlers looking to hone their whitewater skills can often be found at the Ledges Whitewater Park - a good option for playboating thanks to multiple fun waves, a variety of different downriver lines and a flat, easy approach. For an incredible downriver experience through the scenic French Broad River Gorge, paddlers can head down to Section 9 and enjoy numerous Class III-Class IV rapids. French Broad Outfitters offers gear rentals and all the local beta you need to get on the water. Directions from Asheville: Take I-240 W to future I-26W and exit at exit 25/UNC-A and head north onto Riverside Dr. Follow the winding road that is a popular cycling destination for approximately 10 miles and look for the park on the left. Asheville Experience: This 12 mile float trip typically takes between 4-6 hours and provides a comprehensive experience of Asheville. After passing through the scenic and mostly rural areas through the Estate, the French Broad enters into Asheville’s burgeoning River Arts District, home to more than 150 artists’ studios. Plan Ahead: Book your trip online with French Broad Outfitters at their website at www. frenchbroadoutfitters.com or call 828-505-7371 for more info. Hit The Paddle Trail: Featured #11 in Outside magazine’s top trips of 2016, the French Broad Paddle Trail offers combinations suited for every paddler. With 120+ miles of navigable river, local conservation organization MountainTrue has developed a paddling trail for the people. Create your own trip to include brewery visits (Oscar Blues, Sierra Nevada, and New Belgium for example), or brave the more exciting sections north of Asheville that offer numerous whitewater rapids in a pristine river gorge. We like Section 8 for a great overnight trip with a few fun rapids with great fishing along the way. Plan Ahead: French Broad Outfitters offers turnkey overnight canoe camping packages with shuttles, gear rentals and everything you need to enjoy this overnight adventure. We recommend booking your campsite well in advance for your next trip by mountaintrue.org and frenchbroadoutfitters.com. French Broad | Ledges to Alexander: The trip from Ledges Whitewater Park to Alexander Bridge is a quality section of class II whitewater with surfable waves and holes to play in. One of the best parts of this section is that paddlers can be on and off the river in under two hours. The put-in is only 15 minutes from downtown Asheville and French Broad Outfitters can help set up a shuttle to make this a fun afternoon adventure. Directions from Asheville: Head to French Broad Outfitters (704 Riverside Dr.) to get get local info on water levels and line up a shuttle. The Laurel River (Hot Springs): The Laurel River Trail, located with- in Pisgah National Forest near Hot Springs, is a moderate hike that traverses a beautiful forest alongside Big Laurel Creek and offers great access to some nice swim- ming holes. We like this trail during the summer thanks to the plentiful options to play in the river while checking out the views of the nearby Palisades - a set of towering cliffs overlooking the river. Directions from Asheville: Take I-26 W for 8.5 miles to Exit 19A to merge onto US 25/70 towards Marshall. Take US 25/70 for 21 miles towards Hot Springs. The Laurel River Trail is at the intersection of Hwy 25/70 and Hwy 208. There is a gravel parking area about 100 yards south of the intersection. Look for the brown Laurel River Trail Forest Service sign.