NC Outdoor Adventures

NC Outdoor Adventures NCOA, an adventure tour service providing experiences in rock climbing, tubing, kayaking, whitewater. Our objective is to create fun and informative events.
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Based out of the Blue Ridge mountains in Western North Carolina, NCOA offers over 21 different trips including; tubing, rafting, whitewater kayak instruction, climbing, rappelling, waterfall rappelling, hiking, camping, youth programs, wild edible plant walkabouts plus alpine climbing instruction during the winter months. This diversity in trip offerings makes our family owned company the perfect

choice for many families, couples, adventurers, and scouting groups. Outside of these daily trips, NC Outdoor Adventures also has a strong climbing education program taught by certified climbing instructors including courses on transitioning from the gym to the crag, sport leading, traditional leading, multi-pitch instruction, self- rescue and top rope ice climbing during the winter months. "Get outside, with us" - Scott and Christy Thrift

NCOA is a certified insured guide company providing unique experiences in:
-rock and ice climbing
-rappelling (waterfall rappelling in Summer and early Fall)
-hiking and backpacking
-snow schools
-rescue classes
-boating (funyak, canoe, kayak)
-tubing

Our Goal is to provide a safe environment for ALL who strive to test their limits and explore the world around them. We feel it is important to not only offer people new experiences but to dig deeper and teach them about the preservation and history of these areas!

I saw so many critters out and about in the rainy, fog and mist today! We are working on tshirts.....tell us your favori...
05/28/2025

I saw so many critters out and about in the rainy, fog and mist today! We are working on tshirts.....tell us your favorite 😍 John Muir quotes about nature, mountains, climbing and water 💧!

Oh, my gardens! They make me happy. They restore me. Book your stay today and let them restore you too! The 1890s histor...
05/27/2025

Oh, my gardens! They make me happy. They restore me. Book your stay today and let them restore you too! The 1890s historic tiny house and tipi are waiting for you by the Toe River in the . Stay and play with NC Outdoor Adventures. Wanna 👀 more on lodging? Go to our website to book and visit our page, Hidden Holler, a Hidden Holler, unique mountain river farm-stay .

Did you know each lodging spot has gardens for guests to enjoy and eat from? They come with additional tent sites too. Did you know the property has a book written about it called, Red Hill, the untold stories of the Whitson Brothers and the Murder of Kyt Byrd?

About those gardens: The main garden is fenced for protection from deer and fowl. Our little slice of heaven features many ornamental gardens with native plants for attracting 🐝 honeybees, 🦋 and hummingbirds. We also plant stuff that repels mosquitoes and flies. Fruit gardens include a huge strawberry patch, blueberries, raspberries, 🍇 grapes, watermelon, peach, nectarine, cherry, apple, dwarf lemon, and pear trees. Vegetable gardens feature: onion mixes, cabbage, huge tomato varieties, rattlesnake green beans, jalapeños, a variety of peppers, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and tomatillos. Herb gardens feature lemon thyme, cilantro, and 2 kinds of basil, oregano, rosemary, dill, and garlic.

Book lodging from our website here:
https://ncoutdooradventures.org/accommodations/

Super grateful for some 5-foot culverts that were installed to prevent future flooding at our Outpost, Store, and Lodging. Thanks to local grading company Eddie Johnson and Son and to Griffith's General Store for supplies and to a grant from the NC Small Business Initiative for Hurricane Helene for the funding.

On this day we pay homage and respect to the ones who didn't make it home. Thank you and your family for your sacrifices...
05/26/2025

On this day we pay homage and respect to the ones who didn't make it home. Thank you and your family for your sacrifices! God bless those who serve 🙏 ✨️ 🙌

Update!!!! Our landscape has changed and so have we! We have adapted and prepared for your arrival. COME SEE US!Tubing u...
05/25/2025

Update!!!! Our landscape has changed and so have we! We have adapted and prepared for your arrival. COME SEE US!

Tubing update. Today's start was a little chilly, 49 degrees. For guests' safety and comfort the first trips of the day were canceled, and guests were contacted. River trips like tubing, kayaking, and whitewater are open now on the Toe River. The Toe was the second cleanest river in the state for the last 3 years. It has been tested twice since Hurricane Helene by MountainTrue and IS CLEAN ENOUGH FOR SAFE RECREATION. We have done several scouting paddle trips and a lot of cleanup work to sweep the river of debris and surface hazards to add an extra layer of safety to our tours this year!

While our Spider Lily Trips are selling out our WNC Outpost has seen a 70% decline in tourism numbers compared to tours booked this time last year. Our area is greatly dependent on tourism and we want you to return. Please note though if we have no bookings on the online calendar we can not afford to remain open for possible walk-ins. So please book in advance. All booking, details, pricing, and availability are online at
NC Outdoor Adventures . ORG

River, not your vibe? THAT'S OK WE HAVE 20 OTHER TRIPS OPTIONS. Book climbing, rappelling, waterfall rappelling, waterfall hikes, and swim hole or snorkeling tours. We have something for everyone! We even have great eco-education tours.

Our historic 1890s farm stay lodgings make a great venue option for camps, retreats, reunions, birthdays, and other celebrations! Check out our tipi and tiny house on this page, Hidden Holler, unique mountain river farm-stay .

05/24/2025

Whoa, it's been a crazy busy day of Helene disaster living. 😳 I am beat but excited to rest and greet tubers tomorrow. This video highlights our Outpost store, a bit of flood prevention measures (thanks to Eddie Johnson and Son and a grant from the NC Small Business Initiative), and a reminder that WNC is still very much in recovery mode. We (the businesses that didn't wash away, literally) welcome you back but want you to understand things will look and operate a bit differently in WNC for some time. Give yourself extra travel time. Expect detours and delays. For most activities, we recommend calling or checking the websites of the places you plan to visit for updates and or closure information! This is why we require advanced booking this year! We can try to accommodate walk-ins when possible! The day-to-day in wnc is constantly changing as we enter 9 months after a 1000-year flood known as Hell-ene!

River Tubing singles, doubles, quads, mincats, May-Sept hourly 10-2 with NCOA

Guess what time it is y'all? Time to plop that bo**ie in a tube or mini-cat float. We have single, doubles, quad tubes a...
05/22/2025

Guess what time it is y'all? Time to plop that bo**ie in a tube or mini-cat float. We have single, doubles, quad tubes and cooler tubes. Saturday’s trips are booking quickly. All details, availability and pricing are online. LINK BELOW
ncoutdooradventures.org/adventures/river-tubing/

FB event here River Tubing singles, doubles, quads, mincats, May-Sept hourly 10-2 with NCOA
KAYAKS ARE SOLD OUT SORRY!

Only 3 weekends left for peak Spider Lily Paddling Season. Several tours are sold out. NC Outdoor Adventures is the long...
05/22/2025

Only 3 weekends left for peak Spider Lily Paddling Season. Several tours are sold out. NC Outdoor Adventures is the longest running outfitter at the lilies, and we cap our group sizes at 12 for a more intimate nature filled experience. Easily see availability and book here:
https://ncoutdooradventures.org/.../spider-lily-kayak-trips/
Several tours are already sold out. Book now or wait till next season to view the largest concentration of rocky shoal spider lily in the world at the Spider Lily Paddle Tour with NC Outdoor Adventures

UPDATE: Our put-in was restored. I appreciate the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters forman, for sharing his con...
05/21/2025

UPDATE: Our put-in was restored. I appreciate the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Headquarters forman, for sharing his contact with me and for explaining the processes. I don't know where the communication breakdown is coming from, but grateful I was able, once again, to get info from the hard-working men and women working on our area's infrastructure .

I have two concerns, though, following the exchange. The gentleman confirmed other information I had heard about large equipment working in the river for the second time. So the Toe River is the Mitchell and Yancey County line. Mitchell Co. hired the Army Corps to contract out their side of the river. Yancey has not chosen a contractor to sweep their side of the Toe of woody debris. I worry that if the debris piles along the Toe on the Yancey County line are not picked up by the current work going on, it could lead to needing to yet again have large equipment in our rivers. Does anyone have info on this or folks we should contact?!?

Why is that a problem? First of all, on an emotional level, for many people living along the river, watching it turn green to be ripped to mud and cobble stone to fix damage is reminiscent of the first disaster, hurricane 🌀 Helene (8 mo ago). Each season that passes, the river's ecosystems try to heal itself. The beavers and hell benders make new dens, the eagles, osprey, golden eagles, and herons make new nests, and the trout eggs hatch. The fish populations begin to recover. Having another sweep in our watershed just negativity impacts our watershed for a third time. It also postpones any efforts by our communities to heal and replant their riverside properties. If you plant before the river is swept you will loose your efforts to the recovery process. I speak from experience!

🎊 👏 We are opening Friday on the Toe River. We will be opening Memorial Day too, but generally we are open TUESDAY-SUNDAY. We have single, doubles, and quad 4-person tubes and the mini-cat float, a kayak tube crossover vessel we helped design. Don't forget to book your cooler tube. All our kayaks are sold out until Monday. Saturday's weather in WNC looks amazing!

🔊 Most asked questions for the Toe River: River Tubing singles, doubles, quads, mincats, May-Sept hourly 10-2 with NCOA

How cold is it? Temps will get warmer as we get into the dog days of summer. Temps are currently about 60ish degrees.

How deep is it? Knee deep to over your head in places. We have life jackets (pfds) for guests who need them.

How wet will I get? It's a river y'all silly 🤪 people expect to get wet!

🌼 🌸 🌻 🌹 🏵 Spider Lily Paddle Tour with NC Outdoor Adventures have availability on Saturday and a little bit of availability Sunday, 3 of the 6 Sunday Tours are sold out. These tours take place at Landsford Canal State Park

Book online at Ncoutdooradventures.org. WE REQUIRE ADVANCED BOOKING ON ALL TOURS IN 2025 DUE TO POSSIBLE ONGOING HELENE RECOVERY IMPACTS AND SHORT STAFFING ISSUES. Booking in advance gives us a better opportunity to plan and prepare for our guests' tours!

Address

1173 Whitson Branch Road
Bakersville, NC
28705

Telephone

(828) 260-4505

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NCOA is a certified insured guide company providing unique experiences in: -rock and ice climbing -rappelling (waterfall rappelling in Summer and early Fall) -hiking and backpacking -snow schools -rescue classes -boating (funyak, canoe, kayak) -tubing Our Goal is to provide a safe environment for ALL who strive to test their limits and explore the world around them. Our objective is to create fun and informative events. We feel it is important to not only offer people new experiences but to dig deeper and teach them about the preservation and history of these areas!