If you don’t want to deal with a variety of hassles or if this is a one-off adventure, guided tubing along the Watauga River in Boone NC is stress free and your best option.
Local outfitters will solve the inevitable parking and access issues and eliminate the need for two vehicles or the long trek back to the car.
They will provide the tube rentals and make sure the inner tubes are inflated. No need to worry about a flat tube halfway down the Watauga River. The outfitters have you covered.
Also, if you are only going to do this once, the tube rental that comes with the guided trip makes sense because it’s about the same price as buying a new one.
Click here for do-it-yourself tubing along the Watauga River in Valle Crucis and Sugar Grove NC.
River & Earth Adventures
Based in Boone NC, River & Earth Adventures is the only outfitter that offers tubing trips along the Watauga River in North Carolina.
They offer “tubing at your own leisure” on the Watauga River in Valle Crucis and the New River in Todd.
Both trips are great for people of all ages and no experience or skill is necessary. No need to worry about transportation as your car is waiting for you at River & Earth Adventures outpost at the takeout.
Tubing costs $20 per person, and the rental is for two hours. Trips start on the hour every hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rentals are available every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day and only available on weekends in the off season.
Each tube comfortably fits one person. Though double tubes are offered for “sweethearts, best friends, parents with toddlers.”
For more information, click to https://raftcavehike.com/tubing/ or call (828)-355-9797.
Other Tubing Outfitters
The other adventure outfitters in the Boone NC area only offer tubing on the New River, which is a great place to tube as well.
Self-Serve River Tubing Near Boone NC
Now if you are not visiting and want to save a few bucks and do it yourself, tubing is still a lot of fun. My family does it many times per summer.
This article about tubing along the Watauga River in Valle Crucis and Sugar Grove has all the details such as parking areas, river access spots, two areas to avoid for safety reasons and other tidbits that might be of interest.