Rafting and Kayaking Resources

Northeast:

• Wilderness Voyageurs in Ohiopyle, PA for guided and unguided raft trips, kayak instruction, adventure travel
• Northeast PA Kayak School in Lehighton, PA for kayak instruction
• Moxie Outdoor Adventures running rafting trips throughout Maine and Massachusetts
• Class VI specializes in complete adventure vacations in West Virginia from rafting to canopy tours

Southeast:

• Nantahala Outdoor Center, based on multiple rivers in the region with decades of experience in rafting, kayak instruction and adventure travel
• Wildwater Ltd. runs rafting trips on rivers throughout the southeast

Rocky Mountains:

• Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center instructs kayaking and runs raft trips in Colorado’s classic Arkansas River Valley
• O.A.R.S. Whitewater Rafting runs 1-day and multi-day trips throughout the western US from the Grand Canyon to Alaska. O.A.R.S. also operates guide schools and instructional programs.
• AVA in Colorado offers raft trips throughout the state

Southwest:

• AzRA specializes in Grand Canyon rafting adventures
• Wild Rivers operates on multiple rivers and offers additional adventure packages
• Mild 2 Wild in the scenic deserts of the southwest runs raft and adventure trips on multiple rivers

Northwest:

• Otter Bar Lodge Kayak School in Northern California specializes in kayak instruction vacations
• Wet Planet Rafting on the Columbia Gorge runs rafting trips in Washington and Oregon as well as kayak instruction
• Blue Sky Outfitters in Washington operates raft trips on multiple rivers throughout the state

Canada:

• Esprit Whitewater on the Ottawa River in Quebec runs raft trips, kayak instruction and international adventures
• Kootenay River Runners located in British Columbia runs raft trips throughout western Canada

Best Raft Guide Training Schools

• Wilderness Voyageurs in Pennsylvania offers a comprehensive weekend guide training school every spring
• Wet Planet Rafting on the Salmon River in Washington offers a guide school to complete all 50 hours required by Washington State
• Esprit Whitewater boasts a one-month, WAVE, and a three-month, WILD, guide training program that develops student’s skills in rafting, kayaking and outdoor leadership
• Nantahala Outdoor Center in the southeastern United States trains new guides on multiple rivers to fit any skill level
• National Outdoor Leadership School, NOLS offers month to semester long outdoor leadership training programs including medical certifications
• American Canoe Association sponsors kayak instructor training and raft guide training sessions throughout the country
• SOLO offers medical certification courses required to be a rafting guide
• O.A.R.S. Instructional Paddling Programs are top-notch. Check out their 7-14 day whitewater guiding programs (California and Utah) and their Rogue River rowing clinic in southern Oregon. O.A.R.S. also offers a stand-up paddleboarding clinic as well as whitewater kayaking instructional courses in Idaho.