Overview
The Nantahala river is a scenic whitewater run that is full of great views and also offers some thrills. Nantahala is a Cherokee word which means land of the noon day sun. the river is called Nantahala because of the steep walls of the gorge. The walls are so steep that some parts of the river only get direct sunlight for the middle part of the day. The Nantahala river is a relatively short river that runs from Lake Nantahala to Lake Fontana. The section that is actually rafted is on the last eight miles of the run. The sections above the commercially rafted section are popular fly fishing spots. There are also scheduled releases for whitewater kayakers who want some class IV-V thrills. The section that is commercially rafted is only class II with one class III at the very end of the run. The water is below fifty degrees year round due to the fact that it is sucked from the bottom of the four hundred foot deep Lake Nantahala.
What to Expect in August
In the month of August, whitewater rafting on the Nantahala river is fun and exciting. You will enjoy gentle class II rapids that wind through a scenic gorge. The water is crystal clear and you will be able to see trout swimming beneath your raft. The river is not nearly as busy as it is in July but there will still be people wanting to get their last few runs of the summer in. You may run into some crowds on the river during the weekend but if you make your run during the week your trip should be pretty quiet. Some differences you can find rafting in August as apposed to other summer months is that there are more rain showers this time of year. Also the prices that outfitters charge is a little bit lower due to the fact that the tourism starts to die down around this time of year and the demand to get on the river is much lower. The air temperatures this time of year are just as warm if not warmer than the months of June and July.
Lodging Around Nantahala In August
When searching for lodging in the mountains of western North Carolina you have a few different options. If you want to stay in a
rental cabin, there are hundreds of options within range of the Nantahala gorge. The area surrounding Nantahala is full of very beautiful cabins to suit any desire or price range. Another great option is camping there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from that are inside the gorge and just outside of it. Each campground offers a different camping experience. The weather in august is great for camping in the mountains of western North Carolina.
