Paddle 7 miles of Class I–III rapids past Harpers Ferry
3 Hours
Guide, helmet, paddle
Ride an inflatable one-person kayak (a “duckie”) on a guided whitewater trip on the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. You’ll get a river safety orientation and basic paddling tips as you work through Class I–III rapids.
Ages 12+ only. You should be in good physical condition and able to paddle and maneuver for 7 miles. Water shoes, sneakers, or sandals with an ankle strap are required (no flip-flops).
No refunds after a trip is booked and paid. If you cancel or cannot make your trip, inform HFAC at least 48 hours before the scheduled trip time.
Check in no later than 30 minutes before your scheduled trip time.
No previous experience is required, but you should be in good physical condition, understand basic paddling skills, and be able to paddle and maneuver for 7 miles.
Wear water shoes, sneakers, or sandals with an ankle strap (no flip-flops). Expect to get wet, so swimwear is preferable. Bring a hat, sunglasses with a strap, and sunscreen.
Harpers Ferry Adventure Center
This outfitter really shines when it comes to white water rafting and adventure activities. Guests consistently rave about their guides—Jeremy, Rocky, Logan, Connor, and Andy all get called out by name for being knowledgeable, safety-focused, and genuinely fun to be around. Families particularly appreciate how the staff handles kids, keeping them engaged and safe while teaching them about local history. The facility itself is clean and conveniently located next to a brewery, with food trucks often on site, which is perfect after a day on the water. The riverfront campsites get praise for their gorgeous views too. There are some notable hiccups worth mentioning. Recent reviews show significant confusion around their synthetic ice skating rink—multiple families arrived expecting traditional ice and left disappointed after just minutes. The marketing apparently doesn't make it clear enough that it's plastic tiles, not real ice, which creates a very different skating experience. A couple of reviewers also mentioned last-minute cancellations due to low ticket sales, which is frustrating when you've planned a trip around the activity. One tubing incident resulted in injuries without apparent safety oversight during the float. The core adventure activities like rafting and ziplining seem solid, but set clear expectations if you're booking newer offerings like the ice skating.
We had a fabulous time as a family with three kids who hadn’t ever rafted before. Charlie Boy was a fabulous guide who was kind, very very patient with 1000 kid questions while helping us all feel capable, prepared, and safe. And my son fell out of the raft during a rapid, and Charlie had him back in the raft before I even knew he had fallen out (I had fallen *in* during the same rapid. Neither was worse for the wear)
Abigail Hankin-Wei
April 6, 2026
We had a fabulous time as a family with three kids who hadn’t ever rafted before. Charlie Boy was a fabulous guide who was kind, very very patient with 1000 kid questions while helping us all feel capable, prepared, and safe. And my son fell out of the raft during a rapid, and Charlie had him back in the raft before I even knew he had fallen out (I had fallen *in* during the same rapid. Neither was worse for the wear)
Abigail Hankin-Wei
April 6, 2026