Rent a canoe, kayak, SUP, or tandem kayak for a 24-hour or weekly outing
24 Hr. Period
Boats, paddles, life jackets
Pick the boat that fits your plans and rent it for a 24-hour period or a weekly rate. Check in at Headwaters Outfitters and head out with the gear you need.
An additional day is charged for late return of equipment; confirm the amount with Greetwell before booking.
Full payment required at booking. Cancel 7 days before your trip for a full refund; cancel 1–6 days prior for a 50% refund; day-of no-call/no-show: no refund. Full refund if the operator cancels due to thunder/lightening, air/water temps, high winds, or high water levels.
Fill out the rental form and sign the terms of agreement during check-in.
You are charged for an additional day if you return the equipment late.
Reserve in advance with full payment at the time of booking. Walk-ins and same-day reservations are not guaranteed.
Headwaters Outfitters
This family-owned outfitter has clearly mastered the art of making everyone feel at home on the French Broad River. The staff consistently earns praise for being friendly, professional, and genuinely passionate about what they do. Guides like Jeremy, Patrick, Gavin, Ty, and Bret get specific shoutouts for their patience and expertise, particularly with first-timers who've never touched a fly rod or sat in a kayak. Multiple reviewers mention feeling confident and comfortable even as complete beginners, which speaks volumes about the instruction quality. Beyond the guided trips, the self-guided kayak floats are a major draw. The three-hour paddle seems to be the sweet spot for a relaxed, scenic journey where you'll likely spot deer, osprey, herons, and kingfishers along the way. Equipment stays in excellent condition, and the logistics run smoothly from start to finish. The base has evolved into more than just a put-in point too, with a taproom, coffee truck, and food trucks making it easy to turn your river day into a full experience. Repeat visitors keep coming back, which tells you everything you need to know about consistency here.
My wife, and I, plus another couple, did the Hannah Ford Kayak trip on May 15, 2026 and had a terrific 3.5 hour trip. headwaters staff was terrific, we interacted with 4 different people and all were very friendly and helpful, Danielle was our main person and she was a delight. Friendly, knowledgable and interesting and caring. The river was at low flow, so, not ideal, but still was so enjoyable. We were on tandem kayaks and scraped in about 10 spots, but it wasn't a big deal, the riffles were very enjoyable. The trip is scenic and on a weekday in mid May, we had the river to ourselves. Saw kingfishers and other water birds, no herons or otters, but immensely enjoyable. The taproom is a good hang as well.
Neal Zimmermann
May 16, 2026
My wife, and I, plus another couple, did the Hannah Ford Kayak trip on May 15, 2026 and had a terrific 3.5 hour trip. headwaters staff was terrific, we interacted with 4 different people and all were very friendly and helpful, Danielle was our main person and she was a delight. Friendly, knowledgable and interesting and caring. The river was at low flow, so, not ideal, but still was so enjoyable. We were on tandem kayaks and scraped in about 10 spots, but it wasn't a big deal, the riffles were very enjoyable. The trip is scenic and on a weekday in mid May, we had the river to ourselves. Saw kingfishers and other water birds, no herons or otters, but immensely enjoyable. The taproom is a good hang as well.
Neal Zimmermann
May 16, 2026