West Virginia white water rafting season starts April 1

FILE – In this Aug. 30, 2012 file photo whitewater rafters are shown rafting the lower New River Gorge, near Fayetteville, W.Va. (Lawrence Pierce/Charleston …

FILE – In this Aug. 30, 2012 file photo whitewater rafters are shown rafting the lower New River Gorge, near Fayetteville, W.Va. (Lawrence Pierce/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP, File)

by: Sam Kirk

Posted: Mar 23, 2023 / 04:47 PM EDT

Updated: Mar 23, 2023 / 04:47 PM EDT

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — For one weekend only, West Virginians will be able to choose between white water rafting or skiing as rafting season begins and ski season wraps up.

Thanks to almost a foot of fresh snow mid-March in Pocahontas County, Snowshoe Mountain, one of West Virginia’s biggest ski resorts, announced that it would remain open a week longer than expected, extending the 2022-2023 ski season to April 2.

12 News reached out to some of the main white water rafting facilities in the state and found that the season generally starts April 1, some are open even earlier!

Adventures on the Gorge in Fayette County, starting April 1, the Lower New River will run every day at 10:05, and then after Memorial Day, more trips will open up.

At Ace Adventure, you can white water raft on the New and Gauley rivers on Saturdays in April and every day after Memorial Day.

If you can’t wait until the weekend, New & Gauley River Adventures in Fayette County opens Wednesday, March 29 and has several trips per week after that; call for available dates. Trips will be in full swing by Memorial Day.

If you want to raft without leaving north central West Virginia, Cheat River Outfitters in Preston County has rafting dates available starting April 1, but reservations can only be made online for weekends starting on April 15. Call 304-329-2024 or text 304-698-6371 for more information about reservations.