Kayaking Near West Virginia | Harpers Ferry Adventure Center

Find your flow on the river.

Kayaking and canoeing at Harpers Ferry Adventure Center give you a few ways to get on the water. Pick the trip that matches your group, your comfort level and the kind of story you want to bring home.

Whitewater Kayaking

For paddlers who want more movement, more challenge and a bigger adrenaline rush.
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Flat Water Kayaking

For a calmer day with more control, more independence and time to explore at your own pace.
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Flat Water Canoeing

For pairs, families and groups who want a classic river outing with a little more space.
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Know Before You Go!

Dates

Summer whitewater kayaking
May 15 – September 4

Spring and Fall whitewater kayaking
September 8 – November 20

Summer flat water kayaking and canoeing
May 25 – September 2

Please check our Current River Conditions and Age Restrictions page for daily updates.

Times

Whitewater Kayaking
Trip length: About 2.5 hours (weather dependent)
Trip distance: 7 Miles

Summer whitewater kayaking
Weekdays: 10am, 2:30pm
Weekends: 9:00am, 10:30am, 12:00pm, 1:30pm, 3:00pm

Spring and fall whitewater kayaking
Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays: 10am
Saturdays and Sundays: 10am, 2:30pm

Flat water kayaking and canoeing
Trip length: 3 hours
Trip distance: 1.5 Miles

Weekends: 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Weekdays: By reservation only for groups of 10 or more

Closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays (open 7 days a week starting May 1st)

Guests must check-in no later than 30 minutes prior to their scheduled trip time.

What we provide

Whitewater kayaking

Duckies (one person per craft)
Paddle and helmet
Life vests (required)
Parking
Complimentary key check
Shuttle service
Bathhouse equipped with sinks, toilets and hot showers
Paid lockers (Free if you have your own lock!)

Flat water kayaking and canoeing

Kayak or canoe
Life vests (required)
Parking

Safety Requirements

Whitewater kayaking

No previous experience is required but guests should be in good physical condition, have an understanding of basic paddling skills and be capable of paddling and maneuvering their kayak 7 miles down river. Our guides will be available for questions, basic paddling skills tips, instruction, and a river safety orientation. This is NOT a kayaking class. Duckies go out with our Whitewater Rafting tours and guests will be expected to keep up with the trip!
Kids must be at least 12 years old. (Subject to change based on river conditions. Please check our Current River Conditions and Age Restrictions page for daily updates.)
Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Max recommended weight is 250 pounds.
All guests must complete the liability waiver that will be included in your confirmation email.

Flat water kayaking

Guests must be ages 8 and up and have basic paddling skills. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Flat water canoeing

Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Anyone under the age of 12 must have a parent or guardian in their canoe. This activity is well suited for families with children who are a minimum of 40 pounds or more.

What to wear

Whitewater kayaking, Flat water kayaking and Flat water canoeing

Water shoes, sneakers or sandals with an ankle strap are required. No flip-flops allowed!
You will get wet, so swimwear is preferable.
Bring a hat, sunglasses with strap and sunscreen.

Check-in location

Whitewater kayaking
37410 Adventure Center Lane, Purcellville, VA 20132

Flat water kayaking and canoeing
150 Millville Road, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

Don’t Just Take Our Word for It…

Sofia Martinez

1 day ago

I went last week on Thursday for my camp, and it was lwk, my first time white water rafting, and I had wayyyy more fun than expected, highkey. Love how I didn't fall boat cuz yk I'm js like that. Anyways, my guide, Andrew, was HIGHKEY the bomb and made the experience better with his nonchalantness. Like if you're the manager and you're reading this, give this man a praise (I'm not glazing). I would also like to shout out Charlie (Jenidiah) and Quinn, who also made white water rafting fun! (even tho Charlie killed Andrew Jr.) Honorable mentions are Conner, Baron, Tristan, and like everybody else who gave us their names without trying to trick us! Besides all that, we (my friends who were on the same boat as me) all had a really great time, and thank you, guys, for this amazing experience.

Brittney Herz

3 days ago

Jeremy crushed it. Even with the low water he was able to make the trip very fun for the kids and was knowledgeable about the area. Will definitely come back!

Sakir’s Topic

3 days ago

Jessica Tangradi

4 days ago

What a fun experience!! The Harper’s Ferry Adventure Center is a great place to go to explore WV and be a little adventurous. We booked the flat water tubing and zip-lining, both with morning time slots (highly recommend). The staff were kind, helpful, and knowledgeable about the area and the activity. The tubing experience was very relaxing. The water was refreshing and smooth. We rented a cooler tube as well, which I recommend for coolers, dry bags, and/or water bottles. The zip line guides were so incredibly nice and helpful and made us feel safe and relaxed, despite a mild fear of heights and our first time zip-lining with our 12 year old. The property is clean and the brewery was an amazing touch to our Father’s Day. The views are incredible, as well, no matter where you turn! I highly recommend Harper’s Ferry Adventure Center for your next trip to WV!

ty thompson

4 days ago

Katie Williams

6 days ago

The staff was so friendly! We had a wonderful time floating the river and will definitely be back.

Lawrence Rubin

7 days ago

Great experience. Jeremy was a excellent guide
(Charlie was the guide for the other group and was very good too )

T.J. Selby

1 week ago

Umman Khawaja

2 weeks ago

It was a great experience rafting on the river. The people were very nice and helpful.

Jackie Allen

2 weeks ago

What an incredible day on the river! The white water rafting was an absolute blast from start to finish. The scenery was beautiful, the rapids were exciting, and the entire experience was well organized.
A huge shoutout to our guide, Quinn, who made the trip unforgettable. Quinn was knowledgeable, professional, encouraging, and kept everyone laughing throughout the day. His expertise on the river gave us confidence while navigating the rapids, and his fun and lively personality made the adventure even better!

Erin Pruett

2 weeks ago

This place was amazing and the guides great.
Our parents wanted to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and go rafting. This company was helpful in setting it up and answering questions.
The guide was so patient with us having a variety of ages and levels of experience in the raft. It allowed for a fun time and memories made for all. Thank you!

fereshteh yamininejad

2 weeks ago

Joel Avalos

2 weeks ago

Elisha Palmer

2 weeks ago

I went with a group of 7 people. From the time we pulled in to the time we pulled out the staff were amazing! They gave us clear directions! The views are amazing and once on the water, I have no words. Thank you all for an AMAZING DAY!!!!!!

Jocelyn Brown

4 weeks ago

Brook Anderson

4 weeks ago

Awesome people and amazing guides

Tara Marie Smith

4 weeks ago

Beautiful trip and beautiful day on the river

River Rat Mike is the best and gives good information on how to enjoy and get the most out of your day

westpork westpork

1 month ago

Our zipline was awesome. Our guides were super nice and fun and the office helped us reschedule not once but twice. Thank you guys!

Jimmy Fussell

1 month ago

Great experience

Marc Ness

1 month ago

Very nice setup with showers, changing rooms, etc. Excellent intro staff, and really professional river guides.

Izel Balanza

2 months ago

Had the best guide, Sarah, she made our experience truly great! All of the staff were incredibly kind and welcoming. Highly recommend!

Kate Walker

2 months ago

We had an awesome day rafting yesterday! Shout out to Wolfgang for being an amazing guide.

Victoria Penn

2 months ago

The desk staff and matt were very friendly and helpful. Definitely recommended coming here for your rope course/zip line desires 🙂

Darby McHugh

2 months ago

Abigail Hankin-Wei

3 months ago

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)

Brennan Norton

5 months ago

Sarah French

6 months ago

We had so much fun ice skating at Harpers Ferry Adventure Center today! It was my daughter’s second time skating and she had a BLAST. Skated non-stop for an hour. We enjoyed some delicious hot cocoa as well. Such a fun day!

Nathalia Rwey

8 months ago

The best experience ever

Ann Fortin

8 months ago

Alicia Mozgawa

8 months ago

Logan and Kayden were great! Knowledgeable, fun and engaging with everyone in the group. Highly recommend!

Joel Abraham

9 months ago

Rocky was an amazing guide! She kept us laughing the entire time with her jokes, and she made whitewater rafting so much fun for our whole family. We'll definitely be booking another trip with her next year!

Tori Shifflett

9 months ago

Jeremy was our guide for white water rafting and couldn’t recommend him more. The manager Scott is a legend. He made our trip! A great place to go camping and have fun with friends and family.

Sophia Crowell

9 months ago

My friends and I had an awesome time camping and white water rafting. Views from the riverfront campsites are gorgeous, Jeremy was an amazing raft guide and the manager Scott was very generous and helpful.

Ryan Smith

9 months ago

Exactly what we were looking for! First timers for white water rafting and we brought a 5 and 8 year old and it was totally fine for them. The river wasn’t running too high but even if it was our guides Jeremy (and Trevor) would have had it under control. Very knowledgeable, friendly, taught us so much and kept the kids a priority and safe. Would highly recommend them and HFAC. And when you’re done hit the brewery right there. Kid friendly with decent pizza.

margaret manalo

10 months ago

Souhila Larbi

10 months ago

It was my first time trying a zipline adventure, and it was such a fun and exciting experience! I was nervous at first, but I was able to overcome my fears and really enjoy it. Highly recommend for anyone looking to try something new and adventurous!
Thank you Scott and Logan for guidance and patience

Roman Azizian

10 months ago

We did rafting with Andy and he was a great guide. We had a blast and will come back again.

Shanda

10 months ago

Our family had an amazing adventure white water rafting. The facility was easy to find, clean and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. They prioritized safety and sanitized all gear. Our guide Conner was very fun and knowledgeable about the history of the river and surrounding towns. There's a Brewery/restaurant on the site and there were several food trucks selling food which was super convenient since we were famished by the end of our excursion. We will definitely return again.

Katie Mannon

10 months ago

We had an amazing time today white water rafting with Jeremy! He made sure all my kids had fun, answered their bazillion questions, and taught us so much about the history of the area. We will be back!

Tzippora B

10 months ago

came here with a few friends and had a amazing time! we did the ziplining and we really loved it. Are guides Rebbeca and Gipson were awsome they kept us safe and knew how to have to give us a good time. would def come here again.

Cassidy Lee

10 months ago

Fisher was very knowledgeable and funny! I had a great time with my friends and felt safe with fisher as our guide!

Alix Ware

10 months ago

We had a great time doing the flat water tubing. Laura was our driver and she was so friendly and did a fantastic job preparing us for the river!

Isabel A

10 months ago

Andrew was an amazing guide!! Currents were pretty calm and it was a lot of fun

Brad Treadwell

10 months ago

Cayden and Abby created a safe and rewarding atmosphere for our corporate team building event on the ropes course. They ensured we stayed safe while helping us push our limits. It was an overall great experience and I would recommend HFAC to anyone looking for outdoor fun.

Dani MCDonald

10 months ago

Went here August 19, 2019

Dylan Smith

10 months ago

We had a blast rafting with the family. They are very accommodating of children, as the youngest in our group was 8. Shoutout to our guides Seth and Caitlyn!

Jessica Eason

10 months ago

We have used Harper’s Ferry Adventure Center for outings the past three summers, with this summer accommodating our largest group yet. We filled eight rafts for this whitewater rafting adventure. Most of these were guests were kids from 8-12. Overall, it was a great trip and the guide in my raft, Jeremy, was amazing! He was knowledgeable of the rivers, local history, rafting techniques and even tailored our trip to the interests of the group. We plan to continue visiting HFAC and may even add camping for a longer visit. The facilities are clean and the crew seems to focus on safety and fun. I recommend giving them a try.

Saundra Gonzales

10 months ago

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We went white water rafting at Harper’s Ferry Adventure Center and had the BEST experience ever! Our guide, Jeremy, deserves the biggest shoutout. From start to finish he made sure we felt safe, had fun, and got the absolute most out of our trip. He was super knowledgeable, kept the energy high, and made the whole adventure unforgettable.

If you’re thinking about booking, do it—and definitely ask for Jeremy if you can! He gave us a 100/10 experience and made sure we had the time of our lives. Couldn’t recommend him or this place more!

Spencer Nettleton

10 months ago

The rafting trip was quite enjoyable. Our guide Animal was very helpful and entertaining.

Brian Vega

10 months ago

Jeremy was a fantastic white water rafting guide. It was a great family trip that we enjoyed.

Allen D McCorkle DDS (Allen)

10 months ago

Fantastic tubing. Just a tad of white water to add a little focus to the gorgeous scenery and the take out is at the head quarters, so no bus ride to get back. Huge in ground trampoline for kids of all ages.

Kyle Lewis

11 months ago

Lit!

trevor .Gauckler

11 months ago

R Anderson

11 months ago

Been hiking and paddling in Harpers Ferry since boy scout days and been floating down the river with Harpers Ferry Adventure Center for a couple decades. They've got the combination of efficiency, quality and care that makes a day out on the water go great every time.

Sulieman Al Henaki

11 months ago

I visited today this location for. A Rafting adventure with my children, it was amazing experience and wonderful trip.
Special thanks for Kyle who was professional and very helpful. He tried his best to make our experience as unforgettable as possible.
Thank you for him and the entire team. Sure I'll repeat the experience another time when I visit D.C.

Jason Delp

11 months ago

Excellent place to have an adventure. Extremely well run. Friendly staff. Beer next door.

Mimi

11 months ago

Megan McCulloch

11 months ago

We had a wonderful time doing the high ropes course at the Harper’s Ferry Adventure Center! Shoutout to our guide, Cayden! He did a fantastic job demonstrating and teaching us how to use the equipment and supporting us as needed on the course. I would also like to shoutout Hailey who works at the front desk. She was very helpful in supporting with my booking and also very friendly. We will definitely come back and hope to check out all that the adventure center has to offer!

Greg H

11 months ago

Experience was good!

Emily Morales

11 months ago

The experience was very fun and the guides, Kaden, Jack, and Abby were talkative and fun to be around. Kadens music also made it much more enjoyable.

Lora Marks

11 months ago

Excellent rafting trip! Awesome guides and the scenery was beautiful. I had never been whitewater rafting, and I felt completely comfortable while on the river. We had so much fun!

Dustie Edgell

11 months ago

Kaleena Lee

11 months ago

We had an amazing time tubing with Harpers Ferry Adventure Center, an experience we won’t forget anytime soon!

From start to finish, everything was smooth and well-organized. The river was relaxing, the views were gorgeous, and the whole day just felt easy and fun.

A huge shoutout to Spider, our guide, who truly went above and beyond. Not only did he keep the energy high with great vibes and a friendly attitude, but he also made sure everyone was safe and accounted for throughout the float. We noticed him picking up trash along the way. So awesome to see someone taking care of the river and setting a great example. He really cared about both the people and the environment.

If you're thinking about doing a tubing trip in Harpers Ferry, this is the place to go—and if you're lucky enough to get Spider as your guide, you're in for a great time!

Stephanie Battaglia

11 months ago

Always a great time -- the staff is so helpful and chill. From the front desk staff, to Scott and the bus drivers making sure we get onto the river safely, to the river guides who patrol the water, ensuring guests in need get help. Big shoutout to Spider, the river guide, who not only made sure everyone on the water stayed safe, but also acted as a faithful steward of the river, picking up garbage left behind by visitors on the riverbank and waterway -- not part of his job description, but something he did without hesitation anyway. We'll definitely be back!

Jihoon Oh

11 months ago

ItsRyleeDuhh

11 months ago

I did whitewater kayaking here, I was the only kayaker but I alongside with the whitewater rafters so I can speak for both, the company is highly professional and knowledgeable about the river and the area! I highly recommend booking with them! Also Hannah my guide was a joy, thanks for the awesome experience Hannah!!

Selena Lu

11 months ago

Thank you for such an amazing time! We have to thank our raft guide Charlie for the lovely trip that he has graced us with. We will definitely come back another time to experience this adventure once again.

Lokendar Singh

11 months ago

We stayed for 2 nights at riverfront camp site along with 4 other families. View was excellent and activities were great. Reducing a star as calling the number on stop sign to enter river front is annoying. Very tough to get anyone to receive the call to check and impossible after hours. Some kind of light signal might be convenient for the visitors

Otherwise we had great fun and best camping experience. Beautiful riverside view.

Casey Beachy

11 months ago

I went with 9 other people, we did the zip lining and group rafter and everyone had so much fun. The staff was very friendly, helpful, accommodating, and knowledgeable. They have their own access to the river, which was great! After our rafting tour, the bus picks you up right at the exit of the river. The bath house was very clean. We hope to go back again soon!

christina goodman

11 months ago

My kids and I had an awesome time floating down the baby rapids. So relaxing during the summer! You can buy shoes and a dry bag in the store and the staff keep your keys safe while you're on the river. Can't wait to come back!

Lori Pucher

11 months ago

Enjoyed a day of whitewater rafting and tubing with our family of four on Friday. Business was steady, but not crowded. Mike was a terrific whitewater rafting guide. We appreciated his rafting expertise in providing us a thrilling but safe trip and also enjoyed the conversation and local knowledge. Would highly recommend him as your guide! Tubing was relaxing. HFAC took care of getting us safely in and out of the water and back to our car, so really appreciated not having to schlep tubes and cooler up or down any hills. Highly recommend this outfit for a beautiful, carefree day on the rivers!

Maurice Peavy

11 months ago

Amazing rafting experience! Demetrius was our guide and did a great job!

11 months ago

Saa zaa

11 months ago

Jeremy was an amazing instructor. Very knowledgeable and a good teacher

Brian Lower

11 months ago

Harpers Ferry Adventure Center after a competitor outfitter cancelled our reservation due to “lack of interest & forecast weather”. It was a fortunate turn of events. We had such a great time rafting with HFAC! The reservation for rafting was confirmed via a phone call at 9am for a 10am departure. Wow we had to hustle, but we made the launch time! Super professional outfitters. Good clean equipment and professional departure briefing. We were transported to the put in by bus. Another brief safety orientation prior to raft boarding. Our guide for the day, Alyson, was thorough, thoughtful and had great local historical information during the trip. So much fun on the class 1, 2, & brief 3 rapids. Leisurely pace and so relaxing. We stoped for a swim to cool off. We will be back.

Manivannan Pichaimuthu

11 months ago

Huo Ipqsto

11 months ago

Jeremey the GOAT

Townsend Russell

11 months ago

Excellent guide and fun rafting adventure. Family of 6...we had a blast...stayed safe ...got some adrenaline pumping and had a great time. Our guide Jeremy was on point.

Raushan Oshan

11 months ago

10/10 Experience – Made Unforgettable by Our Guide, Connor

This trip was absolutely phenomenal, and 99% of that is thanks to our raft’s main pilot, Connor. Not only is he a walking encyclopedia of the area’s history, but he’s also an absolute legend who made the rapids feel thrilling and safe! While other groups missed out some “risky rapids” Connor confidently took us through every twist and turn — we had a blast!

Words honestly can’t do this day justice. It was surreal — ethereal even. From start to finish, the entire crew was made up of cool, welcoming people who clearly love what they do. That energy made all the difference.

Please make sure you tip them well — they 100% deserve it.

Dave Palanzi

12 months ago

Our group was warmly welcomed by the friendly staff. Scott was great as he oriented us for our white water tubing adventure, he used humor to ensure we knew the rules. Amanda greeted us with a smile at the take out point and was very helpful as we exited the river.

Dorothy

12 months ago

Lahiru Heen Wahumpurage

12 months ago

Reddy Reddy

12 months ago

Richie

12 months ago

we went river rafting, and seth was our boat guide. he was great! very friendly and helpful, and it wasnt too difficult because of how much effort he put in for us.

Michelle Lazzaro

12 months ago

We booked the flat water tubing with Adventure Center for a day of fun in Harper's Ferry. An absolute blast! I would highly recommend and we will definitely be coming back. Adventure Center was well organized, had a friendly staff and plenty of on-site parking. What stood out about this place over others in the area, like River Riders, was that they post on their website real-time updates on river conditions and any age restrictions. We felt well-informed prior to showing up and could book what made sense for our family. Again, hands down a really fun time and we can't wait to come back!

Brandon Bowers

12 months ago

Jeremy was an excellent rafting guide! He was super helpful and knowledgeable about the river. 11/10 would raft again.

Carlo de Vera

12 months ago

We were first-timers and your team didn’t disappoint, particularly Logan, Carson, & Bryce on the Zipline and Logan on the Rope Course. Thank you.

Gourav R

12 months ago

Martin White

12 months ago

Our boat guide Dimitri was awesome, we had a great day white water rafting.

Cassey Riner

12 months ago

My family and I recently tried white water rafting at HFAC for the first time. We had the best experience! Our guide was very knowledgeable. Alyson explained safety instructions to us in detail and also shared HF history with us! We will definitely be back! We highly recommend river guide Alyson! Thanks again for the fantastic time! Memories were made.

Oliver Lim

1 year ago

I visited today to celebrate my birthday and had a truly memorable experience. I want to especially recognize Jeremy, he was an exceptional guide and made the entire visit enjoyable. My friends and I had an absolute blast. Thank you for such a wonderful experience; I look forward to visiting again!

Shannon Detling

1 year ago

Whitewater rafting with Jeremy was awesome! He was the best guide! We did the best rapids while other boats watched us having fun.

hamza Elkholy

1 year ago

Jack and Caden took us through an exhilarating day with and enthusiasm few can contend with!!!

Hilary Buxton

1 year ago

The staff are friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable. We did flatwater tubing and it was a good route; you can do multiple runs--we did two. We stayed overnight in one of the camping cabins so that we could enjoy the brewery on the property without having to worry about driving and had and had a great time--good beer, live music, pizza, amazing views. There was an issue with our cabin at first and Scott, the property manager, took good care of us and rectified the issue quickly. I've tubed with them twice so far and will definitely be back.

Todd Peterson

1 year ago

We went on a rafting trip this past Sunday. Wow, what a great time! Our raft guide was Hannah. She did such an amazing job. Her knowledge about the river and how to navigate the raft down the rapids can't be beat. It was a thrill I won't forget!! Hannah also had us stop at unique places like streams and falls that I have never seen before. She was also a lot of fun to talk to and kept us laughing with her jokes. Thanks Hannah for a wonderful adventure I will never forget.

Brett Peterson

1 year ago

We had an amazing time visiting the Harper Ferry adventure center. Hannah was an amazing guide to go rafting down the river with. Her jokes, personality, and in depth knowledge of the river made it a truly memorable experience. A nice plus is also the brewery right on sight, serving well over 50 beers on tap. Will be back!!

GAIA LEAH ROTEM

1 year ago

Me and my family had such an amazing experience at the rope course. Our instructor Logan was very kind, and attentive, he provided very clear and helpful instructions while keeping it professional and fun. Thanks to his advice I was able to do the most difficult part of it successfully, thank you.