French Broad River Tubing in Asheville: Drift, Play, and Watch the Mountains Roll By

Asheville•easy

Difficulty

easy

Duration

2–3 hours

Fitness Level

Comfort sitting in a tube for several hours and the ability to wade or swim short distances if you fall out.

Overview

Float the French Broad’s most relaxed, scenic miles with Zen Tubing. This easygoing Asheville adventure pairs mountain views, wildlife sightings, and a shuttle-supported setup that keeps the day simple and fun.

French Broad River Tubing in Asheville: Drift, Play, and Watch the Mountains Roll By

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River Tube

Rafting

Select participants and date

Date

Thu, Oct 30

Travelers

By mid-morning the French Broad is in a generous mood, unspooling its slow current through a corridor of sycamores and river birch. You lean back into a high-backed tube, feet skimming the surface, and the river does the work—nudging you into the next bend, spinning you gently to face a blue ridge skyline. Kingfishers scout your progress. A faint breeze carries the smell of wet stone and summer grass. The city hums not far away, but out here the water sets the pace and dares you to match it.

Adventure Photos

French Broad River Tubing in Asheville: Drift, Play, and Watch the Mountains Roll By photo 1

Adventure Tips

Footwear that stays on

Wear closed-toe water shoes or strapped sandals. Flip-flops float away quickly on riffles and rocky shallows.

Sun strategy

Apply reef-safe sunscreen 30 minutes before launch and reapply mid-float; bring a hat and polarized sunglasses to cut glare.

Secure your kit

Use a small dry bag and leash it to your tube’s handle; carabiners keep cooler tubes and your group connected in calm water.

Read the current

Give strainers (downed trees) and bridge pilings a wide berth, and use the hand paddle early to set your line.

Local Insights

Wildlife

Bald eagles and osprey on clear, calm days
River otters playing the banks at dawn or dusk

History

One of the world’s oldest rivers, the French Broad predates the Appalachians and flows north through Asheville—past lands once stewarded by the Cherokee and later shaped by Biltmore’s forestry experiments.

Conservation

Pack out all trash, skip glass, and give nesting birds wide space on sandbars. River-friendly sunscreen and minimal single-use plastics help keep this watershed clean.