I’ve been down a couple of rivers now throughout the years and my favorite time to go rafting, by far, is June. Why June? Don’t get me wrong, the other months are great too, however, June is perfect.
There are several reasons why June is my favorite tome of the year to raft; the river is not as crowded as most people do their traveling in July, and I like to avoid crowds. The Guides love June as they are fresh out of school or their winter jobs and are excited to be back at the river taking you rafting. Also, their stories and jokes are still fresh! Be sure to ask them the joke about the park bench!! June is a more relaxed time of the season and Guides don’t feel that they are rushed to get back for that next trip. They are able to take time to get to know you and make sure your rafting trip is as great as it can be!
Another reason, it’s not too hot yet, but warm enough that getting splashed and/or swimming is all a part of the fun. You can only have a river if there is water in it. The same goes for rapids. After winter snows and spring rains the water table is usually up meaning plenty of water in the river. Other rivers may vary on when it’s the best time to raft, but in the Southeast Appalachian Mountains it’s June.