Chapel Hill Students Brave the River Rapids on the French Broad River

On Saturday, September 7, our group gathered for an outdoor recreation outing in the beautiful mountains of Marshall, North Carolina, just outside Asheville along the French Broad River. Ten participants, including two ambassadors, took part in the adventure.

We started the day early, driving into the scenic mountain landscape, where a professional guide met us and led us down to the river. The trip itself lasted about three hours and featured up to class III rapids, offering the perfect mix of challenge and excitement. Along the way, we admired the early signs of fall foliage beginning to color the riverside and enjoyed a picnic lunch by the water.

This outing was chosen for its sense of adventure and accessibility—rafting the French Broad is both welcoming to beginners and enticing anyone seeking a fun new way to experience nature. Even those who don’t usually consider themselves “outdoorsy” found it inviting. The group’s feedback was overwhelmingly positive: everyone had fun, felt energized, and expressed interest in returning to the North Carolina mountains for more adventures. One standout moment was hearing from a participant who had just moved to the state. Experiencing her “VIP tour” of the mountains for the first time, she shared how inspired she felt to explore even more of North Carolina’s outdoors.

The impact was clear: rafting was a gateway to other outdoor activities, sparking curiosity and enthusiasm for mountain adventures. None of this would have been possible without the support of the National Park Trust, whose funding ensured that finances were never a barrier and whose mission helps preserve special places like Pisgah National Forest, home of the French Broad.