I hear my son exclaim “this looks like something out of Jurassic Park!” – he’s not wrong. We’re deep in the New River Gorge, it’s raining, and we’re surrounded by forests, boulders, and roaring waters. But before I even have time to acknowledge his observation, I make out the voice of our river guide, Molly, or “Big Momma” as she’s known on the river despite her small stature, telling us to secure ourselves as we approach a class 4 rapid. I push my sandaled feet as far as they will go beneath the raft bench in front of me. I hear the squeaking sound of all my family’s feet doing the same thing, all of us hoping that will be enough to secure us to the raft as we crash through anticipated 5-foot waves. “Forward two!” our guide yells in order to be heard over the sound of the rapids. Then “all forward!” as we use our paddling to leverage ourselves against the river to stay in the raft. In that moment, and for the first time all day, my family is in perfect sync. We hear the much awaited “relax!” from Big Momma and the world slows down a little bit once we find ourselves on a leisurely flowing stretch of the New River. My adrenaline is coming back down and my whole family is laughing together as my eldest daughter jests herself for falling into the middle of the raft mid rapid. I hear my son exclaim, “the sun’s out!” and he’s right again.

West Virginia Wilderness

Looking around the raft it’s hard to imagine that just a few hours ago I was waking up in my bed in Charlottesville Virginia. As our guide describes the scope of visitors this ancient river sees from across the globe I feel especially blessed to have it, on a global scale, essentially here in my own backyard. The three-and-a-half-hour early morning drive feels like a small price for a day trip rafting West Virginia’s world class rapids. The ride to Ace Adventure Resort from Virginia is a largely rural stretch. Which makes for a very scenic ride, but plan restroom breaks and coffee breaks accordingly because you may be just as surprised as we were with the lack of infrastructure leading up the resort. It definitely put us in the “wild and wonderful” West Virginia mindset which set the stage perfectly for our rafting trip! It was a long day, but very doable as a daytrip on our family “staycation” and one of the most memorable experiences we’ve had!

Preparing to Raft at the Resort

Arriving at ACE Adventure Resort we were greeted with clean restrooms, spacious changing areas, and a small cafe with latte options that delighted my daughters and an overlook that delighted myself! The amenities felt especially luxurious when paired with the scenery surrounding ACE, and you can tell where the “resort” title comes from. Once the whole family signed in for the rafting trip and signed safety waivers, we took some time to explore the gift and gear shop with a caffeinated beverage and took the opportunity to change into our rafting attire before regrouping. We hear our session called, “9:30 group!”, and we seat ourselves among 20 or so other fellow rafters who will be joining us. A mulleted river guide gives instructions for how to find the gear room and our bus, also sharing the expectation that we will be leaving in about 15 minutes. We do a group cheer with our hands in the middle, and with that we are off to prepare! I follow my family with the youngest leading in excitement to the gear room where we are all outfitted with helmets, personal flotation vests, and a raft. I wish I had captured the face on my husband as an outfitter was tightening his vest! One 30-minute school bus ride later and we found ourselves at the drop off point.

Our River Guide

My family was directed to “West Virginia’s sweetheart” as our guide, otherwise known as Molly, otherwise known as “Big Momma”. We quickly learned where the West Virginia’s sweetheart nickname came from – her family goes back 7 generations in the state. Throughout the trip she supplied us with local fun facts regarding natural history, culture, and even the supernatural! After brief introductions Molly showed us how to carry our raft to the river, and once all seated, we got the safety talk. I kept looking around expecting to see nervousness in my childrens’ faces as we were told what to do if we fall into the river and how to prevent knocking out someone else’s teeth with our paddle, but I was impressed with how confident they seemed! I’m sure that confidence came in part from being with such an experienced guide. As a parent my mind often goes immediately to the worst case scenario, but Molly was patient and thorough in addressing my fears. We were truly in the best hands possible, and between that and our equipped safety gear I felt my fears melt away by the time we started paddling forward. 

Surfing the New River

A few rapids in now and we’re all confident and itching for even more action. Our guide, Molly, introduces the concept of white-water surfing, and we’re all in! It’s different than what they do in Hawaii, in this case we are reentering a spot where the river rapids are coming downwards and using that flow to hold our raft in place across the current. The rapids in this spot are loud and almost echoing, so our guide has to be even louder “all in!” “forward, forward, forward!”. To get a good surf you have to get just the right angle and timing, and on this particular rapid we approached it multiple times to get it just right.

On that final surf I feel the bottom of the raft tilting towards the rapids, and I feel my son and husband sitting on the inner edge flailing into the middle of the raft after losing their footing. In that moment I just remember holding on like my life depended on it, and seeing our guide go diving into the river. After the rapids push our raft downstream into calming water, we have the chance to debrief, and we discover that our guide had actually gone in deliberately to get her paddle she had lost! Molly gives us the chance to swim this stretch of the river now that it’s slowed down, and I was pleasantly surprised by the warm waters of the New River. Seeing even my youngest come out of their shell and decide to brave swimming the waters was one of the highlights of my trip. 

Catered Lunch

Further down the river the guides lead us to a pebbled beach where they allow us to explore as they set up a riverside lunch. After hearing tales of native raspberry-like wineberries from Molly my daughters set off in search of them along the shore. Maybe it’s the setting of being in the echoing New River Gorge surrounded by woodland, the long morning of paddling, or the ACE Adventure Resort chefs being extremely talented – but it was definitely one of the best barbeque sandwiches I’ve had in my life. I was impressed with the variety of sides and vegetarian options they offered as well. 

An Overall Great Rafting Experience

Our family opted for the full day Lower New River Gorge whitewater rafting experience which includes the catered lunch, lasts 6 to 7 hours, and guides us through class I through IV rapids. At the time of our expedition the rate was $119 per person which felt more than fair given the quality of food and guiding and time in the water. While the minimum age for this trip was 12, ACE Adventure Resort offers rafting options for those as young as 6 years old. Our guide Molly said she’s taken 80+ year olds on the river so there’s no upper age limit as long as you’re willing to paddle! For more information about requirements and booking see ACE Adventure Resort’s website.

After tackling the Lower New River Gorge and consulting Molly on if our family is a good fit, we’re considering taking on the more turbulent Lower Gauley next time! All we needed to bring on this trip was ourselves and clothes we didn’t mind getting wet, and even if we forgot that there are options in the gear shop on-site. For those coming from Virginia like us I would suggest snacks and drinks for the car ride, as well as a dry change of clothes for the drive home. But beyond that it was fantastic as a parent to not have to worry about logistics and supplies the entire expedition and to just get to focus on adventuring with my family. 

Other Options

ACE offers more than rafting and after driving through the resort my family is already asking to return. Between aerial adventures, paintball, mud obstacle courses, and more – there is truly something for every type of adventure seeker. And the best part is that it’s all set in beautiful West Virginia forests and rivers! I cannot emphasize enough how impressed I was with their operations as far as safety and guide training. 

I love summer camps for my kids as an opportunity for them to grow away from home and build confidence in new surroundings. No matter how many times my kids go through summer camp and have a great experience I can’t deny having my own anxieties, but seeing how much they gain from it makes it worth it! For common worries and questions check out Virginia Summer Camps’ guide. The best part for me is always getting them back after a week of sleepaway camp and hearing about their new friends, experiences, and the growth I sense in their character.

That same growth my kids have gained from a week of summer camp I saw happen on just a 6 hour long rafting trip. It’s an amazing way for kids to push themselves and do something they never thought that they could. If your little ones have a taste for adventure and the outdoors beyond the New River here’s a great guide on how to pick the best camp for your little ones. Check out Virginia Summer Camp’s packing guides here to make sure your little one is prepared for their next adventure this summer!