Nantahala Outdoor Center facts for kids
The Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) is a fun place for outdoor adventures! It's located in western North Carolina, near Bryson City and the Great Smoky Mountains. NOC started in 1972 when Payson and Aurelia Kennedy, along with Horace Holden Sr., took over an old motel.
NOC is right by the Nantahala River and is surrounded by the beautiful Nantahala National Forest. The famous Appalachian Trail even crosses the river right by NOC!
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River Adventures
NOC is well-known for its exciting whitewater rafting trips. They offer adventures on eight different rivers in the southeastern United States. These rivers include the Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Cheoah, French Broad, Nantahala, Nolichucky, Ocoee, and Pigeon.
NOC's main goal is to help people have fun outdoors and enjoy nature. They also work with different groups to protect these rivers and the land around them. They often work closely with the Forest Service, sometimes being the first to report any issues happening in or near the rivers.
Learning and Exploring
Besides rafting, NOC offers many other cool activities:
- They have a paddling school where you can learn to canoe and kayak.
- You can rent mountain bikes to explore trails.
- They have ropes courses for a challenge.
- You can go kayak touring, fly fishing, or hiking.
- NOC also has restaurants and outdoor gear shops.
Recently, NOC added tubing trips on the Chattahoochee River and ziplining at their main location in Bryson City.
Outdoor Education
NOC also teaches important outdoor skills. They offer:
- Different paddling classes.
- Wilderness medicine classes, like wilderness first aid. These courses can help you get certified through SOLO Southeast.
- Swift water rescue classes, teaching you how to stay safe in fast-moving water.
International Trips
Since 2022, NOC has even started offering international trips! You can choose from many exciting adventures in places like British Columbia, Argentina, Iceland, and Africa. These trips are designed for different ages and skill levels, taking you to amazing spots around the world, from Mount Kilimanjaro to Machu Picchu.
Olympic Connections
The Nantahala Outdoor Center has a strong connection to the world of whitewater sports and the Olympics! Many talented athletes have trained at NOC on the Nantahala River.
- John Burton, a former NOC president, was on the first U.S. Olympic slalom team in 1972.
- His teammate, Angus Morrison, was also on the Olympic team in 1972, 1976, and 1980.
- Other Olympians who trained at NOC include Lecky and Fritz Haller, Horace Holden Jr., Wayne Dickert, Joe Jacobi, Scott Strausbaugh, and Scott Shipley.
- Bryson City native Adam Clawson is known as one of the best C-1 slalom paddlers for the U.S. He was a two-time U.S. Olympian and won a silver medal in 1991.
In 1992, Joe Jacobi and Scott Strausbaugh won the only Olympic gold medal for the U.S. in whitewater, paddling together in Barcelona. NOC continues to be an important training spot for whitewater athletes from all over the country.
