The World's 15 Best National Park River Days

1.National Park Whitewater Rafting in New River Gorge WV

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 513 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $99Our pick

Spend about six hours rafting the Lower New River through New River Gorge National Park. Guides such as Samuel, Crock, Richard, and Nick lead small groups through Class III and IV rapids, with a riverside buffet lunch on 9 AM trips. Gear is included, while wetsuits and water shoes cost extra.

“White water rafting with 2 newbies and 2 people who had not been in 20 years. Best experience ever!! Instructions were precise, guide Eli was very knowledgeable and the trip down the Lower New River was absolutely breathtaking. One of the best days ever! We will be back. Soon. Highly recommended company!”

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2.Denali Rafting Wilderness Wave

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 462 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $147

Raft 11 miles of the Nenana River beside Denali National Park on a family-friendly Class 2 and 3 trip. Your guide handles the river while you enjoy mountain views, possible wildlife, and gentle splashes. Drysuits, shoes, helmets, transport, and instruction are included.

“The rafters were very professional and humerous. They provided expert instructions with a great sense of security at the same time. They provided information about the surroundings along the way and ensured everyone on the raft felt comfortable with the experience.”

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3.Half-Day Glacier National Park Whitewater Rafting Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 390 reviews · from $88

From West Glacier, paddle a calm stretch of the Flathead River before reaching John Stevens Canyon and Class II to III rapids. Guides such as Jackie, Luke, Grace, and Todd bring safety, humor, and local color. Morning and afternoon trips welcome beginners, with gear provided.

“Great trip and wonderful guides. Professional, safe, and fun. The river was beautiful. Nice mix of scenic floating and whitewater rapids.”

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4.Jasper National Park: 2-Hour Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 310 reviews · 2 hours · from $80

Join a licensed guide such as Jordan, Emily, or Connor for a two-hour Athabasca River trip from Jasper. After a calm 10-minute float, you tackle four or five Grade 2 rapids in an eight-person raft, with wetsuits, boots, jackets, transport, and optional photos included.

“great experience, easy to do for a first timer, the river was so cold but refreshing”

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5.Jasper National Park Easy 2-Hour Rafting Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 291 reviews · 2 hours · from $65

Ride a 25-foot oar-powered raft through Jasper National Park on a calm Class 2 stretch of the Athabasca River. Your guide rows, points out wildlife and mountain sights, and adds a few playful splashes. The trip suits first-time rafters, families, and anyone wanting scenery without serious white water.

“It was really good, we had Ziggy (sorry if I spell it wrong) and he was really nice. I loved it so much and give it an overall five star review.”

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6.Permet: Vjosa River National Park Guided Rafting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 291 reviews · 150 minutes - 3 hours · from $49

Spend 150 minutes to 3 hours rafting the Vjosa near Përmet with guides such as Emil, Mikkel, and Genny. Expect safety coaching, rapids, swimming, cliff jumps, river facts, snacks, and guide-shot photos and videos.

“we had a wonderful time, the guide was professional and had a lot of knowledge beyond rafting and it was nice this added value. thank you all”

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7.West Glacier: Glacier National Park Scenic Raft Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 254 reviews · 2h 30m · from $90

Float the Middle Fork Flathead River with a guide such as Cam, Wes, Minnow, or Ella, passing through a steep canyon near Glacier National Park. Expect calm water, mountain views, local stories, possible wildlife sightings, and optional swimming on warm days.

“Neil was great. He was very informative about the area. He made the trip fun!”

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8.Montana: Glacier National Park Whitewater Rafting Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 201 reviews · 2h 30m · from $90

Paddle eight miles on Montana’s Middle Fork Flathead River, beginning with a calm lesson before nine Class II and III rapids. Guides such as Maddie, Paige, and Wes mix river skills with facts about wildlife, geology, and ecology. Expect splashy fun, cold water, and a scenic float beneath Belton Bridge.

“Cara and team kicked butt, and from start to finish, they did an amazing job.”

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9.Full Day Glacier National Park Whitewater Rafting Adventure – With Lunch!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 195 reviews · from $152

Spend 5 to 6 hours on the Middle Fork Flathead River with Glacier Guides and Montana Raft. You will float the calm section, eat a buffet picnic lunch, then tackle Class II and III rapids with guides such as Anders, Emma, Jesse, and Reznor.

“Had a lot of fun with our guides Jesse and Anders 🤠😎. Great local company to pick for rafting in Glacier.”

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10.Jasper National Park Family Friendly Rafting Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 145 reviews · 2 hours · from $76

Take a two-hour family rafting trip from downtown Jasper down five miles of the Athabasca River. Guides such as Tatiana, Tanner, and Manson lead beginners through five Class 2 rapids, with wetsuits, safety gear, instruction, and bus transport included. Ages 5 and up are welcome.

“What a great family friendly adventure. The transport, the guides, the water rating were all amazing. Wouldn't change a thing!”

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11.Family Rafting in the New River Gorge National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 138 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $85

Spend about five hours rafting the Upper New River with a professional guide such as Heather, Allison, Cassie, or Trent. Expect Class I and II rapids, swimming, rock jumping, coal-mining history, wildlife, and lunch on the morning trip. Ages 5 and up are welcome.

“Had a great time swimming and jumping off the rocks with my grandkids! Our tour guide, Cassie M., was wonderful! She was knowledgeable and fun and the perfect person for our group. I would highly recommend (and ask for Cassie)!”

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12.Rafting Tour in Vjosa Wild River National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 100 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $52

Meet Vjosa Explorer in Përmet for a 3.5-hour rafting trip through Vjosa Wild River National Park. Irma, Gjeni, and their team provide safety gear, transport, river instruction, swimming stops, cliff jumps, photos, and seasonal local tastings.

“100% top experience, friendly, helpful, beautiful nature, top experience. Safety above all else in a beautiful setting, highly recommended!Auto-translated”

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13.Private Group Eagle Preserve Float Trip in Haines

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 83 reviews · 5 hours (approx.)

Spend about five hours with your private group of up to eight on a gentle Chilkat River float. Haines Rafting Company provides transport, boots, life jackets, gear, snacks, and guides such as Andy, Sam, Jake, and Zack. Morning and afternoon departures are available.

“We loved this trip. Lizi and Andy promptly picked us up at the pier and transported us to the river. They gave us boots so we wouldn't mess up our shoes and we all got into the raft. It was wonderful floating down the rivers. Very peaceful. Andy is a great guide as he is well versed on the wildlife and plants in the area. Beautiful scenery too. We saw quite a few eagles. We ended the trip by going ashore and meeting back up with Lizi who had set up chairs and a table filled with wonderful snacks and drinks.”

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14.Rafting to Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve from Haines

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 73 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $179

From Haines, ride about 45 minutes to the Chilkat River, then enjoy a calm 90-minute raft float through prime bald eagle country. Guides such as Steve, Davey, Russ, and Aly share local wildlife and history. The trip includes port pickup, equipment, lunch, and return transport.

“Great raft ride. I was hoping for more wildlife. The river was extremely high from the warm days melting up on the mountains. I think it might have been early in the season (late June) if you expected to see bears.”

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15.Glacier National Park: Whitewater Rafting with Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 63 reviews · 3h 30m · from $123

Spend 3.5 hours rafting the Middle Fork Flathead River near West Glacier. You get a safety briefing, bus transfer, class II and III rapids, swimming time, local stories, and a filling barbecue with bison, ribs, chicken, or veggie options.

“Very well run setup. Good communication and helpful staff. We had a great guide who told us lots of info about the river and the history of the area. The dinner at the end was excellent. I would definitely recommend and would do again (or maybe the full day one instead).”

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