A message from Headwaters Outfitters

Honesty from the River

Summer 2026 | River conditions update

For nearly 35 years, the most important thing to us as a family business has been about each person’s experience on the water. We’ve built this business by providing professional, enjoyable experiences for you and your families, that will always come first. But with the honor we’ve had giving your family great memories, also comes conversations and truths about our river. 

Now, it’s time to have these conversations with our Headwater’s Family about what we’re expecting this coming paddle, fishing and tubing year.

Our community has been through a great deal since Hurricane Helene, and we need your support this summer, now, more than ever. In return, we’re going to give support back by making sure we stay honest about how our programs will change this year because the conversation we need to have starts and ends with the difficult water conditions we have present in the banks of our favorite river, streams and lakes. These conditions will change the way we perform our programs and we want to be clear about these changes so we don’t let you, your family and friends down.

The Upper French Broad is running at some of the lowest flow levels we’ve seen in many years — and it’s not even summer yet. A day or two of rain will offer a brief reprieve, but won’t meaningfully or lastingly shift water levels. We’re watching the forecast closely, and this will be an evolving issue we will monitor daily. Over the years, as our business has grown and the amount of traffic we’re putting on the water is also growing, we have invested in property to use for river access specifically to lessen our impact on public put-ins and take outs, in order for our community to keep using the accesses without our operations interfering. We will continue to utilize the properties we have invested in just for these reasons. This means put-ins and take outs might have to shift this year, but we assure you that these modifications will offer the best experience possible to each of you. 

Paddling Trips — currently running 

Our paddling trips are running without any adjustments, and guests are having great experiences — including repeat paddlers who know this river at higher levels and are still enjoying every run. We will continue to offer our regular schedule for now. We are working on expanding our community collaboration trips with Oskar Blues and Ecusta Brewing, so stay tuned for an updated schedule of those offerings.  

Tubing Trips— modified, with purpose

With great misfortune, our regular tubing run is too low right now. Running it as-is would not give you the experience you deserve, and that’s not something we’re willing to do. We’re actively establishing a downstream outpost to keep guests in deeper water with more flow. It won’t be the normal trip you’re used to — we want to be clear about that — but it will offer an enjoyable trip still within the most pristine and beautiful part of the Upper French Broad watershed. We’ll share more details as soon as that’s in place. We plan to have things ready to go by Memorial Day weekend. We appreciate your patience and trust. 

Fishing Trips— thoughtfully adapted

Guided fishing trips will focus on larger rivers and lakes, and as temperatures rise we will be targeting warm water species more, like smallmouth bass and other watersheds around the area with similar warmer-water species available. We know that high-elevation small streams are alternatives in hot weather, but we also know what excessive angling pressure does to those systems; it’s an alternative, however, it can be harmful to our most coveted waters. For our team, protecting those waters by leaving them alone matters more to us than bookings. Our guides are actively monitoring waters daily, restructuring our best fishing programs to give anglers the best chances at enjoying tight lines. Upon booking, our guides will communicate with you the best options available for the day you’ve chosen to fish. 

We love these rivers. We love this community. And we love the work we get to do here. Conditions evolve, so do we. None of that changes when conditions get hard — if anything, it’s when it matters most to us. Thank you for trusting us. We’ll keep you posted as conditions and programs evolve. Please follow our website and social media channels as we continue to post updates. 

If you have any questions or concerns about conditions, operations or trips currently booked, or that you’re wanting to book in the future, please, call us. We’ll be happy to provide you information about any adjustments we’ve made, so you can properly plan and more importantly, enjoy your trip! 

With sincerest gratitude, 

Headwaters Outfitters Family