Train Adventures

Falling Waters Nantahala

Wind your way through the Great Smoky Mountains by rail, water and Jeep®! These full-day adventures blend the excitement of whitewater rafting or a zipline canopy tour with the unforgettable thrills of a train or Jeep® ride. Wildwater joins forces with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (GSMR) and Jeep® for the best rides you and your family will ever experience!

Wildwater Raft & Rail©

See the gorgeous Nantahala Gorge from many angles on this full-day railroad and rafting tour. You’ll get to watch paddlers on the Nantahala River from above on the GSMR before hitting the river yourself on a fully guided raft trip!

Learn More

  • 2-hour railroad trip crossing Fontana Lake on a trestle
  • Enjoy a boxed lunch on the train
  • Includes paddling orientation and all rafting gear
  • Raft the full 8 miles of the Nantahala
  • Changing facilities with hot showers
  • All transportation included (begins and ends at train depot)

Nantahala Tarzan Train

A train and canopy combo trip rides through the Smoky Mountains and then ends with an exciting zipline canopy tour for ages 10 and up. Begins and ends at the train depot in Bryson City.

  • 2-hour train ride along Fontana Lake and up into the Nantahala Gorge
  • Enjoy a boxed lunch on the train
  • 13 ziplines and 8 sky bridges, ages 10 and up
  • All transportation included (begins and ends at train depot)

Rails & Trails

Start with a one-way train ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad from Bryson City, NC, into the Nantahala Gorge. Deep in the Gorge, disembark and jump on a back-roads scenic Jeep® Tour.

  • 2-hour train ride from Bryson City, NC, along Fontana Lake and into the Nantahala Gorge
  • Afternoon Jeep® Tour past waterfalls up to a lake and the Appalachian Trail
  • Enjoy a boxed lunch on the train
  • All transportation included (begins and ends at train depot)

Activities

  • Nantahala Rafting

    Wildwater offers fully guided, guide-assisted and rental raft trips on the Nantahala River.

  • Jeep® Tours

    Explore the secret back roads of the Nantahala region with a Jeep® tour!

  • Nantahala Ziplining

    Fly through the trees on the longest ziplines in Nantahala!

Lodging

  • Yurt Village

    Our comfortable, traditional yurts are a unique and inspiring alternative to cabin rentals.

  • Group Lodge

    Our casual mountain group lodge accommodates up to 40 people with all amenities.

  • Group Campsite

    Our new private group campsite has tent platforms, grassy tent sites, and a private bathhouse.