U.S. National Whitewater Center

Vic Howie, a College of Charleston alumnus, reportedly first floated the idea of a man-made whitewater river in Charlotte around 2000, while attending the U.S. Olympic whitewater trials in Tennessee. The organization's tax records list a 2001 ruling year. Sources give the opening as November 4, 2006, or summer 2006. The river channels were designed by three-time Olympian Scott Shipley, and the center sits on about 1,300 acres beside the Catawba River.

The whitewater section has about 3,750 feet of channel split between two courses. The Olympic-standard slalom competition channel is 300 meters long, and the longer wilderness channel runs 550 meters. Both drop 6.4 meters, or 21 feet. The system holds about 12 million gallons of water, cleaned every 24 hours through filtration and ultraviolet treatment, and powerful submersible pumps push the flow. A moving-belt boat lift carries boats and rafts from the lower pool back to the top. Rapids rate from Class II to IV, with named drops such as Entrance Exam, Bread and Butter, Bridge Drop and Big Drop.

The center has served as the training base for U.S. canoe and kayak slalom athletes and hosted the U.S. Olympic Trials in whitewater slalom for the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games. Reports differ in how they describe its official training designation, so check with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic organizations if the status matters.

The center says it has more than 40 miles of trail for mountain biking, running and hiking (Wikipedia lists more than 50 miles), an open-air climbing wall with more than 40 roped climbs, and aerial courses including a canopy tour with seven zip lines and a canyon crossing with a 250-foot zip line. Flatwater kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are offered on the Catawba River. Since 2019 the center has also run an outdoor ice skating rink of about 24,000 square feet in winter, which Wikipedia describes as one of the largest outdoor rinks on the East Coast.

Whitewater, the nonprofit that runs the center, says it manages more than 2,500 acres across six locations and hosts more than 60 races and competitions a year, along with festivals, film series, camps and yoga.

Activities, ticketing, age and height limits, and seasonal offerings change, so check the center for current availability, waivers and operating details. With a Voyzo private tour, a private vehicle and driver with door-to-door pickup can bring your group to the center and then back to Charlotte, which is convenient if some members want to try the river while others prefer to watch.