Nantahala Outdoor Center

For more than five decades, NOC has helped shape the culture, skills, and future of whitewater paddling in the Southern Appalachians—and around the world. Founded in 1972 by Payson and Aurelia Kennedy and Horace Holden, NOC launched one of the Southeast’s first commercial rafting operations, opening access to rivers like the Chattooga, Ocoee, French Broad, and Nolichucky when the idea of paddlesports as an industry was still in its infancy. Its Paddling School became known as the “Harvard of kayak schools,” developing teaching techniques that influenced paddlers and instructors around the world. Its Nantahala Racing Club went on to produce 23 Olympians, including 1992 gold medalists Joe Jacobi and Scott Strausbaugh. From teaching beginners to developing world-class athletes, NOC has introduced millions of guests to rivers, and it hosted the 2013 ICF Freestyle World Championships. A pioneer. An innovator. A leader. An institution whose influence reaches far beyond the Southern Appalachians.