NOC Outdoor School

The Top Instruction in Whitewater and the Outdoors

Since 1972, NOC has been leading courses in whitewater kayaking, whitewater canoeing and river leadership. Over the years we've grown to become one of the most convenient, comprehensive destinations for learning in the outdoors. At NOC, your learning is guaranteed by almost 40 years of experience as a leader in the outdoors. We are the top school for kayak instructors and raft guides, and a destination for backcountry leaders to get wilderness medicine certification. Our convenience is unmatched—park the car upon arrival, and we'll take care of everything else including lodging, dining and transportation.

Outdoor School Courses

	Kayak Instruction Recognized by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Outside magazine, NOC offers complete weekend or week-long clinics for beginners through advanced paddlers.
	SOLO Wilderness Medicine NOC has teamed up with SOLO to offer courses ranging from the basic Wilderness First Aid (WFA) through Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT).
	Canoe Instruction A classic way to get outdoors and explore the river, NOC leads solo and tandem workshops for canoe paddlers of all levels, beginner through advanced.
	Water Rescue Courses Are you a paddler or a rescue professional? Learn how to handle emergency situations in these swiftwater and whitewater rescue courses.
	River Leadership At NOC, you can enhance your safety skills with water rescue courses, get professional-level training in kayak instruction and learn the skills necessary to be a raft guide this season at Raft Guide School.
	Survival School Whether you're planning to audition for an episode of Survivor or simply want to expand your outdoor skills to a more minimalist approach, our Wilderness Survival School provides all the tools you need!
	Kids Adventure Programs Since 1984, NOC has led kids kayaking camps, turning out some of the world's best paddlers! Our kids programs are open to beginners and include 24-hour supervision in addition to kayak instruction.
	Group Adventure Programming If you've got a large group, we've got the experiential learning activities you're looking for, and convenient lodging and meal plans to match. Our experience working in the outdoors with groups in unmatched.

All NOC Outdoor School Programs are offered at our Nantahala River Adventure Resort, where you can find lodging, dining, shopping and parking. This single convenient location makes it easy for you to create your own adventure getaway. Don't forget to add a raft trip or lake tour while you're visiting us!