When you come to Transylvania County, don't forget to pack your swim suit, life vest and paddles, or you'll miss out on some of the area's most exciting activities: inner tubing, canoeing and kayaking.

On hot summer days, there's nothing more refreshing than renting an inner tube and floating down the cool waters of the Davidson River in Pisgah National Forest. The river is conveniently close to U.S. 276, making it easy to ad inner tubing to a full day of forest adventures.

If you would prefer to spend more time in a boat than in the water, the French Broad River is the perfect place for a leisurely canoe trip. The gentle waters of this North Carolina state-designated canoe trail provide an ideal opportunity for novices to try their hands at paddling. With several access points throughout the county, boaters can customize their trips to last for a couple hours or a full day.

During high water, experienced boaters will discover great whitewater on some of the county's tributary rivers. The Upper Davidson River and the North Fork and West Fork of the French Broad are favorites among kayakers, offering up to class four rapids. (Water difficulty is ranked on a 0-6 scale.) Even when the water isn't sufficiently high for kayaking, Transylvania County is close to other great whitewater such as the Green, Nantahala, Ocoee, Pigeon and Chatooga rivers.

If you need guide service, instruction or rental equipment, there are several places to look. Inner tubes can be rented at River Edge Gifts & Supplies (828-862-4868) or Dick's (phone number), both of which are located at the entrance to Pisgah National Forest on U.S. 276.

Headwaters Outfitters in Rosman(828-877-3106) www.headwatersoutfitters.com and Looking Glass Outfitters in Pisgah Forest (828-884-5854) rent equipment and can help you get instruction and set up a trip, and Pisgah Whitewater (828-883-4026) provides group and individual whitewater kayaking instruction.