Leading The Way For Over 41 Years

In 1968, three brothers pushed off the banks of the New River in Thurmond, West Virginia, launching not only a raft with Wildwater Unlimited’s first paying guests, but also a whitewater rafting industry that now sees hundreds of thousands of rafters visit the Mountain State each year. To get to that point, the Dragan Brothers, Jon, Tom and Chris, laid the groundwork by taking numerous trips of their own, scouting each rapid to determine the best route and identifying river access points. Starting with a small loan, a pickup truck, and an army-surplus raft, Wildwater Expeditions Unlimited was born.

Jon, Tom, and Chris Dragan built Wildwater on a foundation of excellent customer service, dedication to safety, and a profound love of West Virginia whitewater. As the first whitewater rafting outfitter licensed in West Virginia, Wildwater has seen many new developments and fads throughout the whitewater industry, but one simple fact remains: the Dragans pioneered whitewater rafting in the eastern United States, setting standards of excellence for others to follow and they strive to maintain the same levels of professionalism, safety consciousness, and love for the river that helped popularize the sport of rafting 41 years ago.

Wildwater Today

Wildwater remains a family company, but the family has grown a lot over the years! They don’t share the same blood, but they share the same love of the river and Mother Nature and have a common goal of sharing that love with the people who visit them each year. Jon Dragan passed away in February 2005, leaving a void in the whitewater community that will remain unfilled. Tom is still living in Thurmond, West Virginia building his general store and watching the river drift by his front porch. Wildwater continues to put their guests first, using the same approach on which this company was built: dedication to safety, professionalism and fun.