Established in the fall of 1990, Billy and Brenda Dills purchased the closed down Nantahala rafting company “The Rafters” from then owner Dr. Charner Herd. In the spring of 1991 they opened their doors as Carolina Outfitters and began their dream of sharing the beauty and fun of white water rafting on the Nantahala River.
The first few years where tough and a lot was to be learned but Billy, Brenda and their kids worked hard and preformed most of the rolls of the company. They would check guests in, drive the buses, and guide the rafts. Carolina Outfitters, under the hard work and passion of the Dills began to grow as a highly reputable Nantahala white water rafting company.
For the next 32 years Carolina Outfitters grew in popularity and reputation within the white water rafting industry. In 2022 Billy and Brenda Dills decided to step down as the day to day operators and pass that job onto Jenny and Grant Outlaw, their daughter and son-in -law, to run. The Outlaw’s are pledged to the founding ideas that Carolina Outfitters stay a family owned, safety focused, and fun company to work at and raft with.
The Outlaw’s are far from new to white water rafting, having owned and operated their own white water outfitter on the Ocoee River since 2009, Carolina Ocoee. Jenny was raised and grew up working at Carolina Outfitters, as a reservationist, check-in person, driver, and guide. After graduating from college, Grant came to the Nantahala River in 2004 to be a river guide on the river he grew up visiting as child. From that first season he was in love with: the Nantahala Gorge and all it provided, white water rafting, the slower pace of life and most of all Jenny.
Together the Outlaws seek to keep Carolina Outfitters as hub of highly experienced and professional guides looking to share our love for this place and the beautiful white water of the Nantahala River.
Meet Our Guides
The team that makes up Carolina Outfitters is a group of professionals who love sharing our passion for whitewater rafting, the Nantahala River, and the mountains of the southern Appalachia.
BP
Oli
Matt
Barac
Tyler
Dale
Meet The Outlaws
Grant
Co-owner of Carolina Ocoee since 2009 and operation manager of Carolina Outfitters since 2022. Grant Outlaw runs the day to day operations of the outpost and is likely to be your bus driver, photographer, or guide. He loves spending his days with his family sharing the rivers, trails, and lakes of the Appalachian Mountains.
Jenny
Jenny Outlaw is the better half of Carolina Ocoee, as the other co-owner, and Lady In Charge of Carolina Outfitters. She is the heart of the companies and manages all the behind the scenes stuff that comes with operating a business. When you call to make a reservation, you most likely will be talking with Jenny. She prides herself as a mother, wife, adventurer, and business owner.
The Family
A Note From The Outlaws
We operate this company because we believe that we can offer a better whitewater adventure than we had experienced with other outfitters. Carolina Outfitters aim is to share the beauty, exhilaration and overall awesomeness of the Nantahala River. Our goal is to share this place and this river in a way that will leave you loving it as much as us. We take great care in picking and training our guides to make sure that we all share this same goal. Your trip with us will be one of professionalism with a focus on fun, safety, and education. We hope that you come raft the Nantahala River with us and experience the Carolina Outfitters difference.
