TRAVEL QUESTIONS\West Virginia offers rafting venues from mild to wild.

Byline: Jean Allen Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

Q. I'd always wanted to know about white-water rafting, but now I'm too fragile to risk it. However, my children aren't old. We are specifically interested in the panhandle area of West Virginia. - M.R., Delray Beach, Fla.

A. You might not be too "fragile" to go rafting down the milder rapids. West Virginia boasts that it has nearly 2,000 miles of streams that surge down from the Appalachians, and 200 miles have been designated for commercial rafting. The state has 25 outfitters that offer rafting from mild (Class I) to wild (Class VI). There are so many, in fact, that the state Division of Tourism has a catalog called Raft West Virginia. To get the 1996 book, call [phone].

The state's two big rafting centers are along the New and Gauley rivers, and, to a lesser extent, on the Cheat and Tygart rivers. There are accommodations ranging from campgrounds to motels and nice bed-and-breakfast inns; activities such as horseback riding, hiking and rock climbing; and pretty areas for strolling. Outfitters usually arrange accommodations along with the rafting.

If you want a thorough rundown of rafting, invest $16.95 in a book called "Whitewater Rafting in North America," from Globe Pequot Press (call [phone]). It describes 200 of the best guided river trips and lists more than 300 professional outfitters.