The Roughty River is a whitewater kayaking run located in County Kerry, flowing approximately 2 km upriver from Kilgarvan. It is a popular descent among kayakers and is generally characterized as a class 3-4 whitewater river considered suitable for mixed ability groups. At lower but still runnable water levels, the river runs at class 3, with kayaks occasionally touching bottom in shallower sections.

The standard descent covers approximately 2.5 km, with the put-in located just downriver from Morley's Bridge. Paddlers should be aware that the river has a history of wood hazards — specifically, a log obstruction at a drop approximately 2.5 km downriver has posed a serious danger. A fatality occurred in November 2018 when a paddler became trapped beneath this log. Anyone running the river should scout for wood hazards carefully, as strainers and log jams on rivers of this character can change with flood events. The incident report notes that a planned take-out into a side channel just before the obstructed drop was part of the group's strategy, indicating that awareness of exit options before this feature is important.

The river also supports salmon fishing, and Inland Fisheries Ireland administers a brown tag lottery system for anglers wishing to retain salmon from the Roughty catchment. Paddlers should be aware that the river is actively used by anglers, which may affect interactions on the water, particularly during the salmon season.