Whitewater Rafting in a Nutshell
So, you're visiting the area and you think you'd like to go whitewater rafting, but you're not sure where to start. I have rafted every river I'm going to talk about except the Cheoah. As a local resident and a former raft guide, I would like to share some of my river knowledge, so here goes. I'll start from the most gentle and work my way up.
Nantahala
I personally love this river. I guided here for three seasons, so I could probably boat it in my sleep. The Nantahala is a dam controlled river (meaning water levels are pretty consistent) and has class I and II rapids, with one class III at the end. It is great for anyone who has never been rafting before and people with children (though there is a weight requirement due to the very cold water). If you do not have a lot of paddling experience, I recommend having a guide in your boat. It will make the trip more enjoyable for you and you let someone else, who knows the river well, do the steering. If you have been rafting and feel comfortable, you can choose to either rent your own boat (you will not be followed by guides) or to be on a trip with guides in other boats. Also, if it is a nice hot day, it is fun to rent 1 or 2-person inflatable kayaks known as funyaks or duckies. This trip takes 2-3 hours depending on a number of factors (crowds, size of your trip, how many rocks you get stuck on if you're guiding your own boat, etc). This is the only river where you will have the option of guiding your own boat. Outfitters for this river are approximately 25 minutes from Robbinsville.
Pigeon
The Pigeon is a great river! It is also dam controlled and is offered in two sections: the upper and the lower. The minimum age is 4 years for the lower and the is 8 years for the upper. This is another river that I recommend for families. The water looks bigger than the Nantahala, and it is, but the rapids are less technical so you will have a smooth, yet exciting ride. Outfitters for this river are 1.5-2 hours from Robbinsville.
Ocoee
The Ocoee River is the site of the 1996 Olympics! This dam controlled river is offered in two sections: the upper and the middle. The minimum age for both sections is 12. I recommend this river for fit and adventurous types who have not been rafting before, or anyone who has rafting experience. It is a step up from the Pigeon - tremendous fun!!! Very exciting! This river is 1.5 hours from Robbinsville. Here is the release schedule for the Ocoee.
Chattooga
This is the only natural flow river in the bunch! For this reason, it is significantly affected by drought. The best time to go on the Chattooga is in spring and early summer when water levels tend to be higher. There are two sections: Section III and Section IV, section III being milder. The minimum ages are 10 and 13. I highly recommend previous whitewater experience before going on Section IV. There are also overnight trips available with some outfitters on this river. Chattooga was the first river in the Southeast to be designated "Wild & Scenic" by Congress and was used as a location for the movie Deliverance.
Cheoah
This river has only recently been opened to commercial outfitters. Ben has already written a lovely post on the Cheoah River, so check it out to see a release schedule (it is only open 18-20 days per year) and to read more about this unique river. This river is for folks with previous class IV-V whitewater experience. Outfitters for this river are located about 15 miles from Robbinsville. If part of your party is rafting and you're not up for this type of river, you can watch your companions float by from the banks at Tapoco Lodge, near the takeout. Here is a link to a map of the river.
Let me also save you the embarrassment of asking some dumb tourist questions. NO, you will not get out of the boat at the same place you got in the boat. This river is not a circle. NO, you should not bring your $800 digital camera and put it in a Ziploc bag. YES, you do have to paddle. YES, you do have to help carry your boat to the water. If you cannot manage that, you shouldn't be rafting. and YES, you will get wet and if you whine you will get wetter.
I hope you enjoy your whitewater adventure! All of these rivers are great fun and will give you lifelong memories.
There are a lot of great outfitters on these rivers, but here are some outfitters that I personally reccommend:
Endless River Adventures (ERA) http://www.endlessriveradventures.com/
Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) http://www.noc.com/
Wildwater Ltd. http://www.wildwaterrafting.com/
They may also offer other services beyond rafting, such as kayak lessons, fishing guides, biking, etc.
Nantahala
I personally love this river. I guided here for three seasons, so I could probably boat it in my sleep. The Nantahala is a dam controlled river (meaning water levels are pretty consistent) and has class I and II rapids, with one class III at the end. It is great for anyone who has never been rafting before and people with children (though there is a weight requirement due to the very cold water). If you do not have a lot of paddling experience, I recommend having a guide in your boat. It will make the trip more enjoyable for you and you let someone else, who knows the river well, do the steering. If you have been rafting and feel comfortable, you can choose to either rent your own boat (you will not be followed by guides) or to be on a trip with guides in other boats. Also, if it is a nice hot day, it is fun to rent 1 or 2-person inflatable kayaks known as funyaks or duckies. This trip takes 2-3 hours depending on a number of factors (crowds, size of your trip, how many rocks you get stuck on if you're guiding your own boat, etc). This is the only river where you will have the option of guiding your own boat. Outfitters for this river are approximately 25 minutes from Robbinsville.
Pigeon
The Pigeon is a great river! It is also dam controlled and is offered in two sections: the upper and the lower. The minimum age is 4 years for the lower and the is 8 years for the upper. This is another river that I recommend for families. The water looks bigger than the Nantahala, and it is, but the rapids are less technical so you will have a smooth, yet exciting ride. Outfitters for this river are 1.5-2 hours from Robbinsville.
Ocoee
The Ocoee River is the site of the 1996 Olympics! This dam controlled river is offered in two sections: the upper and the middle. The minimum age for both sections is 12. I recommend this river for fit and adventurous types who have not been rafting before, or anyone who has rafting experience. It is a step up from the Pigeon - tremendous fun!!! Very exciting! This river is 1.5 hours from Robbinsville. Here is the release schedule for the Ocoee.
Chattooga
This is the only natural flow river in the bunch! For this reason, it is significantly affected by drought. The best time to go on the Chattooga is in spring and early summer when water levels tend to be higher. There are two sections: Section III and Section IV, section III being milder. The minimum ages are 10 and 13. I highly recommend previous whitewater experience before going on Section IV. There are also overnight trips available with some outfitters on this river. Chattooga was the first river in the Southeast to be designated "Wild & Scenic" by Congress and was used as a location for the movie Deliverance.
Cheoah
This river has only recently been opened to commercial outfitters. Ben has already written a lovely post on the Cheoah River, so check it out to see a release schedule (it is only open 18-20 days per year) and to read more about this unique river. This river is for folks with previous class IV-V whitewater experience. Outfitters for this river are located about 15 miles from Robbinsville. If part of your party is rafting and you're not up for this type of river, you can watch your companions float by from the banks at Tapoco Lodge, near the takeout. Here is a link to a map of the river.
Let me also save you the embarrassment of asking some dumb tourist questions. NO, you will not get out of the boat at the same place you got in the boat. This river is not a circle. NO, you should not bring your $800 digital camera and put it in a Ziploc bag. YES, you do have to paddle. YES, you do have to help carry your boat to the water. If you cannot manage that, you shouldn't be rafting. and YES, you will get wet and if you whine you will get wetter.
I hope you enjoy your whitewater adventure! All of these rivers are great fun and will give you lifelong memories.
There are a lot of great outfitters on these rivers, but here are some outfitters that I personally reccommend:
Endless River Adventures (ERA) http://www.endlessriveradventures.com/
Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) http://www.noc.com/
Wildwater Ltd. http://www.wildwaterrafting.com/
They may also offer other services beyond rafting, such as kayak lessons, fishing guides, biking, etc.
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ReplyDeleteWhat a great guide! I am hoping to go river rafting next summer with my family. My husband wants to go on the Ocoee, so I'm glad to hear that it's exciting. I can't wait for our trip!
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