Raft the Upper Pigeon River with fun, knowledgeable, certified guides. Raft through big waves, drops, and splashes and relax, float, and swim in calmer waters. Enjoy spectacular views of The Smoky Mountains.
Conquer 3 exhilarating class IV rapids named ‘Lost Guide,’ ‘Double Reactionary,’ and ‘Accelerator.’ Ride 13 class III rapids such as the Powerhouse, Too Late, Vegematic, and Duck and Run. You'll ride many class II rapids throughout your trip.
Do you plan to make it a double run? You can leave for the second run right after a quick beverage or you can schedule your second run an hour later and have plenty of time to get a bite.
Perfect for groups, families, couples, or individuals. Fun for a seasoned rafter or one who never held a paddle. Our amazing guides will make sure your time on the river is unforgettable! Each raft is 6 people + guide and may vary with water levels.
Our customers say our tours are the right balance of fun, safety, seriousness, and comedy! Be prepared to be exhilarated and get wet! We'll be with you from start to finish to make your day awesome. Review the 2 raft trip options and if you're not sure which to choose, check out our compare raft trips page or review our frequently asked questions section.
Wear
• Only shoes with a secure heel strap, tennis shoes, watershoes.
• No flip-flop sandals allowed. Watershoes are available for sale at the outpost.
• Wear clothes that will be comfortable when wet. Be prepared to get wet! Any quick-dry clothing, activewear, t-shirts, shorts, bathing suit (underneath your clothing), or swim trunks in warmer months
• Wetsuits are available for rent for $10, are ideal in cool weather. Paddle jackets come with wetsuit rental, which will keep you warm from wind and water.
Bring
• A set of dry clothes to change into, after the rafting trip
• Sunscreen - apply before the trip and apply it anywhere not protected by clothing
• Optional: If you would like to film during your trip - like with a GoPro camera, we have a few helmets with the appropriate attachment.
Don't Bring:
• Anything that you don't want to lose in the water.
• Leave your phone locked in your car, and keys safely and securely locked away at our office.
Experienced Guides
No one on the river has been at this longer than we have. Our 30+ years of experience ensure you benefit from all of our combined safety and knowledge of the river.
First Aid
Every rafting guide is certified in First Aid and CPR (with some guides even having additional certifications). They’ve all gone through extensive training to make your trip both enjoyable and safe.
Clean & Up To Date Equipment
We will provide you with clean and up-to-date equipment including a personal flotation device (PFD), helmet, and paddle. All of our equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after every trip. This includes all high-touch areas, including our rafts, paddles, and wetsuits.
Rafting Trip Talk
The guides will give a comprehensive "trip talk" before the trip to explain everything related to safety, using the equipment and the "what if" scenarios and the "how to's" to react. This is a necessary part of your day.
No Drugs or Alcohol
Drugs or alcoholic beverages are not permitted. If we suspect you have consumed anything that will impair you before your trip, you will not be able to participate and will not get a refund.
Safety Waiver
IMPORTANT: A safety waiver must be signed by each participant looking to enjoy a rafting trip with us — both minors and adults. Please download, complete, and bring one safety waiver form for each member of your party before your visit. Download Waiver
We offer the most flexible cancellation policy in the area.
We get it. Life happens and sometimes you need to change your trip or cancel your rafting plans. We want you to feel confident when you book a trip with us either by phone or online.
Groups of 1-14
• Cancel 48+ hours in advance: Reschedule for free or cancel for a 100% refund
• Cancel 24-48 hours in advance: Reschedule for free or cancel for a 50% refund
• Cancel within 24 hours, no refunds are allowed, because we've already prepared for your trip and likely turned away other customers to save your reservation.
Groups of 15 or more
Cancel 7+ days in advance for a 100% refund or free rescheduling. After that time, no refunds are given, and rescheduling is not guaranteed.
Please understand that we arrange equipment and guides for your group, and given our trip space is limited, we have likely turned away customers because of your reservation.
We run rafting trips all year long!
The water flow on Pigeon River is controlled by a dam a few miles upstream, which will vary from season to season.
Spring Rafting
Trip Dates & Times: Varies on water levels
Summer Rafting
Trip Dates & Times: Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and holidays starting at 11:00am and going every hour until 5:00pm.
Fall Rafting
Trip Dates and Times: Varies with the water levels.
Winter Rafting
Yes! We run rafting trips in winter depending on the conditions! Families love to join us for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years! Even though temps here hover between 50-60° in February and March, we can't keep people out of the water!
Enjoy double the fun with a 2nd run of our popular Upper Pigeon rafting trip.
After finishing the first run on the Upper Pigeon River, you can take the 2nd run immediately after a quick break, or recharge for an hour for lunch at the riverside outpost before your 2nd run.
October 2021
We had a fantastic time very professional business our Guide was Justin! He was amazing, very knowledgeable, social and a joy to be around really made the trip fantastic thank you again Justin! We learned a lot and plan on coming again in the future!
July 2021
My husband and I had the BEST time this weekend rafting the Upper Pigeon River in Tennessee. Benny, our raft guide, was awesome! He made sure everyone was comfortable, felt safe and had a blast! I can't say enough good things about the company. It's a top-notch organization and all of the employees are very knowledgeable and super friendly!
March 2021
We had a great time on the Upper Pigeon White water Rafting trip! We had 7 of us, so we filled our own boat. Our guide, Karla (aka HR rep ;) ) was hilarious and energetic and made us feel confident in our abilities. We still felt safe with the safety equipment and the response from the other guides in other boats was amazing.
May 2021
The rafting trip was excellent and our guide - Carla - was the best. We have done several white water rafting trips in various parts of the country but this one was among the top. Carla was hilarious, but always serious when it counted and was clearly in control of the raft throughout the trip, which created a calm for all of us in the raft.
