All About: Rafting on the Ocoee River

If you’re looking for a fun summer vacation, a white water river rafting trip could be the perfect choice. It’s a great way to get outside, enjoy nature, and have a fun time with family and friends. If you’ve already decided this kind of trip is for you, you might be wondering about good places to go white water rafting. If that’s the case, you should consider checking out Ocoee River in Tennessee.

The Ocoee River is more than 93 miles long with a whopping 11% of the river available for rafting. Though this number might seem small in comparison, this is actually a large range of white rafting space. You can stick to the upper region of the river or enjoy a longer excursion that covers both the upper and middle regions. It features exciting drops and waves, with class three through five rapids available depending on how far you go. It’s sure to be thrilling, even for the seasoned rafter.

Upper Olympic Section Ocoee

Preparing for the Trip

The middle section of the Ocoee river brings nonstop action earning its title as “America`s most popular river trip”. With the most rapids per mile out of any river, this trip is a bucket list for visitors in the Cherokee National Forest of Tennessee. This 3 hour trip offer just the right amount of intensity and action-packed whitewater.

The upper section of the Ocoee is site of the 1996 Olympics, is a great ride for big water. There is a half mile of straight class four rapids that your guide will successfully navigate with you. Most of your five mile trip on the Upper Ocoee River is through the secluded wilderness. This trip is also 3 hours total and you can expect to be on the water an hour and half to two hours.

Looking for a longer adventure? Why not combine a Middle Ocoee River whitewater rafting trip with an expedition on the Upper Ocoee to experience the most exciting whitewater adventure that the Southeast has to offer! This trip also comes with a delicious grilled lunch between the upper and middle sections.

You should also dress in clothing that you don’t mind getting wet in. This could be a bathing suit, or just a t-shirt and shorts. It’s also a good idea to bring water shoes if you don’t want to get your regular shoes wet. Generally, extra rafting gear and items like sunglasses straps are sold at your rafting location, so you don’t need to worry about those.

First Time Rafters

River rafting can be a bit nerve-wracking for someone who has never done it before. You don’t need to worry though: Ocoee River whitewater rafting trips are generally done in groups and led by an experienced trainer. By rafting in a group, it will be easier to learn and you will become a seasoned rafter in no time at all.

If you are a first-timer who isn’t the best swimmer, you shouldn’t be concerned: the guides are trained to keep the raft from tipping. You will also be wearing a life vest to help keep you afloat should you fall out of the raft. Safety is key when you’re going white water river rafting.

Booking Your Trip

You can make a whole weekend out of your river rafting trip if you want to. After all, Tennessee has plenty of other sights and experiences to offer. You could spend one day on the water and the next exploring the city where your hotel is located. Nashville is an exciting place to visit and you could work that into your stay as well.

It’s a good idea to plan ahead so that you can decide how long you want to stay and what you want to do. This way you can coordinate locations, book your hotel, and put together a solid itinerary that will make your trip amazing. For more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to Outland Expeditions today.