Ocoee River Rafting Adventure: Class III/IV Whitewater with Lunch

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/14

Duration6h

GroupUp to 54

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Five miles of back-to-back class III/IV rapids, a safety briefing, and lunch served halfway down the river.

This whitewater rafting adventure on the Ocoee River near Chattanooga takes you through the middle section with a live guide, life jacket, helmet and paddle provided. You'll spend about five hours on the water across two stretches of class III/IV rapids separated by a riverside lunch with sandwiches, shrimp, fruit and drinks. Arrive 30 minutes early at the outpost to change and get oriented; the whole trip runs six hours. Minimum age is 12 and no prior rafting experience is required.

The Experience

What do you actually do for six hours? You arrive at the outpost, change into river clothes, then board a bus for a scenic ride into the Cherokee National Forest. Your guide walks you through a safety orientation and gives you time to practice paddle strokes before you push off. The first half of the day takes you through named sections—Bush Gardens, Mikey's, the Blue Hole, Let's Make a Deal—building toward the Olympic section, which is 800 yards of continuous class III/IV whitewater back to back. That's where the real work starts.

At the halfway point, you pull ashore under a canopy of trees for lunch. The meal is build-your-own deli sandwiches, peel-and-eat shrimp, chips, cookies, fresh fruit, tea and lemonade—enough to refuel before the second push. After lunch, you head back onto the Middle Ocoee for five more miles of class III/IV rapids. The guide handles navigation and safety calls; you paddle, brace and hold on. Once you're back at the outpost, there's time to look at trip photos before you leave.

You'll be gone from the facility six hours total, with approximately five of those on the water. Life jacket, helmet and paddle are provided. The bus ride to the river and back is included, as is the guide's instruction and the riverside lunch. The outpost has spacious changing areas, a gift shop, and an onsite cafe if you want to eat before or after your trip. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early.

What’s included

Life jacket, helmet and paddle.
a live guide leading the full trip.
scenic bus transport to the Cherokee National Forest and back.
a complete safety orientation and practice time before launching.
riverside lunch with build-your-own sandwiches, shrimp, fruit, chips, cookies, tea and lemonade at the halfway point.
time to view trip photos after your return.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Quest Expeditions

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guide managing navigation and safety while you focus on paddling, plus round-trip transport and meals included rather than coordinating those separately.