A few months ago, travel and tourism interviewer Meredith Lofton paid a special visit to Smoky Mountain Outdoors! Meredith spoke with Jason, one of our rafting guides, and took an exciting trip down the Upper Pigeon River. You can watch the video here:
The Area’s Largest Pigeon River Rafting Company
Smoky Mountain Outdoors is the largest company offering rafting trips on the Pigeon River. Located close to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, we offer a variety of rafting adventures for people with all levels of experience. As mentioned in the video, the Pigeon River is the third most popular rafting location in the country!
Upper Pigeon River Rafting
Our Upper Pigeon River Rafting trip is an exciting 6 ½ mile journey that will take you through 70 rapids, ranging from Class 1 to Class 4. This is a thrilling but safe adventure led by experienced guides. Some of the trip’s highlights include waves, drops, and maneuvering your raft around obstacles.
Upper Pigeon River Extreme Rafting
For people seeking an even more thrilling experience on the river, there’s Upper Pigeon River Extreme Rafting, which uses smaller rafts with a maximum of three people and a guide. During this trip, you’ll fully experience the biggest waves and plenty of surfing. Extreme rafting is only for guests who can swim, and prior rafting experience is recommended. In the video, you’ll recognize the Extreme boats by their distinctive black color.
Lower Pigeon River Rafting
Lower Pigeon River Rafting is a more relaxing trip, designed especially for kids under 8. This trip has about 50 Class 1 and Class 2 rapids, with one Class 3 at the conclusion of the trip. Parents can accompany their kids on this journey, which is the perfect introduction to the sport of white water rafting.
All rafting trips are led by our expertly trained guides who run numerous trips on the river before leading trips of their own. Guests are given safety instructions before each trip and provided with top of the line gear, including a Coast Guard approved flotation device.
Other Trips Offered by Smoky Mountain Outdoors
In addition to the Pigeon River rafting trips mentioned above, there are a number of other great options for river adventures with Smoky Mountain Outdoors.
Hike & Paddle -This package combines the pleasures of hiking in the Smoky Mountains with a rafting trip on either the Lower or Upper Pigeon River.
Pigeon River Combo Package -This trip gives you the experience of rafting both the Lower and Upper Pigeon River on the same day.
The Pleasures of Pigeon River Rafting
As you can see in the video, rafting is a fast-paced and dynamic sport. It’s also a great group activity where you must cooperate with your fellow rafters as you navigate the rapids. Smoky Mountain Outdoors provides both novices and long time rafters with the unforgettable experience of rafting on one of the nation’s most popular rivers.
To book your trip with us for the spring rafting season, visit our white water rafting reservations page!
