An Inside Look: White Water Rafting in Gatlinburg TN

We love white water rafting in Gatlinburg TN and we are so excited to share this experience with you! Join us on our Gatlinburg white water rafting adventure by watching the video below!

Meredith: Hi, I’m Meredith with Visit My Smokies, and today we’re at Smoky Mountain Outdoors located right outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We’re here to get an insider’s look into white water rafting on the Pigeon River. With me today is Jason. Thank you so much for having us. He’s going to be our tour guide. Can’t wait!

Jason: On these [safety helmets], one size does fit all. Make them nice and snug on your head just so they don’t fall off at any point while we’re on the river.

Meredith: Before we head out on our little adventure, tell me a little bit more about Smoky Mountain Outdoors.

Jason: Well, Smoky Mountain Outdoors is actually the largest rafting company on the river here today. We’re going down, we’re actually going down the upper section here today. We’ll be going through some class 3 and class 4 rapids. We offer a different section, which is the lower, class 1 and class 2 for the smaller children ages 3 and up. Here, on the upper, you have to be either 70 pounds or 8 years old. So we’re going on the upper here. It’s going to be a nice thrilling time. You’re going to have a good time. Everyone is going to get wet!

Meredith: Okay, so this is the Pigeon River, correct?

Jason: Yes ma’am.

Meredith: And that is the third most rafted river in the country.

Jason: In America, yes.

Meredith: Wow, so we’re in for a good time!

Jason: It’s a good time here. Come out here and have a busy summer. We do about 65,000 people a year. I’ve taken anywhere from children who have never seen white water before to folks who have been all over the country paddling, so it’s all a different experience.

Meredith: Jason, thank you so much. We had such a blast! I can’t imagine not coming here and visiting the Great Smoky Mountains. I mean, it was such a wonderful trip.

Jason: Thank you very much, Meredith. I had a great time with you today and I’m glad I got to take you rafting for the first time!

Meredith: For more information about everything to do in the Great Smoky Mountains, check out VisitMySmokies.com, and also don’t forget to comment below and leave us suggestions of any place that you’d like us to go in the Great Smoky Mountains!

To see other videos where we take a behind-the-scenes look at attractions and fun things to do in the Smoky Mountain area, like this video of white water rafting in Gatlinburg TN, visit our collection of Insider’s View videos.