Once you are in the Olympic Course area there are numerous back to back rapids some of which are the largest anywhere on the Ocoee River—Upper or Middle. The dam and the river in this upper stretch are located in a valley between two major mountains in the area. Depending on where you are in the rapid and your swimming abilities a second swmmers position may used. Even the train track was rebuilt, and the flume maintenance materials are hauled by a propane powered small tram. Guides may also call for you to lean in, get down or high-side depending on the situation. Ocoee River Rafting Funyak & Kayak Clinics Ocoee River Boarding Rock Climbing & Repelling Trail Hiking Team Building Summer Camp. BOOK NOW! There is a wide walkway on the right side of the Dam which you carry your raft down to put on the river at the base of the dam. The area was a small community called Parksville and a Grist mill stood on the actual dam site at the time. They formed an Outfitters Association and an additional lobbying organization to build consensus for their cause. Three Hundred thousand people come ever year to raft and play in the relatively warm water and Class Three and Four rapids. All the buckles must be fastened and the jacket should be fitted snug to your body. The Ocoee River in Tennessee has become the most popular whitewater rafting adventure in America with over twenty continuous rapids and many play spots for miles of endless fun and adventure. A group of Atlanta whitewater enthusiast reacted quickly at the news of the exclusion and formed a lobby group WIN (Whitewater in Ninety Six). Ocoee River Adventures. The location was decided and partners came on board including TVA, the State of Tennessee and the US Forest Service. This is called Life Jackets must be worn and need to be worn correctly. The Middle starts right off with a bang! The next major occurrence in the Ocoee river valley started with Atlanta Georgia getting the bid for the 1996 Olympics. Welcome to Ocoee Rafting! Foundations of some of the town’s buildings are still existing and can be seen from the east end of the lake. This is not a good place to be so don’t put your food down and don’t walk in the river. The six-mile section of the river above MCaysville is great for tubing, floating and trout fishing. Before you book. The flume is almost five miles long and only drops 18 feet in elevation in that five miles. No experience is necessary to enjoy the adventure of whitewater rafting on the World Class Ocoee River. Since 1976, Ocoee Rafting has welcomed many to miles of challenging and exciting Class III and IV rapids on one of the country's premier rivers. They quickly recognized that the Ocoee was the perfect place, but it could not be the Middle Ocoee because there was not enough river side space to host an event. In 1983 the U S Congress passed Public Law No. Come join Ocoee Rafting for the finest whitewater rafting trip on the Ocoee River.Whitewater Rafting on the Ocoee River in Tennessee!Whitewater Rafting on the Ocoee River in Tennessee! Raft the world-famous, upper Ocoee River… home of the 1996 Summer Olympics!
Rafting through the Olympic section of the Upper Ocoee River is a awesome ride of excitement. A half mile section of the river was custom engineered to create the largest and most powerful rapids on the entire Ocoee River, yet designed to still fit seamlessly into the Ocoee’s rugged, natural setting. After that you start getting closer to the section where the Olympics were held and the rapids start to really pick up. The water from the lake falls over the top of the 30-foot dam that is Ocoee Dam number 2 making for a giant river wide waterfall. This is on your back, nose and toes to the sky with your head up so you can see where you are going. 2 were built between 1910 to 1913, along with the historic wooden flume that diverted the waters of the upper river around the river bed to the powerhouses. Experience Ocoee River Rafting and feel the excitement of whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River. This world class whitewater section of Ocoee River is only available 34 days a year. This prevents a situation called “Foot Entrapment” which is where you put your foot gets stuck in a crack in the bottom of the river. After you leave the Olympic sections there are a couple more large class four rapids and then the last mile slows back down until you reach the lunch spot between the Upper and Middle Ocoee.
It took six years to rebuild the old flume line with treated wood, but by 1983 the flume was back in business. As the oldest company on the Ocoee River, we have provided guided whitewater rafting adventures for 44 years. Arms should be out to your side to help keep yourself in control. It is a relatively low dam, only 30 feet in height and originally was a timber structure filled with rock and boulders. No Flip Flops or other shoes that won’t stay on your feet for rafting the Ocoee River!For the cooler weather we recommend synthetic fabrics such as polypropylene or nylon or synthetic fleece. Middle Ocoee river rafting trips are available on the weekends from March through the first weekend of November. Olympic Class White Water Rafting. Shoes that will stay on your feet are required, which can be river sandals, old tennis shoes, or nylon topped water shoes.