Upper Pigeon River: Premier Whitewater Rafting Experience
4.9
519 Ratings
Hartford

The Pigeon River Gorge traverses the Smoky Mountains from North Carolina to Tennessee in an east to west direction. The Upper Section of this river provides one of the most frequented rafting experiences in the U.S, serving as an excellent initiation to whitewater adventures.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Pigeon River - The Pigeon River gorge slices from the east to the west through the Smoky Mountains, transitioning from North Carolina to Tennessee. It provides those on the water with sweeping vistas of the Great Smoky Mountains and a refreshing escape from the summer warmth.
  • Big Creek Expeditions - The premier rafting adventure on the Upper Pigeon River is found near Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville. Just a 45-minute journey will bring you to Big Creek Expeditions. Here, you and your companions will create enduring memories while savoring the Great Smoky Mountains in their truest form—out in nature.
What's Included
  • Equipment provided: life jacket, helmet, paddle
What's Not Included
  • Lunch and Snacks are not included
Additional Information
  • Guests will then meet their personal guide and recieve the necessary equipment Including: life jacket, helmet and paddle.
  • After your guide double-checks to make sure all equipment is fitted properly, guests then hop on our bus for a short 10-minute ride to the launching point for your trip.
Location
3671 Hartford Rd
Hartford Road
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(519 Ratings)
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R6007laadaml
Mar 16, 2024
The best experience - I’ve wanted to go white water rafting my whole life, and it definitely lived up to the hype! I took my 3 teenagers with me, and they all rated it 10/10! My 17 year old son even wants to come back to be a guide next summer. Daryl U. was cool, knowledgeable, and we always felt safe with him as our guide. All of the other staff were very friendly, and the wetsuit rental was great for a Spring trip! We’re already looking for a time when we can come back again! Thanks Big Creek Expeditions!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Coastal422435
Sep 24, 2023
Best day on the river !! - Amazing time on the river with Big Creek !! Super great guides that take safety seriously while having a lot of fun ! See you again in’24
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Matthewcv7284em
Sep 20, 2023
Awesome experience - Went while in PF for a baseball tournament. It was definitely worth the money. Awesome place, highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Al125125
Aug 21, 2023
So much fun! - Highly recommend Big Creek Expeditions. Organized, efficient, seamless experience. Our guide Josh was great! He was engaging and informative about the river and took extra care easing the first timers in our group with their fears of the rapids. It's a great experience for anyone. Might seem intimidating to someone that hasn't gone white water rafting but they'll love it afterwards, I promise! Oh, and if you're looking to grab lunch after the experience, I recommend the 10 minute drive to Carver's Orchard and Applehouse! Great food!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q1811uhdavidc
Aug 21, 2023
Always a great time! - Have visited Big Creek 5 different times. Never disappointed, always a good time. We take a family vacation to Tennessee every other year and have done been Big Creek every time we have been there.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa
Aug 16, 2023
Great experience - We had a blast. Davey was a awesome guide and made us all feel very comfortable. He made everything very easy to understand and had great sense of humor. The area was beautiful. We are all ready to do it again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X2694pqmichellec
Aug 13, 2023
Making family memories - So much fun and not as scary as we thought it would be. Our guide Chris was great!! So glad we picked a Big Creek Expedition not only was our guide friendly so were the parking attendant and ladies inside and super helpful as well as the “safety” guy! I’d highly recommend particularly because the guides are experienced “veterans” of rafting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jack
Aug 8, 2023
Great whitewater rafting experience in the Smokies! - Great tour, with enough excitement for everyone but also do-able by most everyone, young and old. While all the tour guides seemed good, if you can get Jason Michael Webb, you're in for a treat. He's the bearded guy (ok, there are a few bearded guys) who will be enthusiastically greeting cars when you're pulling in and he'll keep you entertained the entire trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mng1988
Aug 3, 2023
Excellent! - We had a great time with our guide, Darrell U, on the upper pigeon white water rafting trip. We hit a lot of rapids and it was exciting! I would recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gilbertjudy12
Sep 17, 2023
Got cancelled - Horrible. Canceled when we showed up. Owner said would be fun for him to take us rafting. Don’t book with them!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
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May 2024
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