City: Hartford, TN

Category: Tours & Attractions

Address: 3229 Hartford Rd.,

Description: Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited takes rafters onto the Big Pigeon River. You and your rafting colleagues, with a guide, will take a bus to your entry point near the North Carolina state line. (First you’ll receive a thorough briefing on proper use of oars and general rafting safety.) Then you’ll put your raft into the water for a 6.5-mile trip back to headquarters. Along the way you’ll pass through more than 40 Class I and II rapids, more than a dozen Class IIIs, and 4 Class IVs (the roughest of the trip). If this sounds too adventurous for you, inquire about the 5.5-mile trip on the lower section of the river—it has less speed and is suitable for kids. No experience is necessary, but white-water rafting can be a risky activity, and you’ll have to sign a waiver releasing the company from liability. We came through our trip unscathed, exhilarated, and determined to try it again someday. The business operates May through Sept and is closed on Fri, Sun, and Mon.