Kayak Tour: Lock Through the Dam Adventure

Experience the thrill of locking through the Chickamauga Dam on a kayak tour in Chattanooga. Watch as the massive gates open, secure your spot in the lock, and then be released into the river for the rest of the adventure.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 20 Kings Point Rd - Experience the unparalleled adventure of traversing through Chickamauga Dam via kayak with our exclusive guided tour. Glide into the towering 120-foot lock, and watch as the colossal gates seal your path. Your guide will tether the kayaks to a mobile anchor along the lock’s edge, ensuring the safety of all participants. The…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Kayak adventure equipment including lifejacket, paddle, and light
  • Professional guide
  • Safety equipment including group throw-bag, towline, and first aid kit
Additional Information

Cycling through a dam presents an unusual escape from normality. Patiently we wait while the colossal lock gates swing open, allowing upstream bound boats to steadily steer out. Afterwards, we paddle our kayaks into the lock, anchoring ourselves as the gates seal behind. Observing the water level, we note the high watermark slightly undershooting our…

Location
River Park Boat Ramp
We meet at the Hubert Fry Center Boat Ramp off of Amnicola Road. Directly Across the Street from the Coca-Cola Bottling plant. You cross over the RR tracks and will see a boat ramp on your left. Park next to the bike share station in single car spots. https://goo.gl/maps/AXhGy8LmqjuCVbDi9
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(67 Ratings)
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Laura_g
Aug 3, 2025
Great tour - Zach was awesome !! Great tour he was extremely knowledgeable!! I would recommend! Thank you very much
Review provided by Viator
H6134ofsaraa
Jul 31, 2025
Cool experience - Great time out on the river. Very cool experience going through the Dam Lock and seeing all of the construction for the new Lock. Zach was friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable. Would definitely go again and would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ampanmangal
Jul 19, 2025
- This was super cool. We did have to wait for a barge to go through first, which cannot be controlled by the company, but during that time we got to be nearby on the water and watch how the process worked. It is amazing how snug the lock is for the big barges, yet it is properly steered into the lock by the tug boats. We had plenty of time to chat with our guide and get lots of pertinent information. Going through the lock was very interesting and unique. Our guide Russ, did an excellent job. Zach, the owner was very responsive when we were booking our trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Luluw652
Jul 8, 2025
Very cool and unique - The lock adventure was so fun. I took my 14 year old nephew and he had a blast. So many birds to see! our guide was great and knowledgeable and the lock was so cool!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roger_h
Jul 2, 2025
Would do it again any time. - Excellent guide and very interesting and fun going through the lock. Want to bring back a group to do it some time.
Review provided by Viator
Jillck3951ez
Jun 27, 2025
Great experience - We had a good time. Our guide, Brandon, was excellent. Everything was professional, safe, and organized. The tour was very interesting, and the water was super calm.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katri8123hh
May 31, 2025
Friendly and knowledgeable guides 😃 - The Chickamauga Dam Lock Kayak Tour was super cool! Definitely something to see! Our guides were amazing and even gave my 11 year old daughter some kayaking tips to help her 😀 They were not only friendly, but very knowledgeable about the area. We will definitely book another trip next time we are in town 💙 Thank you for a wonderful mother-daughter outing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Djg710
May 19, 2025
Great experience - Very informative and cool experience going through the lock. Zach did a great job and the weather was perfect…part sun and clear
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N3642vmtaram
Mar 10, 2025
Great experience! Highly recommend! - We had a great time on this tour! The whole experience was very well organized and executed. Expectations for the day including risk assessment, safety precautions, gear fitting/familiarization, and kayak operating instruction were very thorough and methodical. Our guide, Zach, was extremely knowledgeable on the local wildlife, waterway development, and history of the area. I highly recommend booking with this company!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lifeisagift1957
Nov 13, 2024
Top 10 best adventures of my lifetime! - I went with my Pickleball buddies for an adventure kayaking through the Chickamauga Dam Lock. What a great adventure. Zach was the BEST tour guide. And his sidekick, Josh was an excellent guide as well. I will definitely do this tour again with my grandchildren. I would recommend this tour for anyone looking for a fun adventure with a great history lesson as well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $86
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).