Recently Viewed
Upper Pigeon River: Premier Whitewater Rafting Experience
4.9
556 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.
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:
24 hours
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 - 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 formâout in nature.
What's Included
- Equipment provided: life jacket, helmet, paddle
- Equipment provided: life jacket, helmet, paddle
What's Not Included
- Lunch and Snacks are 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.
- 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.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(556 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Prestonm986
May 28, 2025
Big Creek review - Great time! They are open! Jimmy was great and provided us was a safe trip down. Darryl U. was helpful and gave us a good introduction into what we needed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Greg_p
May 28, 2025
Fun white water rafting - May 2025 - Fun time rafting, Justin our guide was funny, gave great insights, and helped us hit some fun drops. Be prepared to get wet (bring a towel and change of clothes) and have an exhilarating time!
Review provided by Viator
Trail21397870780
May 21, 2025
Great Experience! - My husband booked this experience for us. At first, I was skeptical because none of us had ever rafted before, and he booked us on the upper river. However, Caeden was a wonderful guide! He made us feel like we were pro’s even though I know we were struggling, lol! I would highly recommend them to anyone looking to have a fun experience!! I would definitely do this again!! This was the highlight of our vacation!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Htodd0213
Aug 30, 2024
Thrilling experience, great guide - Rafting the Upper Pigeon is so much fun. It’s a great balance of fun rapids with bits of calmer water in between, which is great for those with minimal to moderate experience. Our guide Shaun gave great instructions and went above and beyond to make sure we had a fantastic experience. Would highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jillm506
Aug 29, 2024
Fabulous fun rafting company - Our Scout Troop of 25 people had a fabulous time rafting with Big Creek. The reservation process was very smooth, and they worked with me as our number of people changed a few times.
We divided into 4 rafts. Each of us thought our guides were great and knowledgeable of rafting and the river. We felt safe with the kids who had not rafted before. I would definitely book another trip with Big Creek in the future.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
R147exmelissar
Aug 23, 2024
Fun, exciting, well organized rafting trip! - Rafting was such a fun activity for our family! We were all beginners and we felt safe but there was adventure and excitement too. Our Guide LJ was very experienced, helpful, informative and fun. The river and surrounding landscape is gorgeous! Big Creek Expeditions is very well run.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
O8305vfrickb
Aug 19, 2024
Perfect rafting experience - 6 of us, ages 12-66 went on a beautiful Wednesday. Andrew was our guide and he made this rafting trip a 5 star experience. The joy of white water rafting is that the customers provide the speed but the guide steers the raft per their experience for the best spot to hit the rapids. A good guide reads the crew and picks a harder or easier experience to get the best ride for those in the raft. The river doesn't make the trip, the guide does, and Andrew hit a homerun. We saw at least 30 rafts on the river that day, and it was my observation that the Big Creek Expedition rafts had the biggest smiles on their paying customers.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
564carsonc
Aug 17, 2024
Parrish was AWESOME!! - Awesome experience with my family of nine! Our guide, Parrish was incredible and became part of our family for the morning. The whole team was hilarious and well prepared making for an amazing experience for the whole family from age 12 to 62!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dgk57
Aug 15, 2024
We were thrilled! - We were very impressed with being able to have our whole group of 9 in one raft! Justin was our guide and he showed great skill on our float. We are all senior citizens and this could have been a problem but Justin made it a vacation highlight. His mother “ raised him right”! He has great skill navigating the river and we had a great time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D2431cvjillg
Aug 13, 2024
The best experience. - We had the best time on our rafting experience with Parish as our guide. It was great fun and informative.. we are still talking about the power of the dragon fly. Well done and look forward to coming back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
More activities from this operator
