My grandma was also my hero she had all the National Geographic magazines taught me to type and always had gas in the pontoon boat my great grandma Brashear She was bad ass taught me to cut firewood make apple butter and soap and was a rock hound she had jars of uncut rubies that woman would take me to farmers markets in the 80’s in Tennessee and north Georgia I also panned gold #TheDahlonegaGoldRush began in 1828 in the mountains of North Georgia, marking the first major gold rush in United States history. Triggered by the accidental discovery of a gold-bearing rock by a deer hunter named Benjamin Parks, the sudden influx of fortune-seekers drastically transformed the region, heavily influenced federal monetary policy, and fundamentally changed the fate of the indigenous Cherokee Nation. And learned how to weave baskets tan rabbits and squirrels from #theCherokeeNation the Cherokee taught me how to survive and live the land my first job was renting whitewater rafts on the Chattahoochee River I also white water kayaked all rivers in South Carolina Georgia Tennessee before I was age 12 and rafter them Georgia offers world-class whitewater adventures, ranging from dam-controlled urban courses to wild, scenic wilderness runs. The state’s premier rivers cater to all experience levels, featuring everything from gentle family floats to intense Class V rapids. [1 (https://chattahoochee.whitewaterexpress.com/), 2 (https://exploregeorgia.org/things-to-do/list/incredible-places-to-go-whitewater-rafting-in-georgia), 3 (https://georgiacfy.com/white-water-rafting-north-georgia/), 4 (https://bigfootrafting.com/the-origins-of-white-water-rafting/)%5D
Top whitewater rivers in Georgia include:
• #Chattahoochee River (Columbus, GA): Located roughly 1.5 hours southwest of Atlanta, this is the world’s longest urban whitewater course. It features rapids ranging from Class I to Class V (such as “Heaven and Hell”). The 2.5-mile course allows for family-friendly floats in the morning and challenging “extreme” rafting in the afternoon. Guided trips are available via outfitters like Whitewater Express (https://chattahoochee.whitewaterexpress.com/). [1 (https://rushsouth.com/), 2 (https://chattahoochee.whitewaterexpress.com/), 3 (https://chattahoochee.whitewaterexpress.com/), 4 (https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/march-april-2026/rapid-growth/), 5 (https://exploregeorgia.org/list/summer-family-adventure-list)%5D
• #ChattoogaRiver (Clayton, GA): Flowing through the Chattahoochee National Forest in North Georgia, this is an undammed “Wild and Scenic” river famous for being the filming location of the movie Deliverance. It features remote, rugged Class II to Class V rapids. Outfitting is available from Southeastern Expeditions (http://www.southeasternexpeditions.com/) and Wildwater Chattooga Adventure Center. [1 (https://georgiacfy.com/white-water-rafting-north-georgia/), 2 (https://exploregeorgia.org/things-to-do/list/incredible-places-to-go-whitewater-rafting-in-georgia)%5D
• #CartecayRiver (Ellijay, GA): Located in the North Georgia mountains, this river offers a more relaxed but active experience. While the upper sections are calm, the lower section features fun, continuous Class II and III rapids that are highly popular for beginner kayakers and rafters. [1 (https://festivewater.com/blogs/festive-water-blog/where-to-whitewater-kayak-in-north-georgia?srsltid=AfmBOopFcIkJfItSmXxmGiia5zkuQK9ErUkX8ljfaqr_w8jYFvhTU6ao), 2 (https://www.blueskycabinrentals.com/north-georgia-rafting/), 3 (https://www.morningbreezecabinrentals.com/north-georgia-vacation-blog/north-georgia-attractions-activities/the-best-tubing-outfitters-in-north-georgia/)%5D
If you would like to narrow down your options, let me know:
• What experience level are you looking for? (Beginner, intermediate, or advanced)
• Are you planning a guided rafting trip or bringing your own kayak/raft?
• Do you need suggestions for nearby lodging or camping?
Tennessee offers some of the best whitewater in the Southeast, ranging from beginner-friendly floats to Olympic-grade runs. The state’s two premier whitewater rivers are located in the eastern mountains and are heavily guided by commercial outfitters: [1 (https://noc.com/ocoee-river-rafting/), 2 (https://www.outlandexpeditions.com/), 3 (https://thomasandthomas.com/blogs/news/east-tennessee-fly-fishing-south-holston-watauga-rivers)%5D
• Ocoee River (Benton, TN): Located in the Cherokee National Forest, this is the most popular whitewater river in the U.S. and the site of the 1996 Olympic canoe and kayak slalom events. The Middle Ocoee features 5 miles of continuous Class III and IV rapids. The Upper Ocoee steps up the intensity with Olympic-grade Class IV rapids. Book a trip via Nantahala Outdoor Center (https://noc.com/ocoee-river-rafting/) or Ocoee Rafting (https://ocoeerafting.com/). [1 (https://paddlingmag.com/trips/destinations/whitewater-rafting-tennessee/), 2 (https://noc.com/nashville-tn-region/), 3 (https://noc.com/ocoee-river-rafting/), 4 (https://www.outlandexpeditions.com/)%5D
• #PigeonRiver (Hartford, TN): Located just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (about 30 miles from Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge), this dam-controlled river offers thrilling Class I-IV rapids. #TheUpperPigeon is an action-packed 6-mile stretch for thrill-seekers, while the Lower Pigeon offers a milder, family-friendly Class I-II float. Trips can be booked through Rafting in the Smokies (https://www.rapidexpeditions.com/) or Smoky Mountain River Rat (https://smokymtnriverrat.com/). [1 (https://smokymtnriverrat.com/), 2 (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28963-Activities-c61-t193-Tennessee.html), 3 (https://www.rapidexpeditions.com/), 4 (https://www.tnvacation.com/trip-inspiration/articles/tennessee-river-rafting), 5 (https://smokymountains.com/gatlinburg/blog/white-water-rafting-gatlinburg-need-know)%5D
If you are a more experienced, self-equipped paddler with your own kayak or raft, Tennessee also features several advanced wilderness whitewater rivers:
• #NolichuckyRiver (Erwin, TN): Cuts through the deepest gorge in the eastern United States, featuring continuous Class III-IV rapids surrounded by steep cliffs and the Pisgah National Forest. [1 (https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/nolichucky-river/65a62996-f9fa-4f2c-9d80-66ebe9fb7649), 2 (https://wahoosadventures.com/nolichucky-river-outpost/whitewater-rafting/), 3 (https://theblueridgehighlander.com/rivers_creeks_in_the_mtns/north_carolina/nolichucky_river.php), 4 (https://northeasttennessee.org/an-ode-to-the-beautiful-nolichucky-river/), 5 (https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-index/state/USA-TNN)%5D
• #WataugaRiver (Elizabethton, TN): Offers great scenic paddling with a mix of Class II-III rapids, making it perfect for intermediate kayakers and beginner rafters. [1 (https://raftinginfo.com/rivers-of-tennessee/), 2 (https://halagear.com/blogs/news/suping-in-the-southeast), 3 (https://www.beecliffcabins.com/thingstodo)%5D
• #ClearCreek / #ClearFork (Lilly, TN): Located on the Cumberland Plateau, this rugged canyon system features challenging Class III-IV drops for advanced whitewater enthusiasts (especially in the spring). [1 (https://ihoneida.com/knowledge-base/clear-fork/)%5D
Note: Because most of these are dam-controlled or natural free-flowing rivers, seasonal water releases dictate exactly when they run. Always check local outfitter schedules or regional gauges before planning a trip.
I also mountain biked all trails very interesting in the 80’s the bikes didn’t have the same suspensions or breaks we crashed rolled into canyons almost killed our selves on mountains bikes dirt bikes four wheelers and horseback bareback by the way I can ride a horse on any form of earth and in the ocean streams mountains I also four wheel drives the old power lines and road sandrails dune buggies ATV UTV Dirt bikes in the Oregon dunes timberland state forest and mountains Oregon Washington some of the nastiest places on earth I’ve hunted all 4 corners of Oregon Washington Idaho and Montana texas Florida Georgia hogs reptiles birds fish game the biggest sturgeon I caught around 25’ -30’ snake river hunted it and fished it! Panned gold in the arctic hunted in the arctic Alaska 120 miles north of nome lived up there a year! Surfed big waves 40’ with white sharks freedive to 300’ and have a 8minute breath hold I prefer long range shooting with trackingpoints and can kill animals out past 100yrds with my bow! I am a certified taxidermist tannery and meat Processing as well as advanced outdoor film and production certified 100ton captain 200ton near coastal mate I’ve been navigating boats since a was 5 years old ran boats and cutters construction tenders atom units search and rescue units port security units cyber security units Northern California Oregon Washington straights of San Juan Seattle Canada arctic circle gulf of America / Mexico ICD brownville to Florida
rigsreefclassicspearfishing.com
Gator-Gripp.com
Blacknbluepaintball.com
blacknbluepb@yahoo.com
1-503-298-0592
@surfman374
David M ramsey
