The Hiwassee River is a popular Tennessee summer destination. Rapids make it perfect for a thrilling river tubing trip.
Do you want a little more thrill in your river tubing adventure? The Hiwassee River is the go-to place for tubing down rapids that range from a few inches to two feet tall. Riding down this river in a tube is the perfect Tennessee summer thrill. Keep reading to learn more about where exactly to go on this long river and how to stay safe while having fun.
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The Hiwassee River
The Hiwassee River is part of the Hiwassee and Ocoee Scenic River State Park. It’s nestled in the valleys of the beautiful mountains that make up the Cherokee National Forest. It boasts class I, II, and III rapids. Which makes it a popular spot for beginner white water rafting and kayaking. However, don’t let this scare you like it did me. This river is also kind to river tubing as well. There are a few options as far as river tubing the Hiwassee River go. You can choose the adventurous trip over the rapids from the Powerhouse Boat Ramp. Or play it safe and relax on trip through the calm section starting at the Reliance Boat Ramp. And these aren’t your only options. There are many spots in between where you can put-in or take-out to make your tubing day as adventurous or not adventurous as you wish.
How to Tackle River Tubing
If you love the idea of river tubing and intend to make it a yearly summer activity, I suggest investing in your own tubing equipment. It can be done fairly easily and affordably. However, if you just want to try it or you don’t plan to go too often and you don’t have the storage space for tubing equipment, maybe consider renting instead.
I have not tried either of these places, but both will rent you river tubes on the Hiwassee River. The Webb Brothers Outfitter and General Store has an excellent river take-out. While the Hiwassee Outfitters has a slightly more challenging take-out, they also offer a good deal on rentals. And if you want to try something other than river tubing, both places have kayak and raft rental options as well.
The River Tubing Game Plan
So, you’ve decided to tackle river tubing the Hiwassee River by your own means and methods. What does this look like and how should you plan?
Two or More Vehicles
River tubing is more fun the more people you have to join you. Once you’ve established your tubing adventure group, it’s time to plan. Make sure everyone is prepared with the tubing equipment they need. Next, you’ll need to figure out how many vehicles are needed for the trip. You’ll need enough vehicles to shuttle everyone to the put-in and at least one vehicle to be left at the take-out to shuttle the drivers back to their vehicles at the put-in after the float.
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Meet at the Take-Out Spot
Now it’s time to coordinate a time and place to meet. Meet your group with all your vehicles at the take-out first. This is where I suggest applying sunscreen, using the restroom, and prepping the items you’ll be taking down the Hiwassee River with you. Also be sure to get a good look at the take-out. You need everyone in your group to understand and see for themselves what it looks like and visualize what it will look like from the water as you approach it at the end of the float. I failed my friends on this one, crucial step and it caused us some problems that could have been avoided. The Hiwassee River can be a bit chaotic so do not expect to be able to stay with your group the entire time. Everyone needs to be prepared to take care of themselves alone, just in case. Once everyone is ready, put all your gear into the vehicles taking you to the put-in and head on out.
Drive to the Put-In Spot and Start Your Float
Drive to the desired put-in and inflate your floats. Once everyone is ready to get in, head down to the river and start your float! All my suggested put-ins and take-outs for the Hiwassee River will be explained in the next section.
Ending Your Trip
Once you’ve reached your take-out spot, be sure that everyone in your group exits safely. This might mean driving further downstream to catch someone. I’m speaking from experience on this one. I failed to fully prepare my one friend who had never been river tubing before. She didn’t understand where the take-out was and she struggled to navigate in her tube. Because of this, we had to drive downstream a little ways to catch her and safely get her out of the river. We all survived unscathed, but it was a stressful experience. Make sure whomever you’re taking with you is prepared for this float. It really can become an “every man for himself” situation on the Hiwassee River and you want to make sure everyone is aware of that before you go.
Once everyone is out, take the other drivers back to their vehicles upstream. Meanwhile the rest of the group can stay behind to pack things up and change clothes while awaiting your return.
Put-Ins and Take-Outs on the Hiwassee River
Consider the times each trip will take from point to point and plan accordingly. I’ve put the rough estimate beside each trip option below.
Rapid Ride Locations
- Start at the Powerhouse Boat Ramp (fee area) and float to the area right before Webb Brothers Rafting and General Store (pictured below) (4hrs)
- Start at the Big Bend and float to the area right before Webb Brothers Rafting and General Store (pictured below) (2½hrs)
Calmer Float Locations
- Start at the Reliance Boat Ramp and float to the Hiwassee River Picnic Area (I’m guessing about 4hrs. I will update once confirmed by experience)
- Start at the Hiwassee River Picnic Area and float to the Hiwassee 411 Boat Ramp (I’m guessing about 4hrs. I will update once confirmed by experience)
My Experience Tubing the Hiwassee River
My friends and I met at the Reliance Boat Ramp to prep for our trip out. We initially planned on launching from the Powerhouse Boat Ramp, but by the time we got there, we couldn’t find a parking spot. We had a later start than planned so we decided to cut our river float down some by launching at Big Bend instead.
There’s less parking at Big Bend but it wasn’t packed when we showed up that Saturday afternoon. Also, note the put-in here is not a boat ramp so getting down to the water can be a little tricky (pictured below). There’s a two foot drop off created by erosion and the area is slick. So be careful descending down to the water here.
I wish I had better prepared my friends for this float. It’s really hard to stay connected together when trying to navigate around rocks on the rapids. So, we spent most of our time floating separately. And the rapids really push you apart at different speeds. There were many times we found ourselves floating up to 100 yards away from each other! At the end of the trip, we were able to all safely exit the river although it was a challenge. (Watch the video to see what I mean.) That is why it’s very important to make sure that everyone knows where and how to exit the river on their own.
More Tips for Your Hiwassee River Adventure
Aside from making sure everyone is prepared for the tubing adventure, it’s also good to note that there are restrooms at most of these spots. However, there are no sinks, and the toilet is just a hole in the ground. That’s the case for the public areas. If you choose to rent from one of the other places I mentioned earlier, they have their own restrooms you can use.
Afterwards, grab lunch or dinner at the Firewater Grill. It’s located by the river across the bridge from the Webb Brothers Outfitter and General Store. We ate here and it was just what we needed after a crazy river tubing trip.
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In Closing
River tubing on the Hiwassee River can be crazy or lazy. The choice is yours. Choose the section of river that suits your needs best. I have yet to tube down the calmer sections, but I will share that experience with you when I do.
Until then, watch the video where you will see exactly what the rapids are like and how stressful it can be if someone in your group doesn’t know how are where to get out of the river.
I’ll do better next time and make sure everyone is prepared. I hope you do the same! Let me know in the comments below if you’ve tubed or rafted down the Hiwassee River and what your thoughts are. I’d love to know! Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
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