Mar – Oct
Lower Pigeon River
Family Float · Class I–II
Length1.5 hours on the water
DifficultyClass I–II (beginner)
From$30.95 per person
in the Smoky Mountains
From gentle family floats to heart-pounding Class IV drops, Rapid Expeditions has been guiding unforgettable days on the Pigeon River since day one.
Our most-booked trips showcase the best of the Pigeon River — from splashy family floats to full-throttle Class IV whitewater, plus the lessons and rentals that keep guests coming back.
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Mar – Oct
Mar – Oct
Apr – Sep
Mar – Oct
May – Oct
From the first phone call to the last wave of goodbye, you're with people who paddle these waters every single day. Our guides are locally rooted, professionally trained, and seriously fun — because a great day on the river is the whole point.
We run trips on the Pigeon River because it's the best whitewater within a day's drive of most of the Southeast — and because the Smokies make a pretty unbeatable backdrop for whatever adventure you're chasing.
Learn MoreWe've been running the Pigeon since long before "whitewater rafting near me" was a Google search. Thousands of trips later, we still get a kick out of watching a first-timer light up on a Class III wave.
Get people outside, get them smiling, get them home with a story. Simple as that. We're proud to share this river and these mountains with you, and we work hard to leave them better than we found them.
Every guide is Swiftwater Rescue certified, first-aid trained, and — most importantly — picked because they're the kind of person you'd actually want to spend a day with on a river.
Our specialty trips blend whitewater with something extra — full-day adventures, music floats, group events, and a few surprises we keep up our sleeves for return guests.
Run both the Upper and Lower sections in a single day. We provide a riverside lunch, all the gear, and a guide team that knows how to keep the energy up from the first rapid to the last.
View the comboCustom itineraries for groups of 12 to 200. We've hosted company retreats, bachelor parties, family reunions, and church youth groups — and we've got the menu, the music, and the team to make it work.
Plan a group tripGot kids as young as five? Grandparents who'd love a calmer splash? Our Lower Pigeon trip was made for you. Same gear, same guides, same smiles — with a fraction of the white-knuckle moments.
See family tripTwo-day beginner courses, weekend intensive lessons, and rolling & bracing clinics — held on the calm sections of the Pigeon and taught by ACA-certified instructors.
View kayak school
Run both the Upper and Lower sections in a single day with riverside lunch.
Tucked between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest, the Pigeon River is one of the Southeast's most beloved whitewater runs. Rapid Expeditions has been guiding trips here for years — and we're still the first call for folks in Hartford, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Knoxville, and Asheville looking for a real day on the water.
Read Our StoryPick your section, pick your pace, and we'll handle the rest.
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