Raft One

This company knows how to show you a good time on the river. We had Tyler as our guide and he was absolutely phenomenal, though I get the impression that Raft One is careful about who they hire — everyone seems to rave about all of their guides. Our guide had outstanding command of the raft, a deep understanding of the river and made us feel safe, secure and excited all at the same time… Be prepared to WORK your way down that river — in Tyler’s words, «This ain’t Six Flags!»

This place is terrific. I hope you find them out of the myriad choices. Brent and crew treat you like family and the guides are experienced, friendly and fun. Couldn’t recommend it more. One boat went by watching us jump off a rock and we heard them ask their guide if they got to do that — «nope» — and they kept on going.
Secret tips:
1. If you’ve been on the Trail or like primitive camping ask Brent or Lauren about camping on the property.
2. Go to Habaneros in Copperhill for cheap, good Mexican food. Tell them Raft One sent you.
3. Ask for Clay or Prom for your guide. Tell them Daniel from Fl sent you.
Have a blast.

White Water Rafting has been an item on my bucket list for some time now, and I’m beyond stoked to have chosen Raft One to guide me through my initial experience. Our guide, Chris, did an amazing job of keeping things light-​hearted, threw in some historical tidbits that I, as a nerd, found super interesting, and did all he could to give us the ride of our lives. When we started our journey down the river, he asked how extreme we wanted our rafting trip to be. We replied with resounding encouragement, and he definitely delivered. It was awesome.
In addition, I told Chris that if I had a choice, I’d prefer to not got tossed from the raft (it felt as wimpy as it sounds) as I had recently had a tiny surgery and was technically still not allowed to get fully submerged in river water. He accommodated perfectly, ensured that I stayed safe, and still made sure I got adequately splashed to a safe level whilst floating down the river.
We encountered some other rafting companies on our way down, and the expressions of the other boats’ patrons made me even more grateful that we chose Raft One. Our guides were adventurous, hilarious, and knowledgeable, and all Raft One customers were constantly smiling from ear to ear. Raft One’s employees made us feel like we had been welcomed into part of their huge, light-​spirited rafting family, and they were amazing with the kids that we saw floating down in other groups.
Equipment was clean and safe. Raft guides were stellar. Customer service was fantastic. Really cannot say enough positive things about these guys (and gals). Give them a try. I’ll definitely be up to visit them for a follow-​up turn at the Upper Ocoee.

Best rafting experience I’ve had with any company ever.
Ben was a create guide, and led our group through many fun activities.
The facilities are great, changing rooms with showers that have WORKING HOT WATER!
Bus driver tends to drive a bit fast though,… But I assume he knows what he’s doing.
Would definitely book with
again.

We had an absolute blast here! We came in the spring and it was not super busy. The bunkhouse was comfy, clean and exceeded my expectations. Everyone was cordial, helpful, and most importantly, made me feel more at ease with the trip. Details of what was expected were explained, which is very helpful and calming — especially for someone that has never rafted before. You won’t be disappointed.

As first time rafters, our boat was a little nervous. But, our guide Nick was awesome! In no time we had maneuvered 5 miles of the river and everyone had a great time! Lesson of the day: always trust a guide with a great beard :)

White Water Rafting with the family was an amazing experience, and Raft One made it fun and safe. I am not an outdoorsy type of gal — the thought of bugs freak me out — but this is definitely something to do if you’re in the area. It’s the best way to see the mountains.
Our guide Mikey T was a cool, knowledgeable «captain» who made it a thrilling ride filled with laughter. We had seven people in our group, and we were all on the same raft. During a portion the river, Mikey advised us that we were able to jump out of the raft and float. It was amazing! Totally do it if you can. It’s not that hard getting back in, if that’s what you’re worried about.
What to wear: I wore a bathing suit under a t-​shirt and gym shorts with water booties. If you don’t have your own, you can buy a pair at the outpost (check-​in center) for $ 10. My husband wore a sleeveless tank and swim trunks with a pair of old sneakers. Both of us were comfortable. Just don’t forget to bring a change of clothes and a towel in the car. They have a changing room with showers for when you return.
We took the 3 p.m. Middle River route, and after all was said and done, we were back at the outpost by 7 p.m. It was sunny the entire time, and not too hot.
I’ve gone white water rafting twice before, and Raft One is top notch. The next time I’m in the area, I’ll choose Raft One again.

Is it weird that I was MORE nervous before white water rafting than I was about skydiving? My thought process is «Danger! You could hit a rock and get seriously injured!» vs. «If you crash after free-​falling from the sky, you die anyway, so what’s the use in worrying?» It appears that my brain thinks bruises + scrapes are greater than death.
I think it has to do with control. White water rafting is all about taking things into your own hands. You must learn to row together as one unit. It is your responsibility to paddle when you’re told to. If the boat flips and you’re thrown out, it’s entirely up to you to do the right thing and get away unscathed (there’s no surviving in skydiving accidents, after all).
The risks are real, but it’s perfectly possible to have a fun time without any mishaps whatsoever. In fact, I had the time of my life, thanks in no small part to the friends I was with, and our awesome instructor.
You’ll receive a lesson on when to paddle, when to stop, and most importantly, when to fall into the boat and hang on for dear life. If you listen to instructions, you should be fine. The middle section of the river has class 1 – 4 rapids, and of COURSE you start off with the most intense class 4. Did you think they’d ease you into it? No. Brace yourself.
It’s manageable for beginners though, level 5 is where you’d have to be experienced. They actually held the 1996 Olympics at another section of this river. Nowadays, people literally camp out at the river bank and watch the rafts flip as they hit this huge rapid. Yes, even pros get swallowed into the river. This could entertain me for hours.
The thrills are just enough to get your heart rate up without causing a heart attack. There are also peaceful segments where you just sprawl out on the boat and relax. I’d say the worst part was getting splashed by the ICE COLD water. Nothing you can do about that, so just bear with it.
Before you reach the end, your guide will ask if anyone wants to «ride the bull.» Don’t ask questions, just volunteer. It’s literally a BLAST. You sit at the front edge of the raft, hold on to a rope, and ride the biggest rapids while the rest of them suckas behind you paddle on. Keep your mouth closed. You don’t wanna drink this water.
Another bucket list item checked off. Next up, bungee jumping? I’M READY.

Have you ever been so stressed out from work that you find it hard to relax? Looking for something that will wipe that stress away? White-​water rafting on the Ocoee River will do the trick! And there’s no outfitter better than Raft One. This was my first visit. I can’t rate the check-​in experience, because I was a part of a group and chose to leave Atlanta very very late in the evening (2 hr drive). That meant that I would arrive at the campsite around the midnight hour. I was concerned about being able to find the campsite. That was a little challenging and I turned off into a competitors site by accident. I had to go up and down the road apiece before I found the turn-​off for their site. It’s very hard to see where to turn off the road at night. I hope that they would consider adding some sort of a reflective indicator because they do have campsites on the premises and I’m sure I’m not the only person that might have to arrive late at night. Once I found the turn-​off, I had no problem locating my spot for the night. My organization chose to use the bunkhouse. The bunkhouse is an A-​framed cabin with a beautiful blond wood interior and 40 box 10 to a room. It features a microwave and refrigerator, two bathrooms, a great room with two picnic tables inside, and a wraparound balcony with several picnic tables and a grill that burns propane. I did not see the grill work but heard that there was no propane left. If you plan on using the grill, make sure you ask about the propane supply. There’s also a fire ring for a nice roaring fire. There is a parking area nearby, but you should be prepared to climb a lot of stairs to get from the parking area to the entrance of the bunkhouse. I’m glad I chose to use my backpack, because I only had to make one trip up with everything that I needed. There are sites where you can pitch a tent as well as some cabin-​like quarters. I did not see the cabin-​like quarters close-​up, so for better description, you need to contact Raft One. Morning came, and it was time to go down to the office and gift shop to sign the waivers and listen to the safety instructions. Then, helmets lifejackets and paddles were distributed. We loaded onto the buses with the rafts strapped on top and went down to the put-​in site on the Ocoee. Upon arrival, it was explained to us that one raft would be reserved for people who were apprehensive about their adventure. Another raft would be reserved for what I like to lovingly refer to as the Psychos, who want to be tossed into the river. This is done under carefully supervised conditions, mind you. Another raft was reserved for those persons who were interested in an exciting ride but were not looking to be tossed out of the raft. I thought carefully about my physical condition and how I might respond, in case of an emergency and chose to go with the moderate route. The next time, I might go for the Psycho group! I strongly recommend that you listen to your guides, consider your physical capabilities, your ability to swim and float, and use that information to ride your own ride. You don’t have to share the same boat with your travel partner, as your travel partner might want to have an experience that you are not prepared for. Choose your own ride. After a review of the safety instructions, a check of your equipment and a practice with the commands that will be used, you pushoff into the river. The guides make the trip! They make you feel extremely comfortable right away and encourage you to let them know if you have any concerns, health risks or hesitations. They crack you up all the way down the river. Parrot was our guide. Not only was he fun to be with, but he taught me so much about the whole river system including some ecological information. The other guides were friendly, and helpful too. The Ocoee River near Ducktown Tennessee was an Olympic white water site. This river had to be gussied up and tweaked in order for to meet the Olympic committee requirements. The river powers four powerhouses and the damn releases the water from a reservoir on a set schedule. The Whitewater companies that utilize the river coordinate their trips with the water release. In the afternoon the water is shut off and the water returns to the reservoir. What you have left is an amazing look at the dry riverbed and you are able to get a clear picture of how man, engineering, and mother nature can come together to create a unique site. You can do the upper and middle River basin, the lower River basin or make a day of it and do both! We did both and it made for a day that started at 9:30 AM on the river and ended at about 3:00 PM. The coolest part is the middle River basin where the rapids were tweaked for the Olympic course. That was a blast! If you are of an inquisitive nature, stay until 4 PM, so that you can look back out at the riverbed to see what this river looks like Monday through Friday. The Ocoee Olympic visitor center is the place for the best view. It was awesome!

We initially chose Raft One because we got a swell deal. Kailyn was our rafting guide and she was amazing. Our raft was pretty heavy, but she handled it like a pro. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves would definitely consider going back another time.

Went rafting for the first time in my life and had a great time here.
The guide I had was named Burt and he was fantastic. He was very skilled in navigating the waters and took us through some really cool areas. Our group was a bit more adventurous so we chose some of the more rough parts and even flipped over a few times; however, throughout the whole process, I felt totally safe and it was clear that the guide knew exactly what he was doing.
Raft One had a few cool differentiators. For example, at one point our guide tied the raft to a rock and turned it upside down and we used it as a water slide.
Another memorable moment came when our guide decided to «pirate» another boat and we snuck up on another group and pulled them into the water.
Like I said, this was my first time so I was a bit cautious going in, but the experience turned out to be fantastic. Highly recommended.
P. S. As I understand it, our guide (Burt) is only there a few days a year, so you probably won’t be able to get him. But if he’s there, I’d highly recommend him!

These guys are the best — hands down. I’ve used several other companies over the years and some can be like a cattle call — they’re just interested in getting as many people down the river as they can. If you’re interested in personalized service and people who want to make sure you have an enjoyable experience — this is the place. Very competitive rates and the combo rafting trip with zip-​lining is the bomb!

We came down to zip line and to raft the river and had the time of our lives. We had Daniel as our guide and he made sure we had an amazing time. Thanks to Dusty & crew for an unbelievably wonderful day!!!

This is the best company to go with if you want to raft the Ocoee. If Bruce is there, get him as your guide! It’s been almost a year since I last rafted the Ocoee and the fact that I still remember my guide’s name and this company should tell you something. This was my third time rafting and I can’t tell you anything about the other two companies or guides.
We took a huge group of kids (ages 12 – 18) from a local summer camp and they were extremely accommodating.
Our raft flipped (which happens) and I was a 4 year old about it, (which also happens) and our guide did a great job getting us all back together and back into the boat.
Bruce knew alot about the history of the area and told us lots of stories which made our ride very interesting.
I highly recommend and they have very competitive rates.

My birthday thing is to go white water rafting so I started looking for a deal online in May (B’day in June). the first one to pop up on my radar was a full day package with Raft One. I’ve been down the Ocoee a few times but with other companies. I cannot express how much I loved this trip and Raft One.
We had a party of 7 and they kept us all in the same boat. We were also the only group out yesterday (7÷7÷12), so there wasn’t any waiting around for other boats to catch up. Our guide, Danny was completely laid back and let us take the lead (only one novice in the boat). We had a couple of slip outs on the rapids, but Danny had us (self included) back in the boat in seconds, not minutes. I’m gonna also go ahead and give him props here because I’m not a dainty lady. so for him to pull me in so quickly, he’s got some serious strength. It was apparent that safety was his first concern and after that it was about ensuring that we had a good time.
I’m going to look into going again later this season, but would only want Danny as my guide, which means obviously that I’d want Raft One as my tour company.
The only complaint I’d say that I do have is that their outpost is built on top of an Aztec temple of stairs. they’re very steep and there is one section where the stairs have no railing. For someone who’s fallen down stairs before, this is very intimidating. There were no issues yesterday, but that doesn’t mean there wouldn’t/won’t be in the future. Otherwise, TOP NOTCH company.

I went here last season with a group of six. Out of our group only two had been white water rafting before so we were pretty novice. It wasn’t too difficult to find the place but the parking was fairly scarce so I recommend getting there a little early so you don’t have to park in some crazy spot. After you sign in they take out all the rafters who are leaving at the same time and do a safety/​instructional orientation. After this you get your gear and load a school bus where they drive you out to the drop off point. This is where you meet your guide and are on your way!
Our guide was very young, I think just out of High School, but he was nice and seemed to be quite experienced. Can’t really talk about the river itself since it was the first one I’d been on but it was very thrilling and we all had a lot of fun. Not sure if I’d feel the need to do it again but I’m certainly glad i went!

As part of my birthday celebration I decided to take a whitewater rafting trip with Raft 1 on the Ocoee consisting of the Upper and Middle sections which include the Olympic section (class IV+) from the 1996 Olympic whitewater competition. The trip was fantastic from start to finish! The owner Brentt Rogers is incredibly personable and runs a great operation. He has very well trained guides who make you feel safe but also know how to have fun. The trip lasted about 6 ½ hours from start to finish and included a lunch stop midway through. Our group had a really fun time negotiating the rapids and even had a break where we could hop in the river and float it.
Overall I would say this trip made my birthday a very memorable day. There are a lot of companies (including several large ones) to choose from on this river (as it can get to be a very crowded place). But Raft1 is the perfect size. It is large enough to accommodate any size group, but small enough to be able to move fast and stay ahead of the big boys on the river. Out of everyone on the river, it certainly seemed like those in our group were having the most fun. I know I will certainly be back to Cooperhill, TN to run this river again and when I do, it will absolutely be with Raft1.