Smoky Mountain River Adventures — Attraction in Dillsboro

Smoky Mountain River Adventures

Yesterday my wife and I took our daughter and 8-year-old granddaughter on a guided rafting trip from Smoky mountain River Adventures. We all had a great time. I chose Smokey Mountain River Adventures because they have great reviews and are close to where the kids live. The Tuckasegee River is pretty mild for rafting which I’m sure is why it’s described on the website as perfect for first time rafters. Before calling for a reservation I looked at the calendar on their website which shows color-coded flow rates on different days. I chose a purple day as the website says, “The water levels offer fast water and are great for larger rafts and guided trips”. I think it turned out “just right” for our granddaughter. When I called I spoke with Tee Davis, the owner, and making a reservation was easy.

After signing the releases we were fitted with life jackets and given a briefing about the trip by Josie our guide. We loaded in a van for a short trip to the start point. I’ve used 6 or 7 different rafting places and I’m sure this is the only one that didn’t have customers’ assist loading and unloading rafts at the start and finish. That was a pleasant surprise. Our guide seemed knowledgeable and was fun to talk with throughout the trip. I don’t think they could have done anything else to make the trip more enjoyable.

The whole place presented a maintained appearance. The bathrooms were very clean and set up with plenty of room and benches to help changing clothes. Plastic bags were available for your wet clothes when you finished. I liked that every employee we encountered greeted us in a friendly way, not the usual canned greeting that one gets from other businesses.

FYI, we found that cell coverage using AT&T and Ting (Verizon & T-Mobile towers) was almost useless in the area.

Smoky Mountain River Adventures is a good place to go for rafting. I’d use them again and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone. Thanks Josie for...

The trip our family (2 teens, 2 adults) experienced was the white water rafting at Smoky Mountain River Adventures. The staff were friendly and accommodating and stalled our trip half an hour when we needed to return to our hotel for swimsuits. On that topic, definitely bring your swimsuits on your ride because you'll need them not only when getting splashed but if you decide to jump off a rock on one of the stops. Our driver was funny and engaging on the short trip to the dropoff point. Our guide, Benny, was very helpful and stopped us from getting stuck on rocks many times and got the boat back on the water quickly when we did. It was a very safe environment yet also thrilling. The water was very cold, though apparently it was warmer than usual, but that contrasted nicely with the hot day. The rapids on the Tuckasegee River were Level 2, though they approached Level 3 rapids towards the end of the trip. On our rest stop, we got to jump off a boulder into the river (if we chose to) which was slightly nerve-wracking though exhilarating. Benny was very knowledgeable in everything and even pointed out a bald eagle to us. We enjoyed some popcorn and ice pops from the staff at the end of our trip. Overall, I'd...

We were first timers for a Guided Rafting Trip. I called in the morning & secured a guided trip by lunchtime from T. Davis. Super glad that we did this. While a guide costs a little more, it is well worth it and our guide, Kale, was outstanding. She knew the river well, how to negotiate rocks, best place to experience the rapids, was patient and really made the whole experience a pleasure. She was able to share some interesting local facts including about a famous Hollywood movie scene that was filmed on the river.

The staff were all super nice: from the initial phone call, to the greeter when we arrived, to the driver, to the person who helps you get out of the raft when you return - outstanding in all respects! A really nice touch was popcorn & popsicles to enjoy upon your return!

At time of writing (mid June 2020), COVID-19 was still a thing and it was noteworthy that the staff were taking extra care with disinfecting the life jackets and the even the raft upon our return.

The restrooms - which were spotless - are large enough to be suitable to change out of wet clothes.

When we return to this area of NC, we will definitely do this again and MOST definitely will use Smoky Mountain...