Smoky Mountain River Rat Whitewater Rafting — Attraction in Newport

Incredible Whitewater Experience — Bobbie is a Legend! An Unforgettable Family Adventure with River Rat thanks Bobbie who is the ultimate Rock Star!

We had an absolutely incredible experience with River Rat White Water Rafting, and I cannot recommend them highly enough!

From the moment we booked, the communication was top-notch. Every detail was covered — from what to bring, what to wear, how to check in, and even where to store our belongings. Their email reminders and updates made it stress-free and answered all our questions before we even thought to ask them.

On arrival, we were pleasantly surprised by how organized everything was. River Rat has a large, clean stone parking lot with plenty of space, which made getting in and out hassle-free — no parking chaos here! Check-in was quick, smooth, and efficient.

Before heading to the river, we went through a detailed and reassuring safety orientation. As parents, this was especially appreciated since our two daughters (10 and 13) were a bit nervous. The crew did an amazing job — professional, clear, and funny. But the highlight before even hitting the water? BOBBIE.

Bobbie (aka “Buffalo Bob” or Queen B as we now lovingly call her) came into the pre-launch gym and immediately lit up the room. She introduced herself to each group, asked where we were visiting from, and made everyone feel relaxed and welcomed. She had us laughing and smiling in no time. After just ten minutes, our daughters were begging to have her as our guide.

Well, the rafting gods were listening, because when roll call came — we were assigned to Bobbie! The excitement in our daughters’ eyes was priceless. And let me tell you, Bobbie did not disappoint.

From the bus ride (filled with hilarious guide banter) to hitting the rapids, Bobbie had our whole family engaged, comfortable, and having the time of our lives. She coached our girls so well that — for the first time ever — they were working together as a team, communicating, and paddling in sync. My wife and I were stunned (in the best way).

Then came the real test — a surprise wipeout in one of the rapids. One second we’re cruising, the next — BAM! I’m in the water. So is my wife, our youngest daughter, and yes — even Bobbie! But she went into Wonder Woman mode and instantly got back in the raft, pulling in my daughter first, then my wife, then me — all with strength, speed, and calm precision. It was incredible to witness, and we felt totally safe in her hands the entire time.

Bobbie is the reason this trip became more than just a fun day — she made it a core memory for our entire family. Her warmth, humor, leadership, and pure heart turned a great experience into an unforgettable one.

We’ll absolutely be back — and we’ll be requesting Bobbie again if we’re lucky enough to get her!

Thank you, Bobbie and River Rat, for a phenomenal adventure and memories we’ll...

I cannot express how amazing this was for our family of 5! We had our 3 kiddos with us, 11, 9, & 8, and we were a little concerned about the Upper Pigeon rafting, but knew our guide has probably done this several times before, so put our trust in him. Liam was the bomb! There were so many things that could have made this trip terrible. We chose the last trip of the day (5:00) for our kiddos and their schedules. It was sunny when we checked in. By the time we got on the bus a half hour later, it was pouring. Gave a new definition to the term "drowned rat."

We had to wait about 20 minutes or so for the storm to blow through as it was threatening high winds and hail. The head guide kept stressing safety first and it was apparent that all the other guides trusted and respected him to take it seriously. While waiting on the bus for the storm to pass, they told jokes and made us laugh. Our guide sat near us and answered our kids' questions. ❤️ He was great with them the whole trip.

When we finally got off the bus, it was still raining and absolutely looked miserable. We were about to get incredibly wet anyway, but cold rain and water in a raft are not my idea of a good time, but it was absolutely worth it.

The river was fast and it was certainly fun! Liam made the most of it and the views of the thunderstorm in the mountains while on a river were on an entirely different level. It was awe-inspiring.

I highly recommend this company. They were absolutely legit, love their jobs, took it seriously when needed, and made sure we had fun even when every single element was against us.

If you're trying to vacation on a budget, blow it with this. If you don't care about money, blow it on this. If you're fearful of anything remotely terrifying, try this. I am not a daredevil, I hate amusement parks, but this was not bad at all.

An amazing time....

First, the positive. The river and surrounding area is beautiful and most of our group had a great time. Many of the guides seemed friendly and knowledgeable.

Not so with our guide.

Matt was incredibly, almost shockingly rude from the very beginning of the trip.

We have not been in the boat for more than two minutes before he began to scream at me in front of all of the other passengers. To preface the story I will say that I rowed on the crew team in college and do understand how to pull an oar through the water. However, almost immediately, we hit a wave that made me feel a little disoriented, so I reached my hand out to study myself briefly. This resulted in Matt screaming at me in front of the entire boat instead of just nicely reminding me to try to hold onto the edges. Another time just a couple minutes later, still at the very beginning of our trip, he was apparently dissatisfied with the hold I had on the oar, even though I was just adjusting my grip quickly. In front of all the other people on the boat, he again screamed at me to hold onto my oar, and that if I didn’t listen, he would take the oar from me. He was hostile and loud. Rather than subject the other people on the boat to his rude and unnecessarily angry behavior anymore, I just handed my oar over for the remainder of the trip.

But still, that didn’t stop Matt’s raft ride of terrors. As we meandered down the river on what should’ve been a beautiful sunny, fun day, he told us all kinds of terrifying tales. Someone who had had their esophagus crushed by an oar, someone who bashed their head against a rock, someone who had their feet sliced by railroad shards floating in the water. On and on and on.

It was scary and angry when it should have been fun. Disappointing...