Yallllll!!!! Y'all!!!!! HANDS DOWN the best experience I have had white water rafting!!!!!!! I guess i should say head down!!!! SlimJim (Jake) but his Georgia given name is now 'woodpecker'. I'm horrible with names so that's what he was named for the day. He is an expert at what he does. We had 5 adults and a set of 13 year old triplets (that were basically level expert, already). We worked as a team. We laughed. There was no child, woman or man left behind. Just my dignity. I got pulled in the "swimming portion" by my girlfriend and just knew peanut butter ball (woodpecker) wasn't gonna be able to get me back in that raft and boy was I wrong. That man picked me up so effortlessly and efficiently that I accidentally turned into the human scorpion (Rob Dyrdek's show 'ridiculousness' for reference). We were all laughing so hard because I was left stuck upside down which was even funnier. Helmet stuck. Life jacket conformed into a turtle shell and I was just stuck and laughing along with everyone else. Now--- No. Im not a big back woman partaking in bigbacktivities that I shouldn't be. . Just a little thickum, if you will. The entire day truly made this vacation one for the books. Jake lead with precise guidance, was very professional and an all around genuinely great human being that ensures your safety as well as makes you laugh like he's known you for ages. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this adventure with your friends, your family, strangers--- or-- heck even just with ol SlimJim, himself!!! Thank you so much for such an absolutely incredible experience. You were made to interact with others to pass on your joy! - GA Jen Ray and Skye Ledford. #shedidnotDDTme read more

We had an amazing river rafting experience with Big Greek Expeditions! Judd was an absolutely crazy, fun, and awesome instructor/guide who made the whole adventure unforgettable. He kept us laughing, made us feel comfortable and safe, and helped us have a fantastic time from start to finish. If you're thinking about trying river rafting, Big Greek Expeditions is the way to go -- and ask for Judd! Highly recommended! ‍ read more

It was very easy to register online. I had previously called during off-hours to ask some questions. I received a prompt return call when the business reopened the next day. Chip was our guide. He was very good at keeping us safe and keeping us working as a team. He shared info about the river, trees, flowers, and history of the river. He was encouraging and helpful. It was a great rafting trip overall. I would recommend this company to others. read more

We had an excellent experience with Big Creek Expeditions! The entire staff was kind, professional, and organized from beginning to end. Our guide, Darrell U., was outstanding. He was extremely knowledgeable, gave clear instructions, and made everyone feel safe and confident on the river. His experience and positive attitude made the trip even more enjoyable. If you're looking for a fun, well-run whitewater rafting adventure, we highly recommend Big Creek Expeditions. We'll definitely be back! read more

I'm late writing this review, but I really wanted to give Big Creek, and especially our guide, Sam, their flowers. Whitewater rafting was one of our family's favorite activities of the trip. Between this and our drive through the Smokies, our kids may finally be convinced that nature can be just as exciting as water and amusement parks! It was my husband's and kids' first time rafting, and we all had so much fun. It was the perfect mix of beautiful scenery and thrills. Both kids ranked jumping into the river, holding onto the raft, and being pulled back in among their top three moments of the entire trip. Their only regret was not sitting in the front to get wetter, but there's always next time! Sam turned a great experience into an amazing one. He tailored the trip perfectly to our family, sharing nature and history with the adults while entertaining the kids with spooky stories. He also knew exactly how much excitement we could handle and worked tirelessly to give us maximum splash despite the river being lower that day. We hope to return to Pigeon Forge and will absolutely visit Big Creek again! read more

We visited Gatlinburg area again this following Labor Day weekend. We were there 4 years ago on the same weekend. We were lucky to get on the final tour for the season 4 years ago and absolutely LOVED it. This time, we KNEW we were going to do this again. This time, we had Jacob as our guide. Jacob A. was amazing, funny, and fit into our group immediately. We're unfiltered, unapologetically smart butts and Jacob dove right in. Jacob took his time showing us all the changes since the storm and such. I had one request, and that was to surf. Jacob showed us the perfect spot and up on the wave we went. Our friends who joined us got off the river and were like "Now we know why you loved this so much!". Big Creek is an amazing group of people who you can tell absolutely love what they do, knowledgeable about the area and the best - the water wars with the other rafts! Such an amazing time and like last time "We will be back!" Their pricing is beyond fair for the amazing fun that you get! One of the best activities in the area! Fast and easy registration, even discount codes for return visitors! Again, just amazing! read more

Joey was our tour guide on 5/14 and we had so much fun! The river was amazing and refreshing and we got to learn so much about it while rafting. We will be coming back for sure! Price was also super affordable! read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

Gilly was amazing we enjoyed her so much my girls really liked her and made there trip fun I would for sure go back here to whitewater raft very organized and clean and trip was smooth Ask for Gilly she is the best read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

That guy slim Jim was the goat. Had 7 big dudes in the boat and he let us have the best time. Highly recommend this trip and requesting slim Jim. read more

This is my new favorite rafting company in TN! We had an amazing Upper River trip with Judd and the folks at the "lodge" store were very friendly and super helpful! We originally wanted to do the lower part of the river but after going in and talking to the guide and the staff in the store we decided to switch over to the upper part of the river for our expedition! Our family has done some kayaking in the local rivers and parks near our house but only my wife and I had ever been whitewater rafting. So this was all new for our kids and one of their friends. Youngest in the group was 12 and he was a rockstar just like all the teenagers. Definitely worth the price and the experience was outstanding, definitely some good memories and some family team building. Highly recommended read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Club house - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

We had a great time rafting here, the guide Ian was fantastic. If you want super difficult rafting this isn't it but if it's one of your first few times this is perfect. Lots of rafting places to choose from but Big Creek was great, friendly, and easy to use. The value was well worth the price we payed getting to watch my wife and kids raft for the first time. read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

We had a great upper river trip! Called many places ahead of time to see who could accommodate a large raft of 9 people and Big Creek was the first guide service able to! Parrish was an incredible guide and kept us entertained and informed (and safe) the entire float. Affordable as well! read more

We had the blessing of having Yanni as our guide. She was so fun, and made sure everyone was safe and having a good time. Such a bright personality I would recommend this place to anyone looking to white water raft in the area. The prices are affordable and well worth it. read more

RJ was an awesome guide! We had a great adventure on the river! Can't wait to go again!

If you're thinking about it, just do it!! Super fun, easy to find, friendly staff. Ask for Judd! He's the best guide there is!! And plenty of food trucks when you're done if adventure makes you hungry. read more

Big Creek Expeditions - What a great adventure!! Thank you Judd! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

Great experience for a first timer. The guide was very knowledgeable. It was about $90 for two adults.

We have gone white water rafting in TN a few times but this was first time here. Greg was awesome & made our trip super fun! We def recommend them & more than likely be back! We had age 8 all the way up to 66 in our group and we did the upper pigeon river. We loved it. read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

See all

So much fun!!! I came here with my family and we all had a blast! Our guide was incredible, very good at keeping my mom from freaking out while also taking us down the most fun rapids. His name was Judd, I'd definitely request him again. We also got some hilarious pictures. If I get the chance I'll be coming back no doubt. read more

This was absolutely amazing! Sooooo much fun! It was the perfect amount of rapids! Our guide was super friendly, talkative, funny, and was great at keeping us actually in the boat, his name is Judd and he's definitely really good at this! I would definitely recommend if you want to do something amazingly fun! read more

With so many choices in rafting companies in the area it really was a roll of the dice to end up here. Gotta say, we were all glad we did. A lot of the companies in the area offer a pretty similar setup so I'd like to comment on some of the things that set this one apart. They have the best location in the area. It's at the end of the road so we weren't having to dodge cars while unloading or moving around. Also, plenty of food trucks right by the grounds if you wanted to grab some food before or after. They also have a great shower and bath house for changing. It was pretty busy the day we went and there was plenty of private space to get cleaned up after we were done. I, of course, have to give the obligatory shoutout to our guide Caeden. He was fun and professional the entire trip and event had the patience to contend with our 5 chatty amateur comedian children. I would not have faulted him for jumping out but he stuck with us the whole time! read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Main lodge and gift shop - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

A very professional and safe white water group! We were first time rafters and enjoyed the trip immensely. Our guide Jeff was knowledgeable about the River and navigating us. I noticed their care for each team member and their rafters. They made sure everyone was as safe and had a great experience! We will return! Ps: TIP YOUR GUIDE, THEY DESERVE IT! One more thing: Get lunch at the food trucks on site. Twisted Sisters was great and very reasonably priced. read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

See all

My family went on the Upper Pigeon River whitewater rafting with Big Creek Expeditions and absolutely loved it. I have a life long fear of water; yet the safety training and knowledgeable, encouraging, staff helped me feel comfortable and we had an amazing experience. The river, mountains and wildlife were beautiful. We saw breathtaking vistas which are not visible from shore. The front desk staff were informative and efficient. We received clear instructions before, during and after our trip from the guides who worked well together to help each other and everyone on the trip. The equipment was all in excellent condition. Our guide, Matti, helped us into the boat and gave clear instruction on how to position to stay safe and comfortable. Matti was very knowledgeable and fun - sharing informative, interesting tidbits, and fun stories about the river, mountains, trees, wildlife, rocks, and history. Matti truly made this a fantastic day! The facilities included a very nice store, restrooms, showers, changing rooms, barns with equipment, lots of picnic tables, food trucks, and buses were all very nice. When we were leaving a band was setting up on the front porch of the store. I highly recommend this company. read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

We had a great time rafting with Big Creek. The facilities available at check in for changing, etc were incredibly nice, and there was plenty of parking. The guides were knowledgeable. It was the first rapids my children went on, and they had a great experience. read more

Absolutely fantastic experience with Big Creek Expeditions! My 15-year old son, my sister, and our 14-year old cousin chose the Upper River rafting trip while the rest of our family went on the Lower trip. To say we were nervous is an understatement! None of us had ever rafted before, but after the safety briefing led by Fish, along with his jokes to loosen up the crowd, we felt much better. Our guide, Chew (Chewie) was outstanding! He told us he's been rafting for 39 years, and settled our nerves more with his knowledge of the river. This rafting experience was amazing and fun because of Chewie! The store staff were helpful and kind, too! If we're ever back in this are of TN, we'll definitely be going back to Big Creek Expeditions!! read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

My husband booked this adventure for our family of four. I was nervous to go in the upper river because we had never rafted before. Our guide, Caedan, was knowledgeable and so fun! I would highly recommend this experience! This has been my favorite adventure on this trip, which is saying a lot because I really love Dollywood!! read more

We enjoyed whitewater rafting as a group of moms and daughters and had the best time! Andrew was our guide and he was amazing! He not only kept us entertained with some admittedly funny dad jokes, but was also knowledgeable about the rapids and answered all of our questions. Thanks for keeping us safe and most importantly, making sure we all had a great time!! read more

The Casta 5 went on the Upper Pidgeon with our wonderful guide Gavin aka. Caveman. We have gone down this river several times throughout the years and the guides are the reason why we keep coming back. If you're looking for a fun time ask for Caveman and be sure to splash people going down. The facility is really nice they have changing rooms, restrooms, and a cool gift shop. read more

Me and my girlfriend had an AMAZING time hitting the rapids and cracking jokes with our guide Willis. It was the highlight of our trip and we recommend it to everyone who is traveling in the area and looking for some adventure! read more

We had Blaine as our guide for the Upper Pidgeon River rafting experience... 11/10 experience! We had a party of 6 and were all together in the same raft which made our experience that much better (versus getting split up). The guide was very fun and pointed out a few places to check out around the area after rafting! The rapids were great, and we even get to jump out for a swim in the river! By far the most put together rafting company in the area with a great gift shop too! Will do this again on our next trip to TN! read more

We went on a rafting trip on 7/24/24. Two adults and two teenagers. We were all first timers. We had an amazing time! Tony was our guide and he was fantastic. The river was perfect for our group - some calm areas and some not so calm areas. Our guide let us jump in the river for a quick dip which was so refreshing. I would highly recommend Big Creek. There was plenty of parking. The changing facilities were good. There are food trucks nearby for food. PS - If you are traveling to/from the Pigeon Forge area, do not listen to google maps if it doesn't take you on interstate 40. The return drive was not fun although very pretty in some areas. The roads are very curvy and hilly. read more

Best experience ever . Great for beginners. Guides are all very knowledgeable in there area , highly recommended this business. read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

REQUEST NEMO AS YOUR GUIDE! I can't remember her actual name, but she was amazing and great with the kids. Highly recommend this for a family. My family consisted of everyone from age 9-67. Everyone had a great time. Personally I would have liked more rapids, but for the group I brought it was perfect. Also I couldn't find water shoes anywhere between Gatlinburg and Hartford, but they had them and for a descent price! I will definitely go back next time I am in the Smokey mountains for the whole day ride. The facilities are top notch as well, and has a nice gift shop. read more

See all

no words for this place, absolutely amazing. so many memories were made and shared. i have never enjoyed myself so much! we came in early july and the water was cold but so refreshing. our tour guide was THE BEST his name is JOEY would 100% recommend him. we did the upper region and and was good for older kids they had a blast! best summer activity on our vacation this year! read more

Wow what an experience this was. Our group was not ready for this adventure lol. This was definitely a bonding experience. We started with an introduction on safety, how to row properly and what to do you happen to fall off the raft (and we were ready for that lol). Our guide explained how to paddle correctly when he makes each call out, and then explained where we all were assigned to sit. We get on the raft by the Duke Energy Damn and he gives us a few calls to get us familiar with our trip. The first 2 area with rough waters were definitely gave me butterflies, due to the way you have to position yourself. We past those with no issues, but a lot of splashing. We get to a tough area and the guide warned us to prepare - while going down a drop, the raft went down, but the back popped up and my friend flew up and fell into the water, BUT her husband grabbed her leg and was holding on for dear life Lol, I turn when I heard the scream and saw her body submerged in the water and one leg in the boat. I had to grab her hand to get her back up on the raft! After she was situated everyone was able to digest what happened. This was a great experience and well worth it! read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Checking in - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

The Gatlinburg area has many rafting companies which raft down the same rivers, I can only speak for Big Creek Expeditions but I'm sure the other companies offer similar experiences. Cost was $34 pp without tip for the guide. First off, Big Creek's website provides all the information you need in terms of what to bring and what to expect so I would definitely exploit this resource. Secondly, my personal opinion of the rapids is that they are beginner level rapids that occasionally see some rough action. Speak to your guide as they can tailor your ride to me more kid friendly or more adventurous. My guide was Steve who was amazing! With over 20 years on the river he was able to put me right in the action at the front of the raft (I was thrown overboard) and my frightful gf was safe and sound in the middle of the raft. Lastly, I suggest you wear water shoes and don't bring anything you wouldn't want to loose with you. Don't ruin other's ride with your selfie stick. read more

Big Creek Expeditions - Photo provided by the company photographer. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

We had a great time with our guide James Michael Webb. The whole experience was fun, and he was an excellent guide. He brought us down rapids forward, backward, and every orientation. He even had some young people from our boat sitting in the front to experience the white water even more. Definitely would recommend Webb and Big Creek expeditions. read more

Excellent guide(Parrish)!! And great time as a family adventure. It was a great experience with the workers and the beautiful river. The rapids were not terrible but it was a thrilling ride and would definitely go back again when we visit Tennessee! 10 out 10 recommend going and having Parrish as a guide!! read more

This was an incredible amount of fun. We went with a family group of 10, and I rode in the raft with 3 kids (8, 8, & 11) and 3 adults (mid to late 30s) and we put 4 adults in another raft. Our guide was Jason Michael Webb (who was an absolute blast)! We went on the Upper, and it was the perfect way to introduce kids to white water while keeping the adults entertained and engaged. It was rough enough that you are definitely going to get wet, but not enough that the kids had any fear of falling out (due to the expert guidance of Jason). My son is already talking about making plans for our next rafting adventure. He's excited to show his friends the pictures that Big Creek takes for you (at a little extra price). 10/10 would recommend (especially if you can get Jason as your guide.) read more

Lots of fun! Our guide Willis was outstanding! He was super funny and great to talk to the whole trip and did a great job explaining everything and steering the raft. The whole trip was lots of fun and I would definitely do it again! read more

Great experience rafting the upper with them! Our guide Darrel U was great! Lots of experience and gave us a great trip. Lots of experience in the guides at this location! Recommend using them for any of your trips! read more