Did the river on the Ducky inflatable kayaks. Good fun. We had signed up to go tubing, but got some advice from the proprietor. Good advice, as it turned out. After kayaking the river, not so sure if tubes woulda been a good thing. Not really a tubing body of water. It's a wide river with twists and turns and islands. Lots to maneuver around. Not to mention the occasional rock and/or tree branch. On a tube, you'd be at the mercy of the river gods. Anyway. Park in their lot, check in and grab your paddles and life jackets (required). Trip is around 2 hours. Minimal direction. Basically, get in the yaks, flow downstream, get out just before the bridge. read more

We had an amazing time today out on the river. The staff members were really helpful. We brought our own inflatable kayak that is rated for class IV white water rapids and this river has some class II. We paid a small fee and were taken up river about 6 miles and dropped off. We had a really good time. This was our first time taking our personally owned kayak down white water rapids, but not our first time on whitewater. One of the staff members asked if we were familiar with this river and gave us some tips as to which sides we should be in throughout the trip back down. It was very helpful! When we arrived back there was a torrential downpour and they let us pull our kayak up underneath the overhang to deflate and take shelter, and when the rain calmed, they let us pull our truck up to get our gear safely inside without having to carry it all the way back to the parking lot. Afterwords we went shopping in the gift shop and bought a couple things. They have a really nice variety of items for souvenirs to suit many different interests and tastes. We will be back for sure! Best times to come are on weekdays. Weekends are very busy. read more

See all

I have camped and funyaked with HO 6 times over the past 8 years, and it has been an awesome experience overall. Given that there are different elements in the HO value chain, I feel like it's necessary to break them out: Campsite - 5 stars Camp staff - 5 stars Bathrooms - 1 star Access to a great rivers - 5 stars Funyaks - 4 stars Life jackets - 1 star My college friends and I have been coming here for years, and it's a spot that's hard to match believe it or not. I took a lot of this camping experience for granted until I tried camping last May north of Chicago. When camping around Chicago, there are like a billion rules. You can't have more than 1 car per campsite. You can't wash your utensils in the bathroom sinks. You can't sleep under the stars. You can't drink. And on and on and on. First of all, why does the campsite care about all of this stuff? You get a plot of land, and if you're not doing anything illegal or disruptive, then why should they care? I would never wash my utensils in the bathroom as its unlikely they'll come out cleaner than they went in, but what business is that of the campsite? HO was a great camping experience. The plots of land are great and there aren't problems with ants. The staff will quiet you down if you're being obnoxious, but they are generally unintrusive. The bathrooms are THE MOST DISGUSTING THING I'VE EVER SEEN. Furthermore, the crowd here really isn't too big on courtesy flushing. It's poorly ventilated and there are wasp nests all over the place. The Hiwassee River is a great river to chill on. It's relaxing and way better than just paddling around in a lake. You won't flip your funyak unless you are retarded. The life jackets are THE MOST DISGUSTING THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN. There are pit stains all over them, they smell horrible, and they are usually still wet from the last person who wore them when you put them on. If you have your own life jackets, bring them and then pretentiously talk on the bus ride about how you're glad you don't have to use the HO jackets like the riff-raff. read more

My wife, four grandchildren, three children and I have camped at ho in excess of twenty seven with the only missed years were due to illness. Wonderful staff, great camp store, showers with hot water and working toilets. The campground is the best maintained I have ever seen. No ants, wonderful fishing just a short walk away. When we get to HO we (I mostly), turn the little ones loose (5 and up) and they generally come back with new friends and full of food. It is really hard to find campers that are in willing to share. (Food, Parts, Firewood, Knowledge and any kind of help.) those people that did the bathrooms haven't had to really live outdoors. ie slit trenches and NO SHOWERS. As a veteran of Viet Nam I really appreciate the effort that goes into keeping the showers and toilets working. I give HO a FIVE STAR rating overall. MAJ. Bud and MSG wife Susan read more

Best place ever to bring your family visiting or just want to enjoy a day out on the beautiful river for the day! You just take your time and cruise down the river! So peaceful and relaxing. If you are looking for something for all ages to do in the summer.. you need to go to Hiwassee Outfitters! The owners are amazing and everyone was so friendly and helpful! Will definitely be back !! read more

I have kayaked with HO 3x now - twice over Memorial Day weekend and once 2x weeks later. The third experience will be my last. If you're new to kayaking or rafting, the instruction is nominal at best. Some of the staff will give you rudimentary instructions, others won't. (I ended up helping other HO customers on water.) Granted, they aren't guides but instead of comedic delivery on bus, some basics would have made trip more enjoyable for others. My 3rd visit, we were dropped off, a large number of kids under 12 were in our bus. We held back to let them get in the water. The Hiwassee staff was gone by the time I was able to board my sit on top kayak. One of the adjustable pedals was broken. (It's kind of important for steering & handling the rapids. One of the staff from Webb Brothers Rafting helped by jamming a stick in to "hold" pedal in a position I could reach. We didn't bring our cell phones to be able to call HO for a new boat & was told next bus would be up in an hour. (We had to be elsewhere by then) First set of rapids, stick broke and was lost in water. I struggled with steering & almost flipped over several times. Made the trip a complete bummer. Upon floating to the area where staff takes boat out of water, I told staff member #1. Response was "tell them at the desk" while I watched him put it right back with the others. Told staff #2 & 3. Response was "oh". Did I expect a refund? No. Did they seem to be concerned when I said kayak was not pulled aside? Nope. I voiced politely that my trip was trying to find another stick to re-jam in hole, and use my shoes to keep it in place to balance me out and try (unsuccessfully thru rapids when had no balance) Had this happened on a holiday weekend - I'd get it because of volume. This was a Friday morning. Inexcusable. Downright unsafe. I'll be floating with Webb Brothers next time. If you're smart, you will too. read more

I advise you. Nay, I beg you, do NOT go to Hiwassee Outfitters if the following applies: 1) You're a maladjusted, cranky, middle-aged busybody who shoulders that all-emcompassing burden of being annoyed at every little sound of happiness about the camping grounds after 9 p.m. You should not be shocked that some people like to go out here to sit around the campfire, drink beer, and just talk through the night. They may even play card games. The horror! Deal with it. If you wanted creature comforts, you should've stayed at a hotel. 2) Your ears are somehow immune to the high-pitched shrieks and whines of your misbehaving children. Quick tip: If they're screaming out MOMMY! at 6 in the morning, they're doing it for you to respond, and your response should be a healthy dose of shutting them up. The silent treatment may work well enough in your own home, but it is a annoyance to everyone on the grounds. Amazes me that the same people who want to declare war over low voices at 3 a.m. let their kids turn on the screaming jets just as the sun comes up. Get priorities. 3) You have no idea how to operate the simplest of inflatable canoes, rafts, etc. The Hiwassee River requires minimal skill and attention to navigate. I've done it hungover while taking a nap. If you need the staff to hold your hand, maybe a water park is more your speed. Lord knows you can let the kids run around screaming there and you'd be among fellow travelers. The rest of you? I'd recommend Hiwassee Outfitters, sure. The grounds are pretty well kept with some good river access if you're lucky, the fire pits are aces, and the staff is friendly. You're out of cell phone range, so you have a solid excuse to your co-workers why you can't take calls or emails on your days off. Bugs are at a minimum as long as you spray up. I come here every year and will keep doing it because it's such a great escape. One note of warning, though, doubling as a request to the staff: The bathrooms are bad. Real bad. I know this is some first-world problems to be complaining about the state of bathrooms in the great outdoors, but these are something else. All it'd take, I think, is a good hosedown of the whole place once in a while to get rid of the floor grime and the various prehistoric insects that make their home above the showers. For us, please? We'd even pay a little extra. (Side note to that note, back to the parents who insist on bringing the kids: Teach them not to make a freaking wreck of the bathroom. It's HO's fault that the place isn't regularly cleaned, but it's your fault that it got so bad in the first place.) 4/5 stars. Go camping. Drink beer. read more

This was my first experience with Hiwassee River and Hiwassee Outfitters. Staff was great, raft and canoe in very good condition. River float was awesom! I have canoed in TX, AR and LA and this was one of the best! read more