I went down the river on 5/21, and we had a great experience with NOC on the Upper Pigeon River. On our first day, because I am a bit spacey, I somehow ended up in the middle of the mountains with no gas station nearby and on Empty. Thankfully, I noticed it when we were very close to a rest area, so we did not end up stranded on the side of the road. Triple A came out, and all was well, but we missed our original rafting time. When we called NOC Upper Pigeon, they allowed us to reschedule for the next day without any fee or hassle. I was very grateful for that because it would have been awful to have to pay again just because we missed it. The check-in process was very smooth. Everything was clearly explained; the instructions were easy to follow, the bus ride was short, and the bus was clean. "@b****nee" was our guide, and she was really great at her job. You could tell she genuinely enjoyed it, and she shared a lot of interesting information about the river. One of the best parts was that she tried to get a sense of whether we wanted a more adventurous ride or something a little calmer. Being able to tailor the experience a bit to what we wanted made it even better. At one of the rapids, I ended up falling out of the raft (it happens), and "@b****nee" basically turned into Hercules and helped me get back in easily. I am not someone who is very easy to please, but @b****nee was excellent. You can tell she enjoys what she does, and she was also very hospitable, professional, and reassuring throughout the trip. Overall, it was a great experience. read more

My husband and I went on our first white water rafting trip with NOC. It was so much fun. If you're thinking about going here, I definitely recommend. The guides were fun and experienced! read more

NOC Pigeon Outpost - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

Long time rafted, first time on the pigeon. Went with a friend who'd never been rafting and it was a great experience. This was also my first time going not as a part of a camp or college large group trip. Our guide Johnny was awesome and the process was very simple and easy. The half day trip was the perfect length and the water was awesome! Nice scenery, some fast and fun rollers and a nice deep and slow section for jumping in. We went toward the end of the season so they say it was a slower day. We got to "surf" twice which was really fun. read more

NOC Pigeon Outpost - Check in area. - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

First time white water rafting and i had a great experience here. Our river guide Johnny was an absolutely awesome guy with a great blend of humor and professionalism. I felt like I was on a private tour! Half-day was a good length for a first-timer like me and the water was good, albeit a bit of a nip to it. Don't miss the cannonball chance at the end! We went towards the end of the season, so it was a bit slower (although the river seemed busy at least to me) - and we got to surf quite a bit so that was pretty neat! Great for first timers and families alike (I saw a ton of parents/kids out there and the little ones looked like they were loving it) Some places to eat around the site, but not much else going on in town. Raft on! read more

This is a great pace to visit while you are in Gatlinburg, TN. A place to have an experience of water/ river rafting. The experience makes it better with an awesome guide- Chris! He was so great, nice and accommodating. We will definitely come back here again if given the chance. read more

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What a fantastic place. They were Covid Compliant (wasn't a priority to me though) Our guide, Andy... Was better than ever expected. He was funny but also very knowledgeable. We wanted adventure and we got it. Oh!!!! And!!! They did not break our bank. We bought the picture package at the end with some great photos for only $30 and there was over 45 high quality pictures of just us. Live, Laugh and White Water Raft. read more

This was our first white water rafting experience and it was amazing! The entire staff is very friendly, well organized, and entertaining. Our safety was always a top priority out on the water. Their attention to COVID guidelines did not go unnoticed, all equipment including the rafts were sanitized after each trip. Our guide Hannah was fantastic! She was very friendly and informative, making our first white water rafting trip one we will never forget. Definitely recommend NOC Pigeon Outpost for first time white water rafters! read more

Throughly enjoyed our half day trip. The crew was nice , knowledgeable & professional. The equipment was clean & well maintained would definitely do this again. read more

The NOC store is ahhhhhmazzzziiiinnggg. Awesome selection, great staff!! You know you are in great hands when they don't have your size in the chacos you want & They tell you the only other store in town that sells them. That's customer service!!!! I really love this place!!! Great eno, Patagonia & north face selection. Only store I can find Meredian Line brand!! read more

We were a family of 5, each of our first time rafting. We took the upper level consisting of mainly class 3 rapids. It was a great experience for all levels but especially great for beginners like us. Our guide Chris "Crispy" was patient and mentored us as we went. At one point in the river when it was calm, they let us get out of our raft and into the cool water. The only con would be that the photographer only snaps photos of the left side of the raft. We were almost all on the right side. Great experience. We recommend it and would do it again! read more

White water rafting is a blast. Service was quick. They got us all prepped with the instruction video and equipment. Speedy Gonzalez style. It is much more exhilarating without a guide. We went on a level three, which I believe is the max level one can go without any experience or a guide. We were purposefully getting stuck on rocks and docking our raft to jump in the water. Every time we beached on a rock, we would snack on our wheat thins and other snacks. When we docked the boat, we all walked up stream and floated with the current. After getting back in the boat, we kept on horsing around. One thing with horsing around on a river, it is disrespectful to mother nature. Always respect her or she will bite you in the ass and that is what happen to me. We were being stupid hanging our feet out when we hit a rock really hard and spun 360. This threw me out of the boat and floating down river for 50 yards. Good thing I paid attention to the tutorial and held my feet up and head above water. My ass took a beating from those rocks. Finally, a friend pulled me out of the water and we stopped horsing and gave mother nature the respect she deserved from us. White water rafting is incredible. read more

Located in a very busy area this place actually has its own parking! Big plus there! We stopped inside just to check it out and we were amazed! They have loads of outdoor, camping, hiking and bug out items. We go hiking quite a bit and have been to many different outdoor stores but this store was beyond any I've been too. It is 2 stories and has lots of outdoor clothing by great brands, but don't go in looking for a cheap purchase, these are high quality. They even have a cute little swing rope bridge on the top floor. read more

Our family of 12 ranging from ages 8-74 had a fantastic experience with NOC on the Pigeon River! We went out at 11am on the upper section - it was fun, but not overwhelming, and everyone in our group was able to manage it well. Perfect for first timers or those with kids or those looking for a pleasant but not "crazy" experience. The cost is so reasonable. Coming from near Gatlinburg, the location allowed us plenty of time to get there 30 minutes early with no rushing (use their directions vs. GPS - we did take the Smoky Mountain Scenic Parkway on the way back - it was a great "detour" with some scenic pull-offs). They had water shoes and "croakies" for sale for those in our group who needed them at very reasonable prices, as well as souvenirs, refreshments and snacks, etc. There were changing rooms and bathrooms which were clean and well-kept. Everyone on staff we encountered was friendly and helpful. Our group split into 2 boats of 6 with Amy and Deb as guides. Our group was with Amy - she was fantastic. One of the kids in our group in the other boat went overboard in an area of rapids, and it was amazing to see how the boats around us all went into action, and our guides kept us calm and ensured we were able to rescue him. The safety training before and their willingness to answer questions helped us all to feel well-prepared. The photos available at the end were worth it for our group - we loved having the mementos of the very memorable adventure. We would recommend NOC without reservations. read more

This place was awesome and the staff was great. We were running late, as we went to the wrong location, but we were able to call and they were accommodating. We did the lower pigeon course and was more than suitable for our 3 year old. Our raft guide was Hannah and she was great. She interacted with our 3 year old son and even jumped into the cold water with him. She was full of energy and made our trip memorable. The price is very affordable and the experience for our family was priceless. Definitely recommend this place and would definitely use this company at again when we return. read more

We stopped at Nantahala Outdoor Center when we visited Gatlinburg during our recent trip to Smokey Mountains. There are multiple floors with many products ranging from clothes, camping gears, to even neat stationary or trinkets. We spent an hour or so just browsing. It has a huge fireplace at the front of the store with many rocking chairs if you need to have a seat to wait for someone in your party taking too long. With its own parking as well, which is very convenient given the town is so busy. read more

Reserved a whitewater rafting trip for the family of 7 on a recent trip to Gatlinburg, TN. We decided to try the late evening trip as it was half the price of the normal day time excursion. After arriving on vacation we decided to add an 8th person to our group and this was easily done by going by the NOC store in Gatlinburg. The whitewater trip was awesome. We arrived around 4pm and attended the safety briefing and they load everyone in a bus and take you up river. Once arriving at the launch ramp everyone waits while the guides unload the rafts and you get settled in the rafts. The rapids were awesome with Class III and IV and our guide Johnny was outstanding. Overall a must do if your visiting Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area. read more

Amazing first time taking the family. We originally reserved the Class I, but took them up on their recommendation to upgrade to Class 3/4 (no extra cost). Our guideJack was outstanding. Will definitely be back, and recommend this group for first timers. read more

My husband and I took our 3 boys rafting yesterday. When I asked our boys how many stars they'd rate our experience and they all shouted FIVE!!! Our guide, Hans, was amazing. He was so much fun...you could really tell he loves his job and wants his raft passengers to have a great time. Every.single.person we encountered that worked there was fantastic. We are already planning our next trip!!! Thank you for an amazing time! read more

We had never been rafting before, so we researched a few places before choosing NOC. They all offer similar trips on the same stretch of river at roughly the same price, and quite honestly we went with the one which had the nicest brochure. Seeing the other locations as we passed by and watching the guides as we lined up to put in, we got the impression that our choice was the more casual "rag-tag" operation - while being still completely professional, friendly and of course highly attentive of our safety. We felt very comfortable and very well informed about the river and never got the sense that we were cattle being put through the motions. Our guide was awesome (and has a degree in ecotourism), and this was without a doubt one of the best travel experiences we have ever had! read more

You want to talk about value? This has been one of the most cost effective things that we as a family of four has done in Gatlinburg. Started with the store in town. They gave us great info and took care of any fears we had. We are rafting rookies and my 11 & 9 yo ate it up. Our guide Alex was the best. Great with the kids, informative, and a wealth of info about the area. I would encourage anyone coming this way to check it out. We had a fantastic experience and will be rafting again as a result of the NOC folks. Thank for opening a new world up to my family. read more

This store seemed to be the perfect fit for the location, just outside of the National Park and was stocked with all of the things you'd expect from a good outdoor store. My 14 year old daughter and I booked a whitewater trip with them on the Upper Pigeon and were delighted with the experience. The facilities at the whitewater location were excellent in comparison to other whitewater facilities I've been to. The staff on the river were extremely polite, helpful, and a pleasure to work with. Most everyone in our 3 boats had never been before and the staff put them all at ease and made it very fun for everyone. I was very pleased with their courteous and helpful attitudes. They were all very knowledgeable of the river, the names of the rapids and other things of interest regarding the river and surrounding area. The whitewater trip was a success and my teenage daughter is ready to go again. Well done NOC! A pleased dad. read more

Fantastic experience Check in is cordial and informative. There are choices for age groups and experience desired. We wanted to feel class IV and that's exactly what we got. A thorough explanation of how to handle an out of boat experience. Equipment is first class. Our guide was exceptional Lots of stories and explanations of the river and how to react to different scenarios the river might create. I can't WAIT to do this again!! read more

NOC Pigeon Outpost - End of the trail 90 min ride - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Hartford, Tennessee

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Traveling with another family to Gatlinburg for a few days of R&R. Did a lower Pigeon River trip (had a 6 y/o with us). Our guides were Matt and Capt. Noah. We had an excellent time! Both were so incredibly accommodating to our group, especially to the 6 y/o who was very frightened after watching the safety video. Will definitely be back to do the upper river next time. Thanks to everyone at NOC! read more

Lower pigeon rafting was perfect for our 6-14 year olds. Tour guide Johnny was fun and informative and led our whole group of NOC rafts. We felt safe and informed the entire trip. i cant emphasize enough how perfect this is as an introduction to white water rafting for kids. We floated most of the time, but experienced a few spots that were more adventurous read more

I can't speak highly enough of the NOC, their selection, and their staff. The fella and I come here every year we visit Gatlinburg, and I'm finally getting around to reviewing them. As others have said, there's a rock wall and fun swinging bridge, and they have a massive selection of men's, women's, and kids' clothing and shoes along with all kinds of gear and souvenirs. On this particular trip, we were on the hunt for bear spray since we were preparing for an 11-mile hike, and we'd heard numerous stories of bears in that area. We headed up to the 3rd floor (camping), and asked a nice, old man where the spray was. He walked us over to the case where they keep it and asked us where we were headed on our hike. The spray was $50, and we were fully prepared to splurge, but he told us in his opinion we really didn't need it... apparently the bears are pretty docile, and the stories had been a little inflated. He said he'd be more than happy to sell it to us if we wanted, but if it were him, he'd pass. There's nothing I love more and will keep me coming back time and time again than an honest salesman. We've used NOC around the region for various rafting trips, too, and they're always the most professional, fun, and safe guides we've ever had. read more

We had a great day and a great group of guides- our guide was Anthony, highly recommended! Easy to find, very fun and welcoming to first timers. My daughter wants to go again tomorrow. I think we'll be regular rafters on future vacations! read more

We booked this rafting company for a party of 7. This was an awesome trip! They made everything so easy. The trip was fun. Our guide, Mike A, was funny, knowledgeable, and did an amazing job. We had 2 kids with us and the upper river was a good trip for us. Don't forget to tip your guide! read more

Guide was absolutely amazing! So much fun. 100% recommended. Very personal, didn't feel like we were rushed to get to the next people.

We enjoyed the river rafting tour . It was a very organized and safe tour . Our guide John was awesome .

We have used NOC previously for Nantahala River and Ocoee River. These guys are the gold standard in whitewater action. This was our first trip on the Pigeon and it was a really good trip. It was a great trip for our kids' first whitewater (8 and 12 year old). This river is between Nantahala and Ocoee as far as whitewater thrills. Charlie was our guide and he made it a great trip, especially for the kids. My son found a new friend in Charlie. NOC will be your best bet when it comes to Southeastern whitewater. Experienced guides, good equipment, safe, and friendly. read more

Definitely visit if your in the area. We did the train ride and the zip line adventure park. The train ride was scenic but takes about 4 hours - I would recommend the outdoor seating (weather permitting). Everyone was very friendly both staff and guests. The adventure park was my favorite, it was like ninja warrior for rookies. Our guides were Greg and Sam - both very helpful and fun!! read more

We went white water rafting and it was a great time and a very funny time, the instructors were cool and are very friendly. One of the instructors Clayton was awesome and very funny, he knew a lot of cool facts about the river and I probably will never forget this great trip. read more

What a neat place with convenient parking and such a courteous staff. Our 8yr old son had a blast on the climbing wall. I especially have to recognize the delightful attitude and service of Rick in the shoe department. A genuine guy and fun to converse with. Can't wait to come back! read more

Great selection of gear. High quality for the most part. A little high cost, but your near park... Good selection of local books,maps, and etc... read more

What a great store and fun. We went three times in one day. Best place to book a rafting trip. Bought lots of gifts for everyone at home.

Colleen was amazing!!!!!!!! Happy I remembered her name. She made us laugh soooo much and also made us feel safe. The best part was at the end of the rapids because there were so many bumps. What made me laugh the most is when she told us about the "Kim Kardashian Rock" HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY!!!!! read more

Did a rafting tour with my wife and twin 5 year old girls and loved it. Our guide Chelsea was fantastic and could not have made the trip anymore enjoyable. The trip was great for the girls as it was not too physical but enough fun where they had a blast. I thought the price was reasonable for the family and would highly recommend this company! read more