Whitewater Rafting: Cheoah River

Cheoah Whitewater: Extreme Excitement

The Cheoah challenges rafters with hydraulics, wave trains and nine miles of exciting paddling. Unique in its features, it is at once a classic, steep Southern creek, then suddenly a warm, wavy ride, similar to big rivers out West. Needless to say, it's the perfect rafting challenge for our most adventurous guests.

Included in this remarkable trip is a hot lunch served riverside at Tapoco Lodge, as well as a photo show of pictures taken throughout your run. As with all rivers NOC rafts, a 20-minute safety orientation is presented to all guests prior to the trip, and all equipment is provided. On the Cheoah, two NOC guides co-captain each raft, one calling commands and steering in the back, with a second bow-guiding in front. Undoubtedly, you'll find the most seasoned guides on the river in NOC rafts, with years of whitewater experience under their belts.

All in all, the Cheoah is the adventurous capstone to NOC's river lineup. NOC's staff was critical in the Cheoah's relicensing process, helping to guarantee 17 days of whitewater each year for the next 50 years. Because these opportunities are limited, it's best to book your Cheoah adventure early.

Join us in 2009 for more excitement on the Cheoah!

All NOC Cheoah River trips depart from our Cheoah Outpost, at the Tapoco Lodge, near Robbinsville, NC. [Click for Directions]

Prior Rafting Experience:

Without a doubt, the Cheoah is the most exciting and physically demanding river that NOC runs. Our expert guides complete intense training on this and all rivers we raft. We require our Cheoah guests to have prior rafting experience on rivers that are rated at least Class III or above, or to have experience canoeing or kayaking rivers rated Class II or above. The Cheoah's persistent whitewater and non-stop rapids require guests to paddle continuously. Guests who may not be able to paddle the entire trip and take an active role in their own rescue are discouraged from rafting the Cheoah.

A Note to First-Time Rafters Wishing to Raft the Cheoah:

That being said, the Cheoah River is not for beginners. A Class IV-V whitewater river experience is filled with visually intimidating river features: towering waves, roiling holes and house-sized boulders.

Your safety, the safety of your fellow guests and that of our guides is our primary concern. On the Cheoah River particularly, we need to be able to rely on you to follow all guide commands and paddle aggressively in all situations. In such circumstances, we do not want to put the river novice to the test. Doing so puts everyone's safety at risk, most especially yours.

Whitewater rafting is an amazing activity that routinely provides sublime personal and group experiences in unmatched wilderness settings. We want you to enjoy your experience and share it with friends and family, so we recommend that you begin on a river that matches your level. As you log more and more river miles, NOC will continue to offer memorable river trips that exceed your expectations.