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The Ocoee River brings a sense of community among whitewater paddlers

Photo contributed by Camp Outside Photos / River guide Julie Thornton (center back) is all smiles while taking a group down the Ocoee River.
Photo contributed by Camp Outside Photos / River guide Julie Thornton (center back) is all smiles while taking a group down the Ocoee River. Photo contributed by Camp Outside Photos / River guide Julie Thornton (center back) is all smiles while taking a group down the Ocoee River.

By Sunny Montgomery 4 min read


The Ocoee River is one of the most popular rafting destinations in the world.

From March through October, each weekend, the dam-controlled waterway is released through a steep gorge, creating miles of whitewater — and with it, a unique culture of paddlers.

Quiet Polk County becomes a hub of activity. Along Highway 64, buses stacked with rubber rafts zip through the gorge; kayakers return to campgrounds and river guides to their outposts.

While kayakers and other whitewater paddlers recreationally run the river, guides work for rafting companies where they spend the season shepherding tourists down the Class III/IV rapids in 14-foot rafts. Many live at the outpost, too, sleeping in “guide shacks,” or bare-bones cabins.