Tennessee whitewater - Hiwassee River, Great Smoky Mountains, Polk County

Polk county, Appalachia Powerhouse to Bridge at Reliance section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.

 

CLASS II     5.8 miles
  The Appalachia Powerhouse to Bridge at Reliance stretch of Hiwassee River in Polk County is 5.8 miles long and it is classified as a class II section by American Whitewater. The put-in is not too far from Athens, as you can see on the road map further down. The beautiful scenery of Polk County and the cool fresh water have people coming here. Whether you're whitewater rafting or kayaking this is an area with plenty of places for that. Getting your paddling muscles activated and just being out on the river for a while will have you coming back for more.
    The campgrounds here at Hiwassee River are pretty good. The rivers for whitewater rafting and kayaking here in Tennessee are often tougher than in other states, so you'd better keep in mind that many runs in this state are not easy. On this section you do get some distance, it's
good length for a morning trip. The Appalachia Powerhouse to Bridge at Reliance stretch is one of a few paddling stretches in this river system. The beautiful Great Smoky Mountains scenery is an added bonus. You might have to settle for a hotel a bit away from the river if you want to stay the night, and if you make reservations in advance you're all set.

Briefly about the general area:
All the water falling down from the sky makes Hiwassee River a wet location; most of the rain falls through March, and the driest month of the year is October.
 
There's delightful hiking along the Smith Mountain Trail, and while you're here why not stop at The Narrows.
Summertime highs at Hiwassee River commonly tend to be in the 80's while overnight lows are frequently in the 60's. Throughout the wintertime highs are generally in the 40's; after the sun is down during the winter temperatures at Hiwassee River sink into the 20's. You'll beyond doubt wish for more hours in a day to enjoy all the enjoyable stuff in the Great Smoky Mountains. The John Muir National Recreation Trail offers hiking at its best.

Hiwassee River, Appalachia Powerhouse to Bridge at Reliance road map
Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.

QUICK STATS
AW Class: II
Length: 5.8 miles
  
Putin Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 35.16694
Longitude: -84.29612

Takeout Location Coordinates:
Latitude: 35.18583
Longitude: -84.50056

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Current weather conditions at Hiwassee River, Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
WXPort

Local climate location: ATHENS 5 miles away


RAFTING TRIP OUTFITTERS

There are no whitewater outfitters currently listed for this river.

Etowah Red Roof Inn, Etowah
12 miles away
The Etowah Red Roof is newly renovated and conveniently located right off of the highway. This location offers a free continental breakfast and fitness facility. This location also offers free wireles...

Comfort Inn & Suites Blue Ridge, Blue Ridge
18 miles away
The Blue Ridge Lodge & Spa by Comfort Inn & Suites is located in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia. Relax in our spacious accommodations with stylish decor. Our luxury amenities include...

Days Inn/ Blue Ridge, Blue Ridge
18 miles away
The Days Inn Blue Ridge offers you the best of the North Georgia Mountain. We are the perfect location for a weekend getaway. There are festivals year round, river tubing and boating as well as the ...



OTHER_INFO
  Great Smoky Mountains Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater kayaking and rafting spots in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Great Smoky Mountains Outdoors Info
Complete outdoors info for the Great Smoky Mountains.

All Tennessee Whitewater
Complete list of all the whitewater paddling spots in Tennessee.
Books about whitewater paddling on Hiwassee River, Tennessee
List of books from Amazon.com that cover whitewater paddling on Hiwassee River, Tennessee.
Find a whitewater outfitter in Tennessee

Whitewater Basics
If you're new to whitewater paddling please take a look at this basic whitewater info.
Outdoors Recreation Near Athens, Tennessee
Very comprehensive list of a variety of outdoors recreation in the vicinity of Athens, Tennessee, the metro area neareast to Hiwassee River. Find info on campgrounds, hiking trails, ski resorts, lakes, beaches, parks, whitewater and more.
 

   

OUTDOORS
These outdoors activities are available near Hiwassee River.
 Whitewater Near Hiwassee River:
Wolf Creek, Polk County , 2 miles away, Class IV+ - 2.3 miles long (FR to Hiawassee River)
Hiwassee River, Polk County , 2 miles away, Class III-IV - 4.8 miles long (Appalachia Dam to Appalachia Powerhouse)
Coker Creek, Polk County , 2 miles away, Class III-IV(V) - 6 miles long (Highway 68 to Hiwassee River)
Turtletown Creek, Polk County , 4 miles away, Class IV-V - 4.2 miles long (Highway 68 to Hiwassee River)
Little Loss Creek, Polk County , 6 miles away, Class -blank- - 2 miles long (into Big Loss Creek)
Goforth Creek, Polk County , 8 miles away, Class IV-V - 5 miles long (to Ocoee)
Ocoee River, Polk County , 8 miles away, Class III-IV - 5 miles long (Ocoee #3 to Ocoee #2 Dam)
Ocoee River, Polk County , 10 miles away, Class III+ - 5 miles long (#2 Dam to #2 Powerhouse)
Gee Creek, Polk County , 10 miles away, Class IV-V - 1 miles long (hike up back to parking area)
Big Creek, Polk County , 12 miles away, Class III-IV+ - 5.9 miles long (FR221/Peavine Road to US64)
 Ski Areas Near Hiwassee River:
Ober Gatlinburg, Tennessee , 65 miles away, 600 vertical feet
Sky Valley, Georgia , 73 miles away, 210 vertical feet
Scaly Mountain, North Carolina , 76 miles away, 225 vertical feet
Cataloochee, North Carolina , 93 miles away, 740 vertical feet
 Hotels Near Hiwassee River:
Etowah Red Roof Inn, Etowah , 12 miles away
Comfort Inn & Suites Blue Ridge, Blue Ridge , 18 miles away
Days Inn/ Blue Ridge, Blue Ridge , 18 miles away
Ramada Limited Of Blue Ridge, Blue Ridge , 18 miles away
Days Inn Athens, Athens , 23 miles away
 Camp Grounds Near Hiwassee River:
Coker Creek Village, Cokercreek, 9 miles away
Cuddle Up Cabin Rentals, Mc Caysville, 11 miles away
Gee Creek Campground, Polk County, 11 miles away
 Trails Near Hiwassee River:
Smith Mountain Trail, Polk County , 1 miles away
John Muir National Recreation Trail, Polk County , 1 miles away
Unicoi Mountain Trail, Polk County , 2 miles away
Ivy Trail, Monroe County , 5 miles away
Unicoi Trail, Polk County , 6 miles away
 National Parks Near Hiwassee River:
Obed Wild & Scenic River, Wartburg - TN , 52 miles away
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Atlanta - GA , 68 miles away

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Some content, including Reach Name, Class, and Length, comes from American Whitewater