Tubing Oconaluftee River Cherokee, NC

Cool off on a hot summer day on the gently flowing Oconaluftee River. This is a little more of a drive but there is deeper water and some bigger rapids than Townsend. They will take us upriver to put in at across from the Cherokee School we will float down river behind the Oconaluftee Visitors center to the first Cherokee bridge. If I was told correctly this is a three-mile float. I have been on the upper section in years past it has several drops with good rapids, didn't walk. There may be a section at the end that get a little low depending on your location in the river.

Tubbing trips take about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. With the drive, many of us usually make a day of it. It is $14 a person. When I talked to them, they recommended ages 16 and up because of the rapids.

You will need to sign their waiver, and minors will need parental consent waiver. https://www.cherokeerapids.com/info

Carpool can meet at 8:30 am at the Food Lion 1707 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Maryville, TN 37804. Then carpool from there. It is about 2 hours through the park to Cherokee, so we will arrive at the tubing place around 10:30am-11am. Be sure to have closed toe shoes to protect your feet, sunscreen, a change of clothes, and a bag to put your wet ones in. Typically, a group of us will stop in Cherokee somewhere to get something to eat after tubing.

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