Join Outdoor Chattanooga for a guided and equipped kayak adventure at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, where the Hiwassee River meets the Tennessee River. Bring your binoculars or borrow ours to view a variety of birds that summer at the refuge.
In the summer months, access all lands and waters within the refuge to observe resident and migrating birds, seasonal wildflower blooms, and great swaths of water hyacinths in Hiwassee Island’s inlets. During the winter, migrating waterfowl, including 50,000 Sandhill Cranes and some endangered Whooping Cranes, stop over at the refuge on their way south. The Hiwassee Refuge is also steeped in Native American history, lying near the center of Cherokee Nation’s ancestral lands, which once stretched into Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Blythe Ferry, one of the debarkation points for the Cherokee Forced Removal (Trail of Tears), is now home to the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park. Plan to explore the area after your paddle for a full day of adventure!
Our guide staff will provide basic instruction and help you get acquainted with our recreational kayaks, life jackets, and other equipment. Paddle Experience: This is a leisurely paced paddle up and down the creek with possible shallow water portages. No previous kayak experience is required.
For questions or more information call Outdoor Chattanooga at (423) 643-6888 or email us at info@outdoorchattanooga.com.