Wade Hampton, SC Outdoor Activities

The Nantahala River rushes through Class II rapids and higher, but it also runs through the stories of the countless people who've dared its churning waters and tumbling falls. One such story centers on Steven and Sue, who met at a Hendersonville summer camp and soon fell in love with each other and the Smoky Mountain air. Eight years later, the Matzes sold off the trappings of corporate-Atlanta life and founded Adventurous Fast Rivers Rafting with their two children, four dogs, and more than a dozen wilderness-loving employees.

These instructors—certified in First Aid and CPR—ready groups for each guided or unguided exploration by teaching proper raft and boat control, as well as describing techniques for crew coordination. A hand-painted map points out routes through the Nantahala Gorge that avoid interview-hungry nature documentarians. Adventurers have just as many rafting options as routes, including Aire and Hyside self-bailing inflatable rafts, funyaks, sit-on-top Torrent kayaks, and traditional bucket rafts. After either disembarking at the riverside outpost—recognizable by the tree growing through its center—or preparing for a final plunge down the Nantahala Wesser Falls, river-farers dry off and examine photos taken during the plunge down the Falls. The outdoor picnic area's park-style charcoal grills make it easy to throw a post-river barbecue.

Appalachian Outdoors’ seasoned guides shepherd thrill buffs through whitewater adventures along the raging upper Pigeon River and the tamer lower Pigeon River. Clad in Coast Guard–approved life vests and helmets, rafters of all experience levels work together to safely paddle and solve salmon's riddles as inflatable vessels carry them swiftly through Cherokee National Forest. Though the upper river's Class II–IV rapids are only suitable for paddlers at least 8 years old or weighing 70 pounds, the lower segment's softer waters and hammock-like rocks welcome younger kids.

Adventure Park at Five Oaks helps guests take in the natural splendor of the Smoky Mountains with leisurely horseback-riding trails and a towering network of adrenaline-inducing ziplines, which together span the park's 70-acre expanse. Staff members select from more than 50 horses residing at the park’s stable, allowing them to make careful matches with customers based on their comfort and experience levels. Guests seeking solace can weave through wooded trails while bonding with noble beasts, whereas thrill seekers reach up to 50 miles per hour on a network of ziplines. The canopy-scanning lines are also open during evening hours, providing guests with ample opportunity to view starlit mountaintops and roast hotdogs in their homemade lunar ovens.

Sprawling across 105 acres of verdant grounds, Circle G Ranch curates a herd of more than 500 exotic animals, allowing visitors to cruise down a 3-mile path to get close to the curious creatures. Zebras, emus, deer, and alpaca trot up to vehicles for handfuls of delicious feed and directions to the nearest alfalfa wholesaler, and guided safari-truck and camelback tours impart nuggets of information on the park's wildlife. After treks, visitor head to the petting zoo to visit a rotating gang of cuddly animals, such as baby lambs, goats, and parrots, along with an African crested porcupine and a family of sulcata tortoises.

Foxfire Mountain Adventures introduces guests to the exhilarating heights of Foxfire Mountain with a zip-line course, swinging bridges, and on-ground safari tours. Built in accordance with certified engineers’ ACCT safety standards, the seven-line zip-line course careens through the breathtaking canopy on 60-foot to 1,500-foot lengths at a time. The territory’s swinging bridges sway gently over gorges and waterfalls, each cemented into the mountain and carefully inspected each morning so visitors can appreciate the greenery and the water rushing below in complete safety. For a greater traversal of the park’s 150 acres of wilderness, land dwellers can take a trip in an all-terrain Bear Crawler, an open air vehicle able to scale mountains, cross creeks, and transform into a baby bear to escape detection.

Adventure Ziplines of Pigeon Forge offers thrill seekers the unique opportunity to take in breathtaking views of the Smoky Mountains, all while flying over 400 acres of forested canopies at 50 miles per hour. Zipliners cascade down six lines, each stretching up to 3,400 feet in length, while secured in a double-line system that ensures their safe arrival at ground level after two hours and 4.5 miles of fast-paced fun. Certified by the Association for Challenge Course Technology, staff members guide groups along every limb of the scenic course, which affords zippers views of Mount LeConte and 1,600 species of flowering plants from a vantage point normally reserved for birds or hang-gliding cows. Zipines can be traversed under the early-morning sun or the glow of moonlight seven days a week.