The Classic
LivelyBase-flow fun with real rapids: Ambush, Turner's Tumbler, Pemberton Falls, Waveshaper and a surf session on Good Wave. Built for families and first-timers.
Whitewater rafting in Columbus, GA & Phenix City, AL
Photo: WhitewaterColumbus.com, August 2012.
World Class Rafting, Right Here at Home!
Right behind the brick mills of Uptown Columbus, the Chattahoochee drops through the longest urban whitewater course on the planet. Mellow and splashy in the morning. Class V when the dam opens up.
2.5 miLongest urban whitewater course in the world
I – VRapids change with daily dam releases
365Rafting year-round (closed only Thanksgiving & Christmas)
2 StatesGeorgia and Alabama share the river
Whitewater rafting in Columbus, GA, at a glance
Columbus, Georgia has the longest urban whitewater course in the world: about 2.5 miles of Chattahoochee River rapids running through Uptown Columbus and along Phenix City, Alabama. The rapids were uncovered when two 19th-century mill dams were removed in 2012 and 2013.
Guided trips are run by the outfitter Whitewater Express from 1000 Bay Avenue. Morning and base-flow trips are Class I-III+ and welcome kids 7 and up; when Georgia Power opens more turbines at North Highlands Dam, the same river becomes Class IV-V, with Cutbait as the headline rapid. Rafting runs year-round, and Columbus is about 1 hour 40 minutes from Atlanta.
Updated · See all quick facts · About this independent guide
Pick your trip
Four ways down the Hooch
Every trip is guided by Whitewater Express, the outfitter that runs the Columbus course. Same river, very different days depending on how much water is coming through the dam.
The Challenge
MaximumThe same river after the dam opens up. Big-water rapids up to Class V, including Cutbait, one of the largest rapids in the East, and the giant Waveshaper.
The Carnage
MaximumThe amped-up version of the Challenge in small, nimble 'ninja' rafts (4 guests + a senior guide). You surf everything that can be surfed.
Inflatable Kayak
LivelyCaptain your own 'ducky' just inches above the waves, with a guide shadowing you in a separate boat. No kayak experience needed.
Trips, rates and schedules are set by the outfitter and change by season. See current pricing and open dates on the booking page.
Why Columbus
As wild as the Rockies. As warm as the Gulf.
For almost two centuries these rapids were buried under textile-mill dams. When the dams came out in 2012 and 2013, the river woke up, and a sleepy stretch of downtown turned into one of the most talked-about whitewater runs in America.
Dam-powered drama
Georgia Power releases from North Highlands Dam swing the river from about 900 to 13,000 cubic feet per second.
Year-round season
A warm Southern climate plus scheduled releases means trips run in January as well as July. Wetsuits are free in cold months.
A town at the take-out
Climb out of the raft and walk to Uptown restaurants, breweries and the RiverWalk. No long shuttle back from the woods.
Two states, one trip
The river is the Georgia and Alabama state line. You will paddle between both, and you can zipline across it.
Know the river
Meet the rapids before you meet the rapids
Our interactive rapid map walks you from the put-in to the take-out, feature by feature, with what each one does at low water and high water.
Tap to open the full map →
From Ambush to Good Wave
The course starts just below North Highlands Dam, runs past the old City Mills and Eagle & Phenix mill sites, and finishes in Uptown. Along the way: a technical boulder drop at Pemberton Falls, the man-made Waveshaper, surf waves you can play on for minutes, and Cutbait, a rapid that at high water ranks among the biggest in the eastern United States.
Explore the rapid mapYour day on the water
What actually happens
No experience needed. Guides handle the steering, you handle the paddling (and the screaming). Full what-to-expect guide →
- Check in on Bay AveArrive 30 minutes early at the outfitter's store at 1000 Bay Avenue in Uptown. Sign your waiver online beforehand to save time.
- Gear upHelmet, PFD and paddle are provided, plus wetsuits and splash jackets in cooler months. Lockers are available for valuables.
- Safety talk + launchA short transport to the put-in, a safety briefing on paddle commands and swimming, then you are on the water.
- Run the courseRoughly 2 to 3 hours of rapids, surfing and floating before you finish back in Uptown, steps from lunch.
30-second trip finder
Not sure which trip? Answer three questions.
Youngest person in your group
How big do you want it?
How do you want to ride?
Your match
Make a weekend of it
Columbus is more than the river
Stay in a converted mill, zipline between two states, eat your way down Broadway. See the area guide →
Quick answers
Before you book
Do I need rafting experience?
No. Every raft has a trained guide who steers and calls the commands. You should be comfortable in and around water, since swimming a rapid is possible on any trip.
How old do kids have to be?
The Classic trip is open to kids 7 and older (or at least 60 lbs). The Challenge, Carnage and Inflatable Kayak trips require guests to be 12 or older.
When is the best time to raft Columbus?
Rafting runs all year. Summer is warmest and busiest; spring and fall bring comfortable temperatures and smaller crowds. Big-water Challenge trips depend on the dam's release schedule, which the outfitter plans around. Read our season guide.
How far is it from Atlanta?
Columbus is about 1 hour 40 minutes southwest of Atlanta via I-185, around 2.5 hours from Tallahassee and about 1.5 hours from Montgomery. Drive times from other cities.
Summer weekends fill fast
Lock in your spot on the river
Booking is handled directly by Whitewater Express. Pick your trip, pick your date, and show up ready to get wet.