Cocke County Adventures
When I first moved to Cocke County, my family and friends said I “moved to the middle of nowhere”. My response was, “I moved to the middle of everything!” What I meant by that is, Cocke County is the center of all things adventure. When I take people on a 2-hour ride around Cocke County, they are always astonished at the number of hidden adventures around every corner. From the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cosby to Wolf Creek Falls and the bike trails in Del Rio to Natural Bridge in Parrottsville to whitewater rafting and kayaking in Hartford to Max Patch on the Tennessee/North Carolina Border, Cocke County is home to the best outdoor adventures! If you want to know more about any specific adventure in the county, contact me, Kevin Flint, at www.kevinflint.net or any of the social media listed at the bottom of this page.
WHAT IS THERE TO DO IN COCKE COUNTY?
Cocke County is home to many adventures including world class whitewater rafting, whitewater kayaking, hiking, biking, horseback riding, backpacking, camping, exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cosby, Max Patch is on the Cocke County border. You can do anything from camping near Wolf Creek Falls in Del Rio to ziplining across the Pigeon River in Hartford to biking in Weaver Bend in Del Rio to visiting the Natural Bridge in Parrottsville. Cocke County is nothing but nonstop adventures! The tourism department proudly uses the slogan, “The Adventure Side of The Smokies” for good reason!
ARE THERE RIVERS TO PADDLE ON IN COCKE COUNTY?
Yes! Cocke County is home to the three rivers, The French Broad, Pigeon, and Nolichucky and all have paddling opportunities of various levels.
IS THERE WHITEWATER RAFTING AND KAYAKING IN COCKE COUNTY?
Yes! The upper section of the Pigeon River from the North Carolina State Line to Hartford offers class III+ whitewater and is one of the most commercially rafted rivers in the country! The lower section from Hartford to Denton has anything from flatware to class I and II. Below the Denton area to Douglas Lake is flatwater with a ripple or two here and there. The river is dam controlled and offers a consistent water level from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
The French Broad River from the North Carolina State Line to Newport and Douglas Lake has mostly flatwater, but has some occasional impressive drops and large wave trains. There are no active commercial rafting operations on the French Broad in Cocke County. If you want bigger water, rafting companies operate out of Hot Springs, North Carolina. Section 9 of the river offers great class I to IV rapids before the river mostly mellows out at the state line.
The Nolichucky River does not have big whitewater in Cocke County, but offers great opportunities for tubing and float trips. No commercial operations exist on the Nolichucky in Cocke County.
IS THERE MOUNTAIN BIKING IN COCKE COUNTY?
Yes! Weaver Bend in Del Rio offers great, but rugged and steep, mountain biking! Park near the two railroad bridges and follow the trail near the railroad track crossing. The Appalachia Mountain Bike Club (AMBC) has been developing trails in Hartford and is looking to develop more trails in Cosby in the future.
IS THERE ROCK CLIMBING IN COCKE COUNTY?
No. Unfortunately, the terrain in the Smokies and this area is more about dirt and trees than crags of rock, so no established climbing routes currently exist.
IS THERE HIKING IN COCKE COUNTY?
Yes! Cocke County is home to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with miles of trails. Outside of the Smokies, you can find multiple trails in the Cherokee National Forest in Hartford, Del Rio, and Cosby.
IS THERE CAMPING IN COCKE COUNTY?
Yes! You can camp at multiple spots in the Cherokee National Forest in Hartford, Del Rio, and Cosby. You can also find camping spots in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that require a permit. Contact me from the information below if you are looking for a specific site to camp!
IS THERE HORSEBACK RIDING IN COCKE COUNTY?
Yes! The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Hartford offers great horseback riding trails.
WANT MORE DETAILS ON ADVENTURES IN COCKE COUNTY?
Contact Kevin through his website at www.kevinflint.net, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/kevinflinttn, on TikTok at www.tiktok.com/@kevinflinttn, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/kevinflinttn.
For more about adventures from Cocke County to across the globe, visit Kevin Flint’s website at www.kevinflint.net
