Hiking the Tanasi Trails – Ocoee Whitewater Center

All Articles, Hiking Trails, Hiking Trails in Tennessee

Excellent Tennessee hiking and paddling in the Cherokee National Forest surrounding the former Olympic whitewater venue.

The site of the whitewater venue during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the Ocoee Whitewater Center offers much more a visit to a former Olympic venue – not that an Olympic venue doesn’t have enough cool factor alone.

In addition to the fun of watching novice and skilled paddlers navigate the rapids by raft and kayak, the venue offers access to the Tanasi Trail System, a series of 40 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails in the Cherokee National Forest. From the interpretive center (if there’s much more here than a gift shop, it missed our interest – we breezed through the center in less than a minute… though it’d be handy for a cold, post-hike drink), two trails lead into the trail system – the 1.7 mile Bear Paw Loop (moderately strenuous – green blazes) that begins across the Olympic observation bridge and the Old Copper Road Trail (4.6 miles out and back – rated easy – purple blazes) that follows the Ocoee River upstream from the interpretive center.

Traveling downstream from interpretive center is the yellow-blazed Rhododendron Trail, a flat, 2.5 mile roundrip hike alongside the river’s edge that ends at the Ocoee Powerhouse #3. Both the Rhododendron and Bear Paw trails offer access to the other trails in the system, including the 6 mile, brown-blazed, difficult Chestnut Mountain Loop (accessible directly from the Bear Paw Loop, or by using the adjoining 1.5 mile green-blazed Thunder Rock Express Trail from the Rhododendron).

We rate the hiking trails highly for beauty and interest – and the bonus of the Olympic venue site makes this trip well worthwhile.

While there, take a splashy ride in the Ocoee with any of the numerous rafting outfitters – reservations suggested but not always required. The Ocoee ranges from mild to wild, depending on which journey you choose and the recent weather – many trips offering a chance to navigate through the Olympic course. Or, if you’ve got your own paddling equipment, drop in at your choice of launches for a bit of fun in the whitewater.