Chattahoochee Whitewater Course

One of the longest urban whitewater rafting runs in the world

A 2.5-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River downstream of Eagle and Phenix dams, running Class III and IV whitewater right past the downtown buildings of Phenix City and Columbus. It is one of the longest urban whitewater rafting runs in the world and a genuine surprise for a city most travellers have never heard of.

Whitewater Express runs guided rafting trips (about 90 minutes on the water), kayak instruction, and a zip-line that crosses the river. The river is dam-controlled and flows are scheduled — check ahead. The course also includes the Blue Heron Adventure ropes course, urban tubing on calmer stretches, and quieter put-in points for kayakers. Open spring through autumn.

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A story
The Class IV rapids on the Phenix City stretch did not exist until 2012, when two old hydroelectric dams were removed from the Chattahoochee — the largest single dam-removal project east of the Mississippi at the time. Within months the river had carved new rapids over the exposed bedrock, creating the modern whitewater course.

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