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The headwaters of the Hiwassee River start in the Blue Ridge Mountains in NE Georgia. The river flows north into North Carolina, and then bears west into Tennessee. It finally flows into the Tennessee River near Big Spring 35 river miles upstream of Chattanooga. A great place to camp or put in for the Hiwassee River is the Rural Retreat Campground in Big Spring, TN. To reach Rural Retreat via car follow Hwy 58 north approx. 1.5 miles past the Hiwassee River bridge. Turn right onto a gravel driveway which leads past the proprietors home and into the campground area. This is the home of the Big Spring hover in a 20+ year tradition for the Hoverclub of America. Possibly the only thing that exceeds the the setting here, is the hospitality of the owners Dave and Linda Braden. Check the events section of the Hoverclub of America website for details on this year's fall annual Hover In. Do bear in mind that if it is your intent to travel the upper Hiwassee River it is a 30+ mile journey from here to the beginning of the fast water sections. To proceed up the Hiwassee River from Rural Retreat travel south about 1 to 2 miles on Agency Creek and you will intersect the Hiwassee 8 miles east of the Tennessee River. Turn left and proceed 9 miles upstream where you will pass the commercial barge docks of Olin Mathieson and then Bowater Southern Paper. As you proceed upstream from this point the water is still deep enough for non-commercial boat traffic, but the river narrows to a width of 50' or so. Another 5 or 6 miles upstream and the terrain leading to the river becomes steeper and occasional rocky bluffs drop 30' and 50' straight down into the river's surface. Shortly, shoals begin to appear in the river and visible evidence of river flow can be seen. From this point to the junction of the Ocowee River the river continues to narrow and lose depth, but still presents little challenge for a hovercraft. A right turn into the Ocoee offers a good run in close quarters. The 3 or 4 mile stretch to Hwy 411 is some 30' in width and offers some challenges with fallen trees and overhanging limbs. Many sand bars and few large rocks in the stream offer plenty of opportunities to pause. Passage another 7 to 8 miles upstream should be feasible, but a TVA's Ocoee Dam prevents further journey. Another option at the junction of the Ocoee is to continue upstream on the Hiwassee River. It should be noted, however, that once you cross under the highway 411 bridge (approx 5 miles further upstream) you pass into Tennessee State Park property. This is a beautiful stretch of river, but is highly populated with white-water paddlers and fly fishermen. Further, the state of Tennessee bans operation of hovercraft within all of its state parks. Relevant Links Coordinates Rural Retreat Campground Confluence Hiwassee/Ocoee Ocoee Dam |
 From the Tennessee River to Calhoun (river mile 19) the Hiwassee River is wide and deep. |
 A ramp on the south bank allows access to the Hiwassee somewhere around river mile 25. |
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 As you proceed upstream from Calhoun the river bank becomes steep with occasional cliffs. |
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 Shoals begin to appear just before reaching the convergence of the Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers. |
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 Between Patty Rd and Hwy 411 the Hiwassee is 30 to 50' wide with a mix of flat and mild white water. |
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 Above Hwy 411 significant white water exists, however, this land is managed by the TN State Parks Comm. Hovercraft operation is not permitted here (see story). |
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 When TVA decides to stop generating power the river essentially goes away. In many areas extensive bolder fields emerge. |
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 Water is routed to the Apalachia Powerhouse through conduits from the lake over 10 miles distant. This provides a head of over 400' and allows the generation of up to 93,000 KW of electrical power. |