Quick Overview of the Ocoee River
Location and Origin of the Ocoee River
The Ocoee River is located in Polk County Tennessee just north of the Georgia State line. The river is entirely in only one county! Because the river’s name changes as it enters Tennessee from Georgia. Then it merges with and becomes the Hiwassee river while still in Polk County Tennessee. Upstream from the Georgia Tennessee state line the river is called the Toccoa River. The Toccoa/Ocoee river begins its journey deep in the Chattahoochee National Forest with headwaters near Suches Georgia.
Blue Ridge Lake
Numerous small trout streams flow together to form the Upper Toccoa; including Coopers Creek, Rock Creek and Noontula creek. The creeks and river flow uninterrupted until it reaches the back waters of Lake Blue Ridge in Fannin County near Blue Ridge Georgia. The Dam which forms Blue Ridge lake is about 15 miles south of the Tennessee state line and is one of four dams and power generating facilities located on the Toccoa Ocoee river.
Crossing the State Line
After the Toccoa waters are released from the Blue Ridge power house they flow gently with only occasional small rapids for about twelve miles before reaching McCaysville Ga and Copperhill, Tn a split town on the state line. The six-mile section of the river above McCaysville is great for tubing, floating and trout fishing. An Iron Bridge across the river in downtown marks the state line and it becomes the Ocoee river. About two miles from downtown the now Ocoee river reaches the confines of Ocoee Lake number three, backed up by Ocoee Dam number 3.
Whitewater Begins at Ocoee Dam #3
Just below Dam number three starts the Ocoee River Rafting ten-mile section of the Ocoee River. The initial section is the Upper Ocoee Rafting section followed by a very small Ocoee dam number two below which is the Middle Ocoee Rafting section of the river. The Ocoee River is one of the premier whitewater rafting rivers in the world and site of the 1996 Olympic Whitewater slalom event.
Most Popular Rapids Begin at Ocoee Dam #2
Dam number 2 marks the beginning of the popular class III Middle Ocoee section. Nearly three hundred thousand people come rafting each year. Enjoying the relatively warm water and thrilling Middle Ocoee rapids. At the bottom of the whitewater section the Ocoee flows into Parksville lake. The last of the Ocoee dam’s Ocoee Dam number one create Lake Ocoee aka Parkerville Lake.
Lazy River from Ocoee Dam #1 to Hiwassee
Below Ocoee Dam number one the river moves slower and without rapids until it reaches its confluence with the Hiwassee. This this is a great section for tubing or flat-water canoeing. A great longer flatwater canoe trip can start below Dam number one. Then continue all the way past the merge to Hiwassee Island on lake Chickamauga. The Ocoee’s name comes from the Cherokee language meaning “Passion Flower”.
