COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. (Story courtesy WVLT) – The effects of Hurricane Helene are still being felt in East Tennessee more than a year later.
Daniel Jennette, the president of the Pigeon River Outfitters Association, said whitewater rafting participation on the Pigeon River in Hartford is projected to end the year with a 30% decline from its 10-year average of 192,812 visitors.
Through September, the Cocke County Clerk’s Office said 134,290 people rafted down the Pigeon River. Jennette said it’s expected to finish the year with about 135,371, which marks a 25% drop over 2024’s count of 176,982 rafters.
Jennette said the primary factor behind the significant drop is the lasting effects of Helene, which caused I-40 to be shut down at the Tennessee-North Carolina line for months and is still only one lane in each direction.
Outfitters and officials expect to resume operations on the upper mile of the Pigeon River next season after repairs to Waterville Road are completed.
“The swift action taken by our partners has been crucial in keeping the river open, but the data is undeniable: the infrastructure damage inflicted by Helene has seriously impacted the lifeblood of this regional tourism economy,” said Olwen Claiborne, a spokesperson for the association. “The Pigeon River’s success is directly related to its status as a family-class adventure, nestled into the stunning vistas and forests of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park region. Additional long-term investments must be made to restore and enhance infrastructure and protect its economic and recreational benefits.”
According to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, in 2023 whitewater rafting on the Pigeon River was 27% of all direct visitor spending in Cocke County.
