Outdoor Adventure Rafting

What Outdoor Adventure Rafting does

Outdoor Adventure Rafting is a family-owned outdoor recreation and hospitality operator headquartered on the Ocoee River in Benton, Tennessee. Founded in 1986 with brand heritage extending to the first Ocoee Outdoors outpost in 1977, the company runs guided whitewater rafting (four trip variations), river tubing, climbing and ropes courses, and an alpine tower from a 21-acre riverside property. Overnight accommodation is provided on-site through four bunkhouse cabins (each holding 16-32 guests) and a 6-acre campground, with meeting spaces serving group events. The seasonal operation runs March through October, seven days per week, from 8AM to 8PM.

The business serves individual travelers, families, school groups, church groups, scout troops, summer camps, corporate team outings, and family reunions drawn from regional drive markets including Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Nashville. Activity pricing is set at $19-$90 per person; camping runs $8-$10 per night and bunkhouse lodging is priced at $16 per person per night. Distribution is direct-to-consumer: bookings flow through the company website via a FareHarbor booking widget for individuals, while a phone-based inside sales team handles group and event packages.

OAR held the position of largest outfitter on the Ocoee River as of 2025 and applies an "Only One OAR Certified" staff standard requiring Wilderness First Responder, CPR, and Swiftwater Rescue credentials - above typical industry certification baselines. The company has accumulated over 4,000 five-star reviews (1,763 Google reviews averaging 5 stars) and is a participant in the 2018 "Save the Ocoee" campaign advocating to renegotiate the Tennessee Valley Authority contract governing scheduled water releases that make whitewater rafting viable. Sarah Beth assumed ownership in 2022; the company is privately held, family-owned, and employs 22 staff with no disclosed funding rounds, outside capital, or proprietary AI/ML technology stack.

Name

Outdoor Adventure Rafting

Legal name

Outdoor Adventure Rafting

Website

https://ocoee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Family-owned outdoor recreation operator on the Ocoee River in Benton, Tennessee offering whitewater rafting, tubing, climbing, alpine tower, on-site cabin and campground lodging, and group event packages to regional drive markets including Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Nashville.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure Recreation and Adventure Tourism

NAICS

RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Recreational Goods Rental (532284), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (72121)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing Outfitters (THAAADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rafting & River Float Trips (Whitewater, Leisure Floats) (THAJAJAI), Cabin & Cottage Campgrounds (THAMAJAD), Marina RV & Waterfront Campgrounds (THAMAJAH)

Keywords

• Whitewater rafting tours
• Outdoor adventure activities
• Guided river tubing
• Group retreat lodging
• Riverside cabin rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocoee, Tennessee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Outdoor Recreation Activities: OAR generates the majority of its revenue from paid outdoor activity bookings including whitewater rafting (Middle Ocoee, Full Ocoee, Class V Experience, Upper/Olympic Section), guided river tubing, rappelling, climbing wall, low ropes course, and Alpine Tower experiences. All activities are sold on a per-person unit basis with dynamic pricing that varies by date and season.
2. Lodging — Bunkhouse Cabins: Four bunkhouse-style rustic cabins (Cherry, Redbud, White Pine, Dogwood) sleep 16–32 guests each and are rented per person per night. Minimum nightly rates apply per cabin. The property can accommodate groups of 100+ by combining multiple cabins.
3. Campground — Tent Camping: OAR operates a 6-acre private forested campground with general sites ($8/person/night) and reserved riverside sites ($10/person/night, 10-person minimum). Dogs are welcome. Bonfires and firewood available for purchase.
4. Meeting & Event Spaces: OAR rents out indoor and outdoor meeting spaces including a conference room, catering hall with pavilion, riverside pavilion, main pavilion, activity field with stage, and volleyball court. Spaces are booked by phone for group events, weddings, corporate retreats, and team building gatherings.
5. Group Packages and Catering: OAR offers bundled group packages combining activities, lodging, and catering. Groups of 10 or more and non-profits receive discounts. Catering is available by request and coordinated through dedicated event planners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Outdoor Adventure Rafting is a family-owned outdoor recreation outfitter that sells guided whitewater rafting, river tubing, and land-based climbing/ropes experiences on the Ocoee River in Benton, Tennessee. The company also rents four bunkhouse cabins (16-32 guests each), a 6-acre riverside campground, and indoor/outdoor meeting and event spaces for groups, weddings, and corporate retreats. All activities, lodging, and event venues operate from a single 21-acre riverside outpost and are sold on a per-person, dynamic-priced basis.

Product overview

Outdoor Adventure Rafting (OAR) is a family-owned outdoor recreation company operating on the Ocoee River since 1977. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of adventure products centered around whitewater activities: Whitewater Rafting (Middle Ocoee, Full Ocoee, Upper/Olympic Section, Class V Experience) serves as the core product, complemented by River Tubing on the gentler Lower Ocoee and Climbing & Ropes activities (rappelling, climbing wall, low ropes course, Alpine Tower). On-site lodging includes four Rustic Bunkhouse Cabins (Cherry, Redbud, White Pine, Dogwood) sleeping 16-32 guests each, plus a 6-acre riverside campground. Meeting Spaces include indoor/outdoor venues for events, weddings, and corporate gatherings. The company operates a 21-acre riverside property and provides dedicated event planning services for groups. Photo services and group booking packages are available as add-ons. As of 2025, OAR became the largest outfitter on the Ocoee River.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whitewater Rafting

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,000 five-star reviews and counting
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ocoee Dog Daycare and ResortOthersOcoee Dog Daycare and Resort (277 Reynolds Bridge Rd, Ocoee, TN 37361) is a neighboring dog daycare and boarding service located near OAR. OAR provides a direct referral link on its cabin page for guests who want to board their dogs while going whitewater rafting. The daycare operates seasonally (March–October) in conjunction with the rafting season. This is an informal referral relationship rather than a formal partnership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chattooga River Rafting Outfitters: Whitewater rafting outfitters operating on the Chattooga River on the Georgia-South Carolina border. Comparable business model and customer base to OAR for guided rafting experiences and group bookings in the Southeast recreation market.
• USA Raft Adventure Resort: Multi-river whitewater rafting outfitter operating on the Nantahala and Pigeon rivers with on-site lodging, campground, and group event facilities. Closely comparable destination-rafting business model with lodging and group packages.
• Quest Expeditions: Whitewater rafting outfitter operating on the Ocoee River, offering guided rafting trips on similar Class III-V sections of the river. Directly competes with OAR for individual and group rafting bookings in the same market.
• Smoky Mountain Outfitters: Outdoor recreation outfitter in the Tennessee/North Carolina Smokies region offering rafting trips on the Pigeon and Nantahala rivers. Comparable regional rafting-adventure business targeting similar tourist demographics from the Southeast U.S. metros.
• Bigfoot Expeditions: Whitewater rafting company on the Ocoee River offering guided trips and adventure experiences. Overlaps directly with OAR on the Middle/Upper Ocoee sections and competes for the same tourist segment from Chattanooga, Atlanta, and Nashville metros.
• Ocoee Rafting (Adventures Unlimited): Direct competitor on the Ocoee River offering whitewater rafting, lodging, and adventure activities on the same waterway. Operates a similar business model combining rafting trips with on-site accommodations, making it the closest same-river competitor for OAR.

Broad incumbents

• Wildwater Ltd. Long-established Southeast U.S. rafting outfitter operating on multiple rivers including the Chattooga, Ocoee, and Nantahala. Comparable as a multi-river rafting operator with guided trips and group event focus, though at broader scale than OAR.
• Nantahala Outdoor Center: Largest and most established outdoor recreation outfitter in the Southeast U.S., offering rafting, lodging, and adventure activities across multiple rivers. Comparable to OAR as a destination-style outfitter with multi-activity programs, lodging, and broad recreation offerings, though at materially larger scale.

Regional players

• Pigeon River Outfitters: Whitewater rafting outfitter on the Pigeon River in the Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee/North Carolina. Comparable business model (guided rafting, group events) and overlapping tourism geography, though on a different waterway than the Ocoee.
• Cataloochee Rafting & Fishing: Smaller Tennessee-based rafting and outdoor recreation outfitter operating on regional rivers. Less directly comparable to OAR's destination model, but operates in the same Southeast rafting tourism segment serving group and family guests.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@outdooradventurerafting
• Facebookfacebook.com/OARafting
• Instagraminstagram.com/oarafting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/outdoor-adventure-rafting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Outdoor Adventure Rafting