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The Hiwassee River

RELIANCE, TENNESSEE

Cold water, wild trout, and a stretch of mountain scenery that doesn't quit.
This is the river we built a shop, a deli, and a campground around - here's why.

A River That Runs Cold All Summer Long

WHERE THE COLD COMES FROM

Quick Facts

Apalachia Reservoir,
North Carolina

8 miles,
through the mountain

Consistently cold,
year round

Mostly Class I - II

Trout, floating, family days

Water
Source

Tunnel
Length

Water
Temp

Difficulty

Best For

______________

Most rivers in Tennessee get soft and warm by July. The Hiwassee doesn't get the memo — and there's a good reason for that. The water you're standing in didn't just fall as rain nearby. It was held deep in a reservoir up in North Carolina, then sent through an eight-mile tunnel bored straight through the mountains before it ever sees daylight again at the Apalachia Powerhouse, just upstream from us.

Water that's been sitting in the cold, dark bottom of a reservoir that whole time comes out cold — genuinely, grab-a-jacket-in-July cold. That's not an accident, and it's not something a normal river can do on its own. It's the reason this stretch stays a real trout fishery year-round, even in the dead of a Tennessee August when every other river nearby has gone warm and sluggish. Locals call it the valley's natural air conditioning, and once you've waded in during a 95-degree afternoon, you'll understand exactly why.

WHAT'S BITING

Fish & Fly Fishing

Cold, clean, oxygen-rich water means a
healthy fishery - and a ton of variety
for the size of this river.

Rainbow Trout

Brown Trout

Catfish & Yellow Perch

Smallmouth &
Largemouth Bass

The bread and butter here -plentiful and active, mostly
running 10 to 20 inches

The bigger, smarter holdovers. Winter months are when the true trophies show themselves.

Where the river opens up and warms slightly, bass fishing picks up alongside the trout water.

Less of a headline act, more
of a pleasant surprise on the
end of your line.

Fish in the morning while the water's quiet, tube in the afternoon once the sun's up. Swing by the deli before you head down - we'll fill your cooler so you're set for the whole day. Here are some links to our rafting buddies on the river. And remember, we would love to have you at our 2 Creeks Campground! Creeks to explore, hammocks, Deli, WIFI, crafts, and games galore!

Guys' Trip | Girls' Trip | Friends' Trip

Campground Reservations

Book a Fishing Guide

Family Day on the Water

Good to know: The stretch above Reliance runs catch-and-release delayed harvest from October through March. You'll need a valid Tennessee fishing license and a trout stamp. Ask at the shop if you're not sure what's required for where you're headed - we'd rather tell you up front than have you find out from a warden. Here's the link to get a fishing license. Below, I have the link to the app stores for you to download the free Go Outdoors TN (TN Wildlife Resources Agency) mobile app to renew, purchase, and store your licenses on your smartphone or tablet. And because these mountains don't play well with cell towers, here is a link to show you cell coverage on the river.

Hiwassee Outfitters

Webb Bros. Rafting

Bring the crew for a weekend on the water. The deli's got meals and snacks covered, and we can point you to a licensed guide if you want someone to put you on fish instead of guessing. Dylan can give you brilliant advice on where to wade in and what's biting today. Also, you can rent the cabin, bring your RV, or camp under the stars at our 2 Creeks Campground.

TWRA On the Go App - Apple

TWRA On the Go App - Google

Cell Coverage on the Hiwassee

WHY YOU WILL WANT TO SLOW DOWN

The Kind of Beauty You Can't Rush Past

The mountains don't ease into this river - they run straight down into it. Every bend opens up a different view, and there's always something worth stopping for no matter what season it is.

Between Big Bend, Woody Island, and Little Rock Island, the river spends most of its time curving instead of running straight, which means the scenery never sits still either. Slow down anywhere along here - on the water, on the bank, or just find that perfect picnic table - and it usually doesn't take long before something wild shows up to remind you why you came. Here are just a few of the amazing creatures we have along our river.

White-tailed deer at the water's edge
River otters working the shallows
Bald eagles overhead
Great blue herons
Ospreys
Belted kingfishers

Geese and ducks
River turtles
Raccoons
Red Foxes
On rare occasions, black bears
And bobcats

I don't know many young folks who are into birds - but somewhere along the way, I became one of them. If you want in on it too, there's an app that'll do it for you.

It's called Merlin, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and it's a little bit of magic. Set it to record, and it'll listen to whatever's singing nearby, tell you what bird it's hearing in real time, and pull up a photo along with everything you'd ever want to know about it.

When you're sitting at the campfire or out along the river, give it a try. Nature's been putting on a show this whole time — Merlin just helps you follow along.

Eavesdropping on the Birds

with Merlin

Get the Merlin App

Recreation on the Hiwassee

MORE THAN FISHING

Tubing & Kayaking

Webb Brothers & Hiwassee Outfitters handle tubing, kayaking, and shuttle service right here in Reliance - rentals, rides, and everything you need to get on the water without hauling your own gear down.

Webb Bros. Rafting

Hiwassee Outfitters

A Natural Stopping Point

Whether you're headed up toward the powerhouse or floating back down from it, RFT sits right in the middle of the run, which makes us a natural place to stop, refuel at the deli, and either keep going or call it a day & grab a beer outta the cooler.

Waterfalls & Hikes