Whitewater was the last thing on my mind when I first heard of Columbus, Georgia. The southeastern United States isn’t typically known for its whitewater. The first day I paddled the Chattahoochee River, I was blown away by the quality of the kayaking. Big waves, warm water and friendly people defined the Columbus experience for me, and I’ve been yearning to go back ever since.
In 2025, Columbus was recognized as the world’s first Center of Excellence for canoe freestyle by the International Canoe Federation. The city hosted the 2023 ICF Freestyle Kayak World Championship and will host it again in 2029. The Chattahoochee flows right through downtown, with 22 miles of parks and paths paralleling its banks. At 2.5 miles long, RushSouth Whitewater Park is the longest urban whitewater park in the world and home to several world-famous whitewater features, including Good Wave and Ambush.
More than 50,000 visitors travel to Columbus each year for whitewater sports, but it wasn’t always this way. In 2012, the city removed two large dams and worked with hydrologists to launch a major river revitalization project. Today, the Chattahoochee offers five class IV+ rapids, 10 smaller rapids, warm water, dam-controlled releases 365 days a year, and flows of up to 13,000 cubic feet per second (the highest-volume rapids east of the Mississippi and south of Canada). All this makes the Chattahoochee a whitewater kayaker’s paradise. Each winter, freestyle kayakers flock from all over North America to train on Columbus’s warm waters and big waves. They even have a name for it: the Wintering Grounds.
Head south for winter whitewater
Professional kayakers and multiple-time freestyle world champions, Emily Jackson and Nick Troutman, bought a house in Columbus to spend more time paddling the Chattahoochee.
“One of the biggest draws to Columbus is the consistency and access to great river features. Between Ambush, Monkey Wrench, Good Wave, Great Wave, and the super high-water features, it has a ton to offer. Not to mention it is one of the warmest places to paddle year-round,” says Jackson.
The whitewater is the main draw, but Jackson says the best part about paddling in Columbus is actually the community. “The community is what makes Columbus so great. You have a kayak shop, Whitewater Express, that has committed a ton of energy and resources to supporting the paddlers, then you have individuals like Melissa Hargrove, who organizes dozens of get-togethers for people of all skill levels and kids to enjoy the river,” she explains.
The warm water, deep whitewater and variety of rapid difficulty, from class I to class IV+, also make the Chattahoochee ideal for beginners and families. And there’s something extra special here: a community that goes out of its way to welcome new paddlers.
Why paddling pros make Columbus home
The Hargrove family has been a pillar of the Columbus paddling scene for over 20 years. Two of their kids, Makinley-Kate and Mason, are each world champions, while their younger siblings are not far behind.
“Kayaking is so much more than a sport. It has turned into an epic adventure, full of travel and meeting amazing people. Kayaking gives us opportunities for unplugged family time on the river, creating an enjoyment that we have not been able to duplicate with any other activity. This all started on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, thanks to a community that welcomed us with open arms,” says Hargrove.
The Hargrove family now gives back to the Columbus community by hosting kids’ kayaking camps, camps for underprivileged children, river cleanups, weekly paddling meetups, and volunteering for Team River Runner, a nonprofit organization providing adventure and adaptive sports programs for active-duty military personnel and veterans.
“The community is what makes it such a great space for my kids to push themselves in their kayaks because this group is dedicated to simply having fun on the water. Last week, all the kids ended the day at sunset, jumping in and swimming the rapids. To me, that’s what kayaking is all about: a place to connect with nature, push yourself, and have fun,” says Jackson.
“You can be a brand new kayaker through Team River Runner, or take a lesson through Whitewater Express and work your way up to surfing Good Wave or running our amazing river. The Chattahoochee River in Columbus has something to offer for everyone. I think it is one of the most inclusive pieces of whitewater in the United States,” says Mason Hargrove, 22, who learned to paddle on the Chattahoochee, and has worked his way up to become one of the best freestyle kayakers in the world.
A river town made for adventure
Located just 1.5 hours from Atlanta, you don’t have to be a freestyle athlete to kayak in Columbus. Local outfitters run rafting trips all year. The river’s flow changes with releases from the dam upstream, offering low-flow morning floats for families, while afternoon releases crank the volume. And there are plenty of other things to do in Columbus, too. RushSouth hosts guided fly fishing and ziplining, and Whitewater Express installed an 18-hole disc golf course along the riverbank.
Downtown Columbus has maintained its historic brick mill town character. I loved wandering the streets and exploring the coffee shops and restaurants within walking distance of Good Wave. I spent many mornings at Iron Bank, working on my computer before walking a few blocks to the river to paddle. For non-paddlers, the RiverWalk is a 22-mile park with paved walking trails right next to the river. There is also a farmers market on Saturdays, as well as art studios and live music throughout the city.
What’s next for the Chattahoochee
Columbus is one of the best freestyle destinations in North America, and the city is continuing to develop the river as one of the bucket list whitewater destinations in the country. The city is even planning another multi-million dollar investment in the whitewater park with a new low-water feature that will be accessible to both river surfers and freestyle kayakers. I hope to test out the new wave on my next visit to this unexpected kayaking mecca.
