*****With growing concerns related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the city is taking precautions and implementing strategies recommended by the CDC to prevent the spread and lessen the impact of COVID-19 on the Greater Chattanooga area. As a division of the City, we are suspending all public programs and events until further notice. We make this decision with a heavy heart and the safety of our community in mind.

If you have additional questions about the cancellations, please call us at 423-643-6888 or email info@outdoorchattanooga.com

Learn more about the city’s response plans and preparations. → https://connect.chattanooga.gov/covid/

Thank you for your understanding as we work through this public health challenge together.
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Learn how to whitewater kayak with Outdoor Chattanooga‘s Rapid Learning Whitewater Program! This dynamic program provides formal and equipped kayak instruction for beginner and seasoned kayakers to learn and develop the skills necessary to safely and confidently paddle whitewater streams.

Start the program any time of year by attending an introduction to kayak skills class to learn essential skills and safe paddling techniques in the calm waters of the lake or pool. Instruction is provided in a group setting with an emphasis on building skills according to the pace of each individual and their unique paddling goals.

Intro to kayak skills classes are offered regularly throughout the year and can be joined anytime; no prior experience, reservations, or equipment required to participate. We provide it all and your first visit is free! Appropriate for ages 8+. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Winter Indoor Kayak Skills Classes are held on select Tuesdays, November through April at the Hulsey Wellness Center indoor pool at Southern Adventist University, 4870 University Drive Collegedale, TN 37363.

2019-2020 Winter Skills Class Schedule: 
November 12, December 10, January 14, February 11, March 10, April 21

Choose a session:
Session 1 | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. 
Session 2 | 8:00 – 9:00 p.m.

***The Hulsey Wellness Center’s 75 x 40-foot pool is 3 – 10 feet deep and is maintained at 81 to 85 degrees. One-piece swimsuits are required. Personal Kayaks must be clean and free of debris. Pool admission is required: $2 per adult/$1 per child aged 15 and younger and is paid at the Hulsey Center pool entrance. We ask that you drop your CLEAN personal equipment off at the back door of the pool rather than carry it through the center. First-time participants do not have to be Rapid Learning Members, but they still must pay pool admission. All first-time participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Rapid Learning Members age 18 or under must have a signed release form from their parent or legal guardian.***

From your first Rapid Learning skills development class to your first Class III run, Outdoor Chattanooga’s certified instructors will be right beside you offering instruction and encouragement to help you meet your kayaking goals. This dynamic program aims to get paddlers safely and comfortably paddling up to class III whitewater, and it takes time to learn these skills. Our instructors have years of experience, on a variety of rivers worldwide and are nationally certified.

Become a Member
After the first skills session, you can continue learning and improving your whitewater kayaking skills by enrolling in our Rapid Learning Program and becoming a member. Membership includes the use of program equipment and all instruction at the skills practice sessions and during river trips. Purchase the yearly individual membership for $75 or the family membership for $125.

Kayakers are eligible to attend instructional river trips once they have demonstrated essential skills such as confident wet exits, basic self-rescue, and effective maneuvering of the whitewater kayak during an Intro Class. For more information about the program including how to become a Rapid Learning Member or register for an instructional river trip call 423-643-6888 or visit: https://outdoorchattanooga.com/programs/rapid-learning/ 

Contact Us: 423.643.6888 or info@outdoorchattanooga.com