A month ago, during Memorial Day weekend when it wasn't sweltering hot yet in Memphis, my husband I were debating what to do with our rare time off. We decided we would go hiking somewhere in Arkansas or Missouri as it appeared that nothing else naturey was close to Memphis. Well, guess what! There most definitely is!!! Ghost River Outfitters is about an hour outside of Memphis and offers canoe and kayak rentals down Wolf River. They also apparently offer stand up paddleboard rental for the truly adventurous (I will probably not try that until I am more physically fit aka never at this rate). We decided to rent a canoe and called the number on their website and reserved a spot for Sunday morning. We packed sunblock, lots of water, a lunch, snacks, and drove out to Moscow TN to the rendezvous spot. They took us in vans a couple miles down to where they launched us off and gave us some brief instructions during the ride. It took us about 4 hours to get down the river back to where our cars were parked. I really could write a novel about what happened to us during the canoe ride (think almost colliding with a snake, attempting to rescue a poor couple that capsized and thanking God it wasn't us, seeing GORGEOUS nature that I did not know existed out here) but I'll sum it up as awesome!!! so many stories to tell about that trip. Some tips: 1. Call the number when you want to make a reservation. It fills up quickly 2. Definitely pack lunch - there's a little spot in the middle of the trip where you can "park" your canoe/kayak and stop to rest and eat. 3. Pack lots of water and sunblock! 4. Pay the extra bucks to go on the guided tour if you are directionally challenged or nervous about never having canoed/kayaked before. There were some spots where the signs are confusing and we definitely spent 10+ minutes trying to redirect ourselves back onto the right path. They also do nice stuff on the tour like show you where beaver dams are, etc 5. Waterproof your camera if you bring one When we went, the spots were completely filled up but one of the tour guides said that surprisingly, not many people in Memphis know this place exists but apparently word still gets out somehow because they have a lot of people that come from out of state. I feel like I just wrote everything and yet wrote nothing. This was the best thing we have ever done in/around Memphis. Give the website a look if you're interested! read more

Ghost River Outfitters - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Moscow, Tennessee

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I canoed down Wolf/Ghost River and it was by far one of the coolest things I've ever done. And I'm including things outside of Memphis. You have to drive an hour outside of Memphis to Moscow, TN and that short hour transports you to a magical place. I didn't even know places like this existed in Tennessee. If this is your first time, I highly recommend, no insist, you get a guide. Thank heavens I did because if Harrison wasn't there we would still be trying to find our way back. And definitely read all of their information on the website before you make the reservations. This is a beautiful river and the best 5 hours I've spent during a weekend in quite awhile. I can't wait to go back! read more

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WHAT A FANTASTIC TIME! We called ahead asking questions was told that it is not for beginners. I have canoed a lot, but never really considered myself an expert so... What does "not for beginners" mean I asked back? Glenn told me that if you tip the canoe, you are in a very remote area and are going to have to figure out how to empty and right it up and collect your gear, etc yourself and that can be really difficult so don't expect to find others out there who will help you. If you have to call them for help, assuming you remembered to keep your phone in a water tight way and not lose it... there is no way for the guides to get to you anyway without paddling the whole several mile stretch themselves to find you. Well,we have capsized canoes before on purpose for scout training so no big deal I think, but since Glenn mentioned a few times about tipping and that canoes CAN be more tippy.... I was just a little nervous starting out, asked the kind of canoe he rents and all that because we WERE once in a canoe that WAS more unstable than the usual kind of canoes - was that the problem I wondered? NO! Once we were in the water, ALL those fears were gone, the canoe Glenn rented us was perfectly stable (as stable as a canoe can be) and I would say that it is only tippy for people who have never been in a canoe before and forget that canoes do tip. We had a few moments of situating ourselves and gear (Traveled with me in front and husband in back and lightweight teenage daughter in the middle holding our chihuahua.) Then those peaceful moments were behind us as we encountered the first tree we had to duck under - Whoa! The first one caught me by surprise, and if we all were not "experienced" yes, we would have tipped right there. As it was I nearly lost my paddle that first time, but then I learned to put my paddle actually INSIDE the canoe just moments before ducking under trees so it stayed secure. In front, I was usually on my knees on the floor, not on the seat cuz it is easier to flatten yourself from there. As the front person, I've always watched out for rocks on OTHER rivers, but THIS trip taught me to instead focus on calling out directions of the sharp turns of the river itself and the best places for us to duck under when trees and branches were overhead. (Will our canoe even fit under that log? Yes it will a little to the right! Oh wow- that was AWESOME! Hang on, I'm about to snap this branch in your face if you don't duck now! Oops sorry!) After completing this course, I will say I am glad that my husband downloaded a GPS map to track that we were on course. Without it I would have been more nervous about being sure we were going in the right direction when "it widens into a lake" near the end. (That term "lake" meant that the cypress trees are more spread out, but it didn't look like lakes I was used to and I might have liked to see more blue signs if we didn't have my husband's technology to back us up.) Still I have to say that if you are a canoe-er, this NEEDS TO BE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST!!!!!! Never a chance to get bored, new sights to see, very stimulating river with new challenges at every turn! I definitely recommend this! In hindsight, Glenn (who dropped us off) did an EXCELLENT job telling us everything we needed to know about the course, patiently repeated it a few times when I told him I was going to forget that. I loved listening to his stories reflecting his experiences and love for this river. Definitely listen to him and ask questions if you need to- he knows what he is talking about! Hire him as a guide to go with you if you are not too sure about your own skills, but YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY DO THIS! We went in the middle of March as the season opened. Perfect weather. Warm enough, but too cold for bugs or snakes. (Didn't see any snakes!) read more

Awesome canoeing on a fun river with very scenic cypress swamp. It took us 6 hours to make the 8 mile float, but we weren't paddling hard. Some of the spots are a bit tricky but it's not whitewater! Just narrow at spots and there is some current when it narrows . An amazing day! Get out there and appreciate nature! read more

This was an awesome experience. Give yourself enough time to get there by 10:15 without speeding. We saw several people pulled over on the way. Bring CASH. Dress to get wet. Most people don't fall in, but you do get a lot of water from the paddles in your kayak. Be ready to duck and dive and maneuver yourself out of the way of trees and low-hanging branches. We had to lay in our kayaks to get under trees at some point. There were also snakes and spiders, don't freak out. Listen to the guides before you take off and remember what they tell you. There are certain spots they tell you to go right and left, so make sure to listen up to those parts. There are also blue markers to guide the way, but in the beginning, they're few and far in between. It was SO much fun, the employees were SO nice. Gather up your friends and head out there! read more

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We had an awesome kayak adventure! I CANNOT imagine doing this in a canoe...there were some very tight squeezes, low hanging branches, and swift currents toward the end. It took us 5.5 hours to complete the 8 mile journey. The staff were very friendly and the kayaks were pretty comfortable. You are on your own to navigate so make sure to follow the signs. Watch out for spiders and snakes!!! Eek! It was absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to go back again! read more

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