Hi, I’m Sarah Beth, owner of OAR. For over 10 years, I have been rafting the Ocoee, and I hope I never stop. I love the challenge of the rapids, the thrill of the adventure, and the teamwork that you can only get from “or else” situations. After years of rafting, they made me the River Manager, and after years more, I figured I should just buy the place.

I have spent my whole life in Appalachia, and my family has lived in these mountains for as long as anyone can remember. Between climbing the Smokeys, paddling every river, camping under the trees, foraging in the hollers, visiting family in Cherokee and Sweetwater, and learning to read with books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Tennessee is in my blood. Truth be told, after scrapes, bumps, and adventures, there’s more than a little of my blood in Tennessee too.

My favorite thing about whitewater is showing people that their limits are not where they thought they were. Anyone from any walk of life can push themselves beyond, and it is important to me that this place empowers that. We take thrill seekers and athletes, but we also take families and grandmas. We have built safety protocols that allow us to be the only company with trips for paraplegic groups, and I have learned to guide from the front of the boat, so I can sign with my deaf guests and family during our trips.

Since I took ownership in 2022, a lot has changed. We have invested in our training, our relationships, our processes and equipment, and yes, lots of repairs. We have grown as people and terrifyingly in size. We are also very happily (most of the time) to be a family business. Any given day, you are likely to find my mom, aunt, Maymaw, sisters, and nieces and nephews running around. Anyway, I hope you like me, because there are 4 generations of us to deal with here.