Part of Ocoee Whitewater Center reopening after 2022 fire, comments help create plans for rebuilding

COPPERHILL, Tenn. (WATE) — Two years after fire destroyed the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Cherokee National Forest , the United States Forest Service is sharing an update on the center’s future as more areas within the site begin to reopen.

The Ocoee Ranger District plans to open the upper parking lot in early May to restore access to the upper portion of the site, the Old Copper Road Trail, and the Blue Hole. In addition, the developed administrative site remains open. However, access to the administrative building site remains closed due to safety considers.

The historic venue, which was built for the 1996 Olympics, was destroyed on April 26, 2022 in a fire. Affected trails reopened in May 2022, and a river warning system destroyed in the fire was restored in July 2022.

The Forest Service is putting together a master plan after receiving public input on the future of the entire site . More than 7,000 comments from 38 states and three countries were provided to help inform new programming for the entire location. The University of Georgia’s Institute of Government also gathered information on visitor use and demand . UGA’s final report can be viewed at https://issuu.com/rsvpstudio/docs/ocoee2024 .

The Forest Service, along with the Tennessee Valley Authority , recently completed a “very detailed physical survey” of the whitewater course. The team is now working on proposed site scenarios to meet the needs of whitewater enthusiasts, local communities and visitors.

“People from all over told us how important it was to get this right and we are working to fully understand that input,” said Michael Wright, forest supervisor of the Cherokee National Forest. “Consideration for public input and collaboration is a priority over speed as we incorporate feedback into a range of scenarios that will address the entire administrative site. Whitewater sports have changed, visitor needs have evolved, and the volume of visitors is much different today. This catastrophic event that destroyed the visitor center gives us an opportunity to create a next chapter that better meets the needs of visitors to the entire site.”

The Forest Service plans to share site scenarios for the entire facility soon. They are working with federal, state, and local partners to help guide the reimagining.

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