Ernestine and Scott Pilkington get ready to float the Sequatchie River
Nestled in the 125-mile-long rift valley in the Cumberland Plateau are farms, forests, mountains, and the beautiful Sequatchie River. In this clean, fresh river breathe trout, catfish, and bass, but these lazy currents also transport an array of mammals, the human kind.
The “gentle thrills” of the Sequatchie River offer relaxation in a peaceful setting. The lazy current floats canoes downstream under a canopy of hardwoods, manifesting the Sequatchie River as a breathtaking example of the natural and scenic wonders of East Tennessee.
Now in its 25th year, Canoe the Sequatchie is celebrating its past and realizing its future. Scott and Ernestine Pilkington raised their family around the canoe business they created in 1976. For years, the Pilkington’s have watched visitors as well as their own children and grandchildren learn to paddle a canoe, swim in the serene waters of the river, and explore for native creatures harboring beneath the surface.
“What we have here are gentle thrills,” says Ernestine Pilkington. “It’s the kind of adventuring anybody can do: the kids, Grandmom and Grandad. There are no surprises, and the water is only waist deep in most places.”
After a lifetime of proclaiming the spectacular wonders of the Sequatchie River and its Class I float stream, the Pilkington’s have decided to celebrate their 25th anniversary in style.
Special celebrations have been planned for the months of June and July, including the canoe cake that will be served June 11th. This is just their way of saying thank you to all those who make their dream and their business a success.
Information on trip lengths and prices can be found at Canoe the Sequatchie’s web site at www.sequatchie.com/canoe.htm
or call 423-949-4400. Trips range from 3 to 9 miles in length.