Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers are reminding visitors that water recreation is not recommended in the park due to numerous hazards and dangers. Weather forecasts for the Fourth of July holiday week include heavy rain and thunderstorms which can cause river levels to rise rapidly.

Serious water-related injuries, including fatalities, occur each year in the park. Over the last several weeks, Smokies park rangers have participated in multiple river rescues with local swift water rescue squads primarily involving visitors floating on inner tubes. In March, the park suffered a water-related fatality when a visitor from Ontario was swept downstream after his kayak capsized in Little River near the Sinks.

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