By Clint Cox, alias “The Panhandle Paddler”
The Chattooga River, located in northern Georgia is billed as the crown jewel of Southeastern whitewater rivers. After spending a day last week whitewater rafting on the Chattooga I would say there is no false advertising here. The Chattooga River is also designated as a Wild and Scenic River. The wild designation comes from the fact that the Chattooga, unlike many of the other whitewater rivers in the south, is not controlled by a dam but is free flowing. The scenic designation comes from the fact that the Chattooga is bordered on the northern banks by the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. The southern banks of the river are part of Sumter National Forest in South Carolina. So you can spend hours, and even days, on this river and be in a pristine area largely untouched by man.
The river’s other notoriety comes from the fact that the movie “Deliverance” was filmed there. The movie, staring Burt Reynolds, was released in 1972 and was about the adventures of four city fellows on a weekend excursion in canoes paddling down the Chattooga. Our rafting guide would periodically point out sights that had appeared in the movie and there is even one rapid that is known as Deliverance Rock. And if you’ve seen the movie, you know why we were always listening out for any banjo music.
There are two sections of the river that can be rafted. The upper section, Section III, is more mild but does have several Class II – IV rapids to get the heart pumping. There is a minimum age requirement of 10 for this section. The lower section, Section IV, is for the more adventurous folks. It has numerous rapids that range from Class II – V rapids, with Class V rapids being the second highest rated rapids possible. Toward the end of Section IV is the infamous Five Falls. Here you will encounter five successive Class IV & V rapids with the river dropping 100 feet in about one third of a mile. Rapids with names like Corkscrew, Jawbone and the finale Soc-em-Dog will outdo any rollercoaster ride around.
My oldest son Taylor and I decided to tackle Section IV of the Chattooga and hooked up with Southeastern Expeditions out of Clayton, Georgia. We spent the day enjoying some outstanding whitewater rafting. We also got to stop along the way to check out a nice waterfall (Long Creek Falls), jump off a few big rocks into the river and swim in the crystal clear waters of the Chattooga. In between the numerous rapids are stretches of calm paddling that allow us to our catch breath and soak up the scenery.
Section IV is not for the faint hearted and probably not best for first time whitewater rafters. There is also a minimum age requirement of 13 for this section and you best be prepared to get wet and possibly fall out. But if you are willing to take those chances, and we were, I would highly recommend a trip down the lower Chattooga. And by the way, paddle faster folks, I hear banjo music ahead.
The Chattooga River, located in northern Georgia is billed as the crown jewel of Southeastern whitewater rivers. After spending a day last week whitewater rafting on the Chattooga I would say there is no false advertising here. The Chattooga River is also designated as a Wild and Scenic River. The wild designation comes from the fact that the Chattooga, unlike many of the other whitewater rivers in the south, is not controlled by a dam but is free flowing. The scenic designation comes from the fact that the Chattooga is bordered on the northern banks by the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. The southern banks of the river are part of Sumter National Forest in South Carolina. So you can spend hours, and even days, on this river and be in a pristine area largely untouched by man.
The river’s other notoriety comes from the fact that the movie “Deliverance” was filmed there. The movie, staring Burt Reynolds, was released in 1972 and was about the adventures of four city fellows on a weekend excursion in canoes paddling down the Chattooga. Our rafting guide would periodically point out sights that had appeared in the movie and there is even one rapid that is known as Deliverance Rock. And if you’ve seen the movie, you know why we were always listening out for any banjo music.
There are two sections of the river that can be rafted. The upper section, Section III, is more mild but does have several Class II – IV rapids to get the heart pumping. There is a minimum age requirement of 10 for this section. The lower section, Section IV, is for the more adventurous folks. It has numerous rapids that range from Class II – V rapids, with Class V rapids being the second highest rated rapids possible. Toward the end of Section IV is the infamous Five Falls. Here you will encounter five successive Class IV & V rapids with the river dropping 100 feet in about one third of a mile. Rapids with names like Corkscrew, Jawbone and the finale Soc-em-Dog will outdo any rollercoaster ride around.
My oldest son Taylor and I decided to tackle Section IV of the Chattooga and hooked up with Southeastern Expeditions out of Clayton, Georgia. We spent the day enjoying some outstanding whitewater rafting. We also got to stop along the way to check out a nice waterfall (Long Creek Falls), jump off a few big rocks into the river and swim in the crystal clear waters of the Chattooga. In between the numerous rapids are stretches of calm paddling that allow us to our catch breath and soak up the scenery.
Section IV is not for the faint hearted and probably not best for first time whitewater rafters. There is also a minimum age requirement of 13 for this section and you best be prepared to get wet and possibly fall out. But if you are willing to take those chances, and we were, I would highly recommend a trip down the lower Chattooga. And by the way, paddle faster folks, I hear banjo music ahead.
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