North Georgia’s rivers provide awesome paddling adventures for canoeing and kayaking. The river difficulty ranges from the tame Class I to the insane Class V. Kayak and canoe enthusiasts can enjoy everything in between like Class II moderate rapids, clear passages and a few small drops to Class III with moderately difficult rapids with large and irregular waves. Class IV is intense and powerful and Class V is for the expert only.
Visit These Rivers in North Georgia
Ocoee River
The Ocoee River is only 20 minutes from Blue Ridge and used for the 1996 Summer Olympics kayaking events. The Toccoa River below Lake Blue Ridge dam turns into the Ocoee River once you cross into Tennessee. The Ocoee is a paddler’s paradise and offers challenging whitewater rapids to satisfy everyone.
Cartecay River
The Cartecay River is 20 minutes away in nearby Ellijay and offers intermediate and novice paddlers moderately technical flat-water to Class III whitewater rapids with plenty of areas to play in between. You can put in on either side of the bridge on Lower Cartecay Road or put in at highway 52, paddle up 1 mile to Lower Cartecay Road then take out on Stegall Mill Road.
Chattooga River
The Chattooga River famous for the dueling banjos portion of the classic “Deliverance” and some wild whitewater action (Class III and IV) between the Georgia and South Carolina border. Just 55 minutes from Blue Ridge.
Tallulah River
The Tallulah River is very technical (experts only) and only for the select few who do not mind walking down 500 steps to the put-in for a few weekends in April and November with rapid speeds of 500 to 700 cubic feet per second. Just 1 hour from Blue Ridge.
Check Out These Local North GA OutfittersÂ
Ocoee Adventure Center
(888) 723-8622
4651 Highway 64, Copperhill, TN 37317
Kayak instruction clinics for children and adults & private lessons with American Whitewater Olympic Gold Medalist Joe Jacobi!
TRA (Toccoa River Adventures)
(706) 492-5280
340 Toccoa Avenue, McCaysville, GA 30555
Offer single tube, double or “honeymoon tubes,” canoes, kayaks, and even funyaks for the kids! Tubing pricing includes life jackets and transportation up the Toccoa River to begin the trip. Floating back down to TRA outpost should take appropriately 45 minutes. This, trip runs in the later part of the day when water is released from the Blue Ridge Dam. Trip is gentle and a great way to soak up the sun!
Blue Ridge Fly Fishing & Canoe Guides
(706) 838-5515
Jon Ron Toccoa River Outfitters
(706) 838-0200
The Rivershack at Vanzandt’s
(706) 838-4158
