A wild adventure just south of Atlanta through Chattahoochee Riverlands

Imagine paddling downriver over shoals, exploring clear streams, catching a bream or bass, and simply watching mayflies flit from bank to river. And after a day on the water, all you have to do is paddle up to a campsite and settle in for a night’s rest cooled by the flowing river. 

You can experience rich nature in Metro Atlanta on the Chattahoochee River as it flows through South Fulton County.  

This spring Georgia Rivers hosted the inaugural Chattahoochee Camp + Paddle Adventure and spent a weekend paddling the Chattahoochee River and camping at the new RiverLands “paddle-in campsites” and parks in the Chattahoochee Hills region.

The new Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trail sites at Campbellton Park and RiverLands Park were first envisioned by Trust for Public Land with input from many partners including Georgia Rivers. Joe Cook

“Now that we’ve tried it out, we can confirm: the Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trail campsites are top notch and destined to become signature river recreation destinations in Atlanta for years to come,” said Joe Cook of Georgia Rivers who coordinated the catered journey which saw more than two dozen paddlers explore nearly 30 miles of the river April 26-27.

Chattahoochee RiverLands is a bold regional vision to connect 20-metro Atlanta cities and seven counties to the Chattahoochee River and each other with an ambitious 100-mile greenway trail, blueway trail, and tributary trails linking parks, overlooks, access points and trailheads from Buford Dam to Chattahoochee Bend State Park. In April, Trust for Public Land (TPL) completed construction of the 48-mile Camp + Paddle Trail, which begins at Peachtree Creek in North Atlanta and extends to McIntosh Reserve in Carroll County.

The trail is highlighted by two “paddle-in campsites” that feature river access with ADA compliant kayak launches, primitive tent camping sites, covered pavilions with picnic tables, electric device charging stations, restrooms, showers, grilling stations and fire pits. 

These campsites so close to the water are unique in Georgia – no similar public camp facilities exist on Georgia rivers- and are amenities that will attract visitors from across the southeast to the Chattahoochee River for outdoor recreation.

The Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trails highlighted by two “paddle-in campsites” that feature river access with ADA compliant kayak launches, primitive tent camping sites, covered pavilions with picnic tables, electric device charging stations, restrooms, showers, grilling stations and fire pits. Joe Cook

“We are so thankful to Trust for Public Land for creating this exciting outdoor recreation development for Metro Atlanta rivers and streams,” said Rena Ann Peck, Georgia Rivers Executive Director, “These gorgeous and thoughtfully designed campsites and canoe launches can serve as a model for similar projects on other water trails to generate tourism revenue for rural communities across our state.”

The new Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trail sites at Campbellton and New RiverLands Park were first envisioned by Trust for Public Land with input from many partners. 

“Trust for Public Lands saw an unprecedented opportunity to connect metro Atlanta to its hidden river,” said Walt Ray, TPL Chattahoochee Program Director, “Chattahoochee RiverLands significantly improved river access in areas where the Chattahoochee has historically been difficult to find.  None of this would have been possible without the deep collaboration of our many partners. Together, we’re opening the river to everyone and creating a legacy of equitable access to nature.”

Walt Ray, TPL Chattahoochee Program Director, launches his kayak at New RiverLands Park fully accessible kayak launch. Joe Cook

Together, Trust for Public Land and Georgia Rivers wrote a grant proposal to secure Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program funding from Georgia Department of Natural Resources in 2019 for TPL to develop campsites along the Chattahoochee River and promote river recreation tourism with the free Georgia River Guide app.

“During the Chattahoochee Camp + Paddle Adventure I woke up to a wild turkey call and rustled out of my sleeping bag alongside a river flowing past boulders and native azaleas. I reminisced back to six years ago when Walt and I joked about needing to bring our Benji and Star Wars sleeping bags to his TPL office in case we had to pull an all-nighter to get the grant proposal done on time,” Peck recalled.

Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers, smiles through a rapid over shoals by Plant Yates. Georgia Rivers works to increase access on water trails across the state. Joe Cook 

The name Chattahoochee was given to the river by the Muscogee Creek to describe the water that flows by rock outcroppings. Georgia rivers like the Chattahoochee hold rich history of the first river stewards, and invite new river conservations to add their stories

Georgia Rivers Chattahoochee Camp + Paddle Adventure 

Georgia Rivers, a river recreation and conservation nonprofit that promotes water trails across the state, hosted the first organized trip to make use of the Chattahoochee Riverlands Camp + Paddle Trail campsites. 

Georgia Rivers paddlers began their journey April 25 with a camp at historic Campbellton. The flotilla then paddled 16 miles to the newly opened New RiverLands Park for a second camp on April 26, and then finished out the weekend with a 12-mile float to McIntosh Reserve Park in Carroll County.

First time kayakers Erika and Caden Clark successfully maneuvered Chattahoochee shoals during the Georgia Rivers Chattahoochee River Camp and Paddle Adventure. Joe Cook

During the journey, participants familiar with the Chattahoochee as it flows through North Fulton County remarked at the abundance of undeveloped land along this southern section of the river and felt its cultural history.  Spared by the intense riverfront development common to Metro Atlanta’s northern suburbs, the Chattahoochee through South Fulton, Douglas, Carroll and Coweta counties has maintained a wild, rural vibe in part because of land preservation efforts conducted over the last 50 years. Through the decades, Trust for Public Land has worked to preserve more than 18,000 acres and 80 miles of riverfront along the Chattahoochee.

“The Campbellton Park campsites are steps from a new, safe boat ramp.  After breaking camp, it was easy to walk my kayak down and launch onto the Chattahoochee River. Floating to the next campsite at New RiverLands Park was a relaxing way to see this region from a completely different perspective,” Ray said. “I am proud of our work to create places for fully immersive river experiences. It was great being in and so close to the River all weekend regardless if we were cooking over the campfire, using the pavilion, or pitching our tents.”

Trust for Public Land, in partnership with Georgia Department of Natural Resources, installed BoardSafe Docks boat launches at two points along the Chattahoochee River to increase access with ADA compliant kayak launches and ensure everyone has access to the outdoors. Joe Cook

In addition to experiencing Campbellton Park and New RiverLands Park, the two-day journey took participants past multiple public lands, including Moore’s Bridge Park and McIntosh Reserve Park in Carroll County and Coweta County’s riverside park, and past riverside facilities that reflect the changing fortunes of this section of river. 

Near Whitesburg, paddlers saw the new Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority’s raw water intake under construction. Pumping drinking water from the Chattahoochee downstream of Atlanta, long maligned by failing sewer systems, would have been unthinkable in the early 1990s. Just downstream from Coweta County’s new water intake, participants floated past Georgia Power Company’s Plant Yates, a former coal-fired power plant converted to natural gas that has dramatically reduced the amount of water it withdraws from and discharges back to the river.

Paddlers on Georgia Rivers Chattahoochee River Camp and Paddle Adventure passed the new Coweta County Water and Sewerage Authority raw water intake, currently under construction. Joe Cook

Over the weekend, Georgia Rivers paddlers slipped beneath bald eagles perched in riverside trees, spied otters and muskrats, heard belted kingfishers, watched our youth hook bass and bream, startled a massive school of gar and spooked sunning turtles from countless logs.

Terry Morris and grandson Hatcher Morris caught a bream during the Georgia Rivers Chattahoochee River Camp and Paddle Adventure. Joe Cook

“What an unforgettable kickoff to the first-ever Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trail adventure! All weekend, the river came alive with paddlers, anglers, picnickers, families, runners—even a pair of bald eagles and a horse polo match at McIntosh Reserve Park,” said Christine Hassell, TPL Chattahoochee Program Project Manager, “It was a perfect snapshot of what Trust for Public Land and the Chattahoochee RiverLands is all about: connecting people, nature, and community through shared experiences on the river.”

Christine Hassell, TPL Chattahoochee Program Project Manager, who oversaw the construction of the Chattahoochee Camp & Paddle Trail, floats by majestic rock outcroppings for which the Muscogee Creek named the Chattahoochee River. Joe Cook. 

“Today, this section of river is alive, but in the early 1990s it was heavily impacted by upstream sewage failures and local industrial demands.” Cook said. “Those problems have been mitigated, and given the chance, the river continues to recover. It’s fast becoming a popular outdoor recreation destination for boaters and anglers. The Chattahoochee RiverLands Camp + Paddle Trail that we used during this adventure will make this section of river even more accessible and inviting.”  

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Atlantans eager to access the adventures to be had on the Chattahoochee River can learn more about Chattahoochee Riverlands and the paddle-in campsites at RiverLands.org.

Experience unique river adventures across the state on paddle trips with Georgia Rivers. Learn more at garivers.org