Protect Your Rivers by Paddling Your Rivers!
Compete to win up to $8,000 in prizes for paddling you’re already doing in 2023 — and help protect Georgia’s rivers in the process — by joining Georgia River Network’s 25th Anniversary Paddle-a-thon! Now through Sept. 6, paddlers can log the miles they paddle to win prizes in categories such as “Most Miles Paddled,” “Most Kayak Fishing Trips,” “Most Trash Collected” and even “Most Miles Paddled with Your Pet!” Part paddling competition, part community fundraiser, all are invited to join Paddle-a-thon. You can choose to raise money on behalf of the org or to just paddle, it’s up to you!
Join Paddle-a-thon
Outdoor recreation enthusiasts, conservationists and leaders from across the state will gather to celebrate 25 years of protecting rivers and waterways on September 8 at the Georgia Rivers Gala.
Guests will enjoy full bar service with live music, a sit-down dinner, program and live dance band.
Come out to 42West from 7-10 p.m. on September 8 to celebrate a quarter-century of working together for healthy rivers.
Sponsor, get tickets or donate at garivers.org/georgiariversgala
For more information: Wilderness First Aid/CPR Certification Class (regfox.com)
Ever wonder why we’ve been doing this same trip–at the same time of year–in the same place for nearly a decade? Well, it’s because the lower Flint is so beautiful and so unique that we just keep coming back to it year after year. Even after all these years, it remains one of our most popular trips. Unlike any other river in South Georgia, the Flint will surprise you with its lively shoals, Swiss cheese-like limestone bluffs, beautiful blue hole springs and abundance of wildlife–both on land and in the water. This two-day, two-night canoe/kayak camping adventure takes in 36 miles of the Flint’s wonder. Along the way, you can choose your non-paddling activities: lounge on a sandbar, jump from a limestone cliff or take a dip in a chilling, breathtakingly beautiful blue hole spring. We’ll camp at Rocky Bend Flint River Retreat, a picturesque camp overlooking the river in Newton with tent camping, cabins for rent and RV camping sites. Restrooms with toilets and showers are provided. Catered meals will be served in an indoor, air-conditioned dining hall. Educational programs on the river and after dinner each evening will give you a greater understanding of the Flint and water issues shaping Southwest Georgia, the state’s most productive agricultural area. Click here for more details and registration information.
The 22-mile adventure takes you through an incredible diversity of landscapes and introduces you the the wonder that is, well…one of Georgia’s seven natural wonders–the Okefenokee Swamp. Beginning at Stephen Foster State Park, the paddle route explores both the wide-open cypress-lined big water of the swamp as well as the intimate hardwood-lined “Narrows” as the swamp begins forming what will soon become the Suwannee River. From the Narrows, the route emerges into a prairie-like landscape dotted with majestic cypress before passing through the man-made Suwannee River Sill and into the Suwannee River proper. The route’s final 14 miles from Griffis Fish Camp to Fargo take in a beautiful and winding section of one of the South’s most fabled rivers. Wildlife? You bet! Expect to see lots of alligators! Camping is at Griffis Fish Camp, an historic old-school campground established in the 1930s. Restrooms with toilets and showers are provided along with tent camping. Individual RV campsites are also available for additional fees. Catered meals are served beneath a temporary shelter within our camping area. Space is limited for this adventure so register early! Kayak rentals are available. Click here for more details and registration information.
This 15-mile paddling adventure shows off some of the best of the Okefenokee Swamp, exploring the iconic prairies of the swamp’s east side and the wooded narrows and cypress-lined path of the Suwannee River on the swamp’s east side. Upon completion of these paddle routes, you’ll understand why the Okefenokee has long been considered one of Georgia’s seven natural wonders and why it is now a candidate for inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The trip features fully indoor accommodations at the Suwannee River Eco-Lodge, part of Stephen Foster State Park, catered meals and great educational programs each evening. We begin with dinner and program Friday evening, Dec. 1, followed by two days of paddling. Kayak rentals are available. Click here for more details and registration information.
It’s March, and Spring has sprung on the Satilla River, long before the buds break out in North Georgia. Escape to the warmer confines of South Georgia and explore the beautiful, blackwater Satilla where, in all likelihood, the jasmine and azalea will be showing off along the river banks. This 12-mile day trip runs from U.S. 82 to Deep Bend Landing, a campground nestled along the banks of the river. Expect snow white sandbars, wildlife filled oxbow lakes and mirror-like blackwater reflecting the tupelo-cypress lined river banks. Registration fees range from $35 to $75. Price includes guided trip, shuttle service, river maps…and lots of good times. Canoe and kayak rentals are available for additional fees. Link to registration site coming soon!
Here’s the river route!
Georgia’s southern-most river is our destination for this annual rite of spring–a two-day, two-night canoe/kayak camping adventure on the blackwater St. Marys River as it winds along the Georgia-Florida border. The trip includes an optional third day of paddling in the nearby Okefenokee Swamp. Day 1 on the St. Marys will take us on a remote and rarely-visited portion of the river from Murray’s Landing to Traders Hill Landing. Day 2 will venture into the upper reaches of the tidally-influenced portion of the St. Marys, riding from Traders Hill to Camp Pinkney. Originating within the Okefenokee Swamp and known for its snow-white sandbars and mirror-like blackwater, the St. Marys is among Georgia’s most unspoiled and beautiful rivers.
You can also opt to come a day early and join us as we explore a portion of the Okefenokee Swamp noted for its open prairies, carnivorous aquatic plants and, of course, alligators! Camping will be in a grassy meadow beneath ancient live oak trees at historic Traders Hill Campground. Restrooms with showers, a large covered pavilion, catered meals and nightly educational programs round out the experience.
Registration fees range from $225-$375 and include camping, catered meals, educational programs, guided trips, shuttle service, river maps, Spring on the St. Marys t-shirt or other Georgia River Network swag, and loads of good times. Canoe and kayak rentals are available for additional costs. Link to information page coming soon!
Check out the two-day route below!