DO IT: Paddling & Floating

Georgia’s Lakes, Rivers and Ocean: Paddle On

You’ll find water everywhere in Georgia – from our pristine stretch of beaches along the Atlantic
Ocean to our serene lakes, rustic rivers, waterfalls, and wetlands.

Skim across the placid waters of Lake Lanier, beautiful Lake Chatuge or Lake Rabun in a canoe or kayak. Or tube down the Chattahoochee River within sight of the Atlanta skyline.

Overnight camping or day-long sojourns allow you time to snag a bass at Florence Marina State Park on Lake Walter F. George, wash your worries away at High Falls State Park or float peacefully through Stephen C. Foster State Park in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

More than 396,000 acres of wilderness adventure await you in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, one of the best preserved and oldest freshwater wildernesses in America. Paddle the 120 miles of the Okefenokee’s crisscrossing canoe, kayak, and boat trails for an unforgettable outdoor experience.

Explore Georgia’s biodiversity, whether kayak fishing the Chattahoochee River, ocean kayaking alongside a dolphin, or canoeing past analligator to reach the perfect birding point in a tidal marsh. Our mountain and piedmont waterways wind their way to the Georgia coast, where thousands of miles of salt marshes, oak and pine forests, and nature trails offer glimpses of manatees, fish, deer,bear, and millions of migrating and local birds.

The mill pond at George L. Smith State Park in Twin City beckons anglers and paddlers to explore tupelo and cypress tree stands dripping with Spanish moss, and to look for beaver dams and wading birds such as blue heron and white ibis. Canoeists and kayakers can join the Park Paddlers Club, and nearby outfitters offer guided paddle trips.

Another great place to paddle is on the Altamaha River, designated by the Nature Conservancy as one of the 75 “Last Great Places” in the world. You can put the canoe or kayak in at Uvalda near the confluence of the Oconee, Ocmulgee and Altamaha rivers and follow the Altamaha 137 miles, all the way to the sea.

Sapelo Island Reserve, home of a unique Geechee-Gullah community, Skidaway Island State Park, Jekyll Island and Crooked River State Park are special places among the many coastal refuges and parks of the coast and Georgia’s unique barrier islands. Tackle them on your own or secure the services of knowledgeable outfitters and charters. Experience the magic of canoeing or kayaking the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterway or black water river, dolphin watching on an eco-tour.

We swim, fish, boat, canoe, and kayak. Let the water soothe your soul or ignite your passions,
whether you find it in mountain meadows, piedmont forests, or coastal plains.

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Paddling & Floating - Locations

Lake Lanier Olympic Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
3105 Clarks Bridge Rd
Gainesville, GA 30506
855-536-1996

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Lake Russell Recreation Area

Northeast Georgia Mountains
304 Lake Russell Rd.
Mt. Airy, GA 30563
706-754-6221

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LaPrades Marina

NE GA Mountains
25 Shoreline Trail
Clarkesville, GA 30523
706-947-0010

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Laura S. Walker State Park

Georgia Coast
5653 Laura Walker Rd.
Waycross, GA 31503
912-287-4900

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Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge

Magnolia Midlands
80 Live Oak Tr.
McRae-Helena, GA 31037
229-868-7474

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New Echota Cherokee Capital State Historic Site

Northwest Georgia Mountains
1211 Chatsworth Hwy. NE
Calhoun, GA 30701
706-624-1321

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Oconee Joe

Historic Heartland
Oconiee River
Watkinsville, GA 30677
706-614-8928

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Okefenokee Adventures

Georgia Coast
4159 Suwannee Canal Rd.
Folkston, GA 31537
912-496-7156

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Okefenokee Swamp Park

Georgia Coast
5700 Okefenokee Swamp Park
Waycross, GA 31503
912-283-0583

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Red Top Mountain State Park

Atlanta Metro
50 Lodge Rd.
Acworth, GA 30102
770-975-0055

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Richard B. Russell State Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
2650 Russell State Park Rd.
Elberton, GA 30635
706-213-2045

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Salacoa Creek Park

Northwest Georgia Mountains
I-75 Exit 315 Hwy. 156 / 388 Park Dr. NE
Ranger, GA 30734
706-629-3490

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Seminole State Park

Plantation Trace
7870 State Park Dr.
Donalsonville, GA 31745
229-861-3137

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Soque River

Northeast Georgia Mountains
Soque River
Clarkesville, GA 30523
706-778-4654

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Sprewell Bluff Park

West Georgia
700 Sprewell Bluff Rd.
Thomaston, GA 30286
706-601-6711

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Stephen C. Foster State Park

Plantation Trace
17515 Hwy. 177
Fargo, GA 31631-5004
912-637-5274

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Tugaloo State Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
1763 Tugaloo State Park Rd.
Lavonia, GA 30553
706-356-4362

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Unicoi State Park & Lodge

Northeast Georgia Mountains
1788 GA Hwy. 356
Helen, GA 30545
706-878-2201

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Upper Chattahoochee River Blue Trail

Northeast Georgia Mountains
Upper Chattahoochee River
Helen, GA 30571
404-216-9351

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Upper Lanier Water Trail

Northeast Georgia Mountains
Chattahoochee River Water Trail
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-297-5499

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Vidalia Area River Excursions

Magnolia Midlands
612 McNatt Falls Rd.
Uvalda, GA 30473
912-594-8379

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Vogel State Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
405 Vogel State Park Rd.
Blairsville, GA 30512
706-745-2628

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Watson Mill Bridge State Park

Northeast Georgia Mountains
650 Watson Mill Rd.
Comer, GA 30629
706-783-5349

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A.H. Stephens State Park

Classic South
456 Alexander St. NW
Crawfordville, GA 30631-2903
706-456-2602

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Adventures PTC

Atlanta Metro
1000 Cooper Circle S., #103b
Peachtree City, GA 30269
770-687-9100

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Allatoona Wildlife Management Area – Bartow

Northwest Georgia Mountains
6231 State Rte 20
White, GA 30184
706-295-6041

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Allatoona Wildlife Management Area – Cherokee

Northwest Georgia Mountains

Woodstock, GA 30189
706-295-6041

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Altamaha Coastal Tours

Georgia Coast
229 Fort King George Dr.
Darien, GA 31305
912-437-6010

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Altamaha River

Magnolia Midlands

Baxley, GA 31513
912-367-7731

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Altamaha River Kayak and Canoe Trail – Darien

Georgia Coast
Darien River Landing
Darien, GA 31305
912-437-6684

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