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

Bush Head Shoals Access Park

West Georgia
Bush Head Shoals Rd.
Franklin, GA 30217
678-416-6350

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Cabins & Castles RV Park

Northwest Georgia Mountains
317 Springlake Dr.
Trenton, GA 30752
423-503-1034

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CanoeCanoe Outfitters

Georgia Coast
1102 Hwy. 80
Tybee Island, GA 31328
912-786-8732

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Captain Gabby Charters

Georgia Coast
Waterfront Park Dock, Screven St. and Waterfront
Darien, GA 31350
912-270-7053

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Cedar Creek Reservoir

Northeast Georgia Mountains
5565 Timber Ridge Rd.
Gillsville, GA 30543
770-535-8280

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Chattahoochee Old Town aka Brush Creek Park

West Georgia
1328 Brush Creek Park Rd.
Franklin, GA 30217
706-594-4921

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Chattahoochee Outfitters

Atlanta Metro
203 Azalea Dr.
Roswell, GA 30075
770-650-1008

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Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Atlanta Metro
1978 Island Ford Pkwy.
Atlanta, GA 30350
678-538-1200

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Chattahoochee River- Gwinnett

Atlanta Metro
1978 Island Ford Pkwy.
Atlanta, GA 30350
770-814-6054

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Chattahoochee RiverWalk

West Georgia
Front Street
Columbus, GA 31903
706-653-4189

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Chattooga Wild and Scenic River

Northeast Georgia Mountains
U.S. Hwy. 76 E.
Clayton, GA 30525
706-754-6221

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City of Hazlehurst

Magnolia Midlands
25 E. Coffee St.
Hazlehurst, GA 31539
912-209-8805

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Clarks Hill Lake/J. Strom Thurmond Lake – Lincoln Co.

Classic South
112 N. Washington St.
Lincolnton, GA 30817
706-359-7970

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Clarks Hill Lake/J. Strom Thurmond Lake – McDuffie County

Classic South
Clarks Hill Lake
Thomson, GA 30680
706-359-7970

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Clarks Hill Lake/J. Strom Thurmond Lake-Warren County

Classic South
46 S. Norwood St.
Warrenton, GA 30828
706-465-9604

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Clarks Hill Lake/J. Strom Thurmond Lake-Wilkes

Classic South
29 W. Square
Washington, GA 30673
706-678-2013

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Clarks Hill Marina

Classic South
4271 Old Lincolnton Rd.
Appling, GA 30802
706-309-0046

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Coast Guard/East Beach

Georgia Coast
4100 First St.
St. Simons Island, GA 31522
912-554-7780

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Cockspur Island Lighthouse

Georgia Coast
Hwy. 80 E.
Tybee Island, GA 31328
912-786-5444

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Collins Hill Aquatic Center

Atlanta Metro
2000 Collins Hill Rd.
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
770-814-6054

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Cotton Hill Campground – Lake Walter F. George

Plantation Trace
427 Eufaula Rd.
Fort Gaines, GA 39851
877-444-6777

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D.H. Stanton Park

Atlanta Metro
1052 Martin St. S E
Atlanta, GA 30315
404-477-3660

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Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Center

Northwest Georgia Mountains
13 S. Park St.
Dahlonega, GA 30533
800-231-5543

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Dames Ferry Campground

Historic Heartland
9546 GA Hwy. 87
Juliette, GA 31046
478-994-7945

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Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area

Northeast Georgia Mountains
GA Hwy. 53 W.
Dawsonville, GA 30534
770-535-5700

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Dog River Recreational Complex

Atlanta Metro
Georgia Hwy. 166
Douglasville, GA 30134
770-949-7617

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Don White Memorial Park

Atlanta Metro
925 Riverside Rd.
Roswell, GA 30075
770-640-3253

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Drake Field

Atlanta Metro
155 Willowbend Rd.
Peachtree City, GA 30269
770-631-2525

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Dub Denman Canoe Trail

Northwest Georgia Mountains
131 Doe Valley Drive
Tallapoosa, GA 30176
(770) 574-0995

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Eagle Hammock RV Park

Georgia Coast
937 USS Daniel Webster Rd.
Kings Bay, GA 31547
912-673-1161

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Featured Attractions