Description: The Chattooga River is a mountain river and can be very cold, so be sure to go during the heat of summer or at least take some neoprene socks to keep your feet warm.. There are 20 rapids along the float and therefore, it may not be suitable for young children. The main rapids are Turn Hole (Mile 3.5 – Class 2) and Big Shoals (Mile 4.0 – Class 2+). Both can be portaged if desired and their difficulty can change with the river height and flow rate. Big Shoals is the rapid shown in the video below and it was taken when the gauge read 1.5 ft. Between the rapids there is a lot of flat water, so paddle a little if you want to speed up your trip. Be careful and stay safe!

There is a primitive campground at Earl’s Ford and a big sandy beach right on the river. It’d be a great place to bring the family and pitch a tent for the night. There is plenty of room to play on the sandy beach for those that don’t want to float down the river.

Notes:

• Everyone must register at the access point.
• No boating / floating is allowed upstream of the Highway 28 bridge.
• No air mattresses allowed.
• Everyone above Earl’s Ford (this section) must have a lifesaving device available.
• Inner tubes are not allowed below Earl’s Ford.

Length: 7 miles / Approximately 7 hrs @ 1.5 ft

Cost: Free

Lower Runnable: 1.5 ft

Note: This gauge does not tell the depth of the water throughout the entire float. It is measured in a single place to give an overall idea of the height of the river compared to other days measurements.

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