By SUZANNE WELANDER

Stairway Heaven, one of numerous Class V rapids on Bear Creek in Cloudland Canyon State Park, engulfs a boater, barely visible in the turbulence, attempting the run. Bear Creek is a run for advanced paddlers only. Be aware of the skill level required before attempting this creek. View the INTERACTIVE MAP and use “Terrain” view to see the rugged mountain landscape.

A relatively recent addition to Georgia’s steep creek portfolio, Bear 
plunges off the slopes of Lookout Mountain for a run through one of 
the gorges at Cloudland Canyon State Park. Amid the steep creek 
hazards of undercut boulders, tightly constricted passages, potentially 
ill-placed migrating wood rocky landings, and precipitous portages 
lies the heart of Bear: a steep, fast, ride down some of the best Class V 
creekwater in the state.

SUMMARY: A paddling guide to 3 miles of Class V paddling on Bear Creek in the northwest Georgia mountains from GA Hwy 189 to Canyon View Road. View the INTERACTIVE MAP. Class: V; Length, 3 miles; Time: 2.5 hours; Level 9 inches; Gradient: 270 (475); Scenery: A+

DESCRIPTION: Access at Bear Creek was for a short period 
denied by the state, fearing carnage and the accompanying cost 
of rescue. Enter American Whitewater, who negotiated passage 
for paddlers through the state park. There have been no recent 
access issues, but be well aware of the skill level required before 
paddling this creek. This is a run for advanced boaters only.

At the put-in, the creek barely appears worthy of its Class V 
rating. Beware - after a warm-up of quick and continuous Class 
II - III water, Bear starts to roar. No less than 14 significant drops 
are packed into the middle of the run as the gradient crescendos 
to a peak of 475 feet per mile. Technically a drop-and-pool 
stream, the water runs quickly from one rapid to the next. Eddies 
are small, making the run conducive to running from one rapid 
to the next without pause, if you know the lines and have confirmed that the channel is clear. The creek can be run more than 
once in a day.

The first significant rapid is Surrealistic Pillow (Class 5.0). Choose the far-right slot at medium levels, avoiding the under- 
cut and log in the main channel. Portaging is the best option 
when the water is low. Surrealistic kicks off a series of technical 
drops separated by Bear’s signature fast water. The largest - Class 
5.2 Stairway to Heaven - falls 45 feet in three stages. The second 
stage drops 15 feet onto a bone-crushing slab of rock; back, rib, 
and head injuries have all occurred here. The daunting portage is 
in the channel on river left.

Should you need it, a trail on river left at Stairway leads up to 
a picnic area in the park. Turn right at the top of the hill and follow the faint path out. To minimize the risk of a misdirected and 
potentially cold walk through the woods, case the park before 
your run to get a sense of where this path ends.

After Stairway, the next significant drop is Big Bang (also 
Class 5.2). The portage here is a jump into the pool on river left, 
or run it with a boof close to the bank on river right. A few more 
technical rapids, including the Class 5.0 Momentary Lapse of 
Reason, are encountered before Daniel Creek enters from the 
left. A half mile hike up Daniels reveals more rapids.

Below the confluence with Daniel, Bear changes names to the 
less-than-poetic Sitton Gulch Creek. Technical rapids continue in quick succession, culminating in Omega, where a nasty river- 
left sieve swallows half the creek’s flow. The sieve isn’t difficult to 
avoid, unless the continuous rapids leading into it lull you into 
letting your guard down.

SHUTTLE: (View INTERACTIVE MAP) From I-59, take Exit 11 in Trenton for GA 136. 
Head east, toward the ridge, following GA 136 as it jogs to the 
right. Before heading up the hill, turn left and take the first right 
into the gravel parking lot; this is the take-out. Visually confirm 
adequate flow here; if it looks good, there’s sufficient water for 
the entire fun. To get to the put-in, continue up the hill on GA 
136. Turn left at the flashing yellow light, cross Daniel Creek, 
and pass the entrance to the park on the left. Turn left onto GA 
189; parking is on the left before crossing the creek.

GAUGE: A gauge is painted on the river-right, downstream side 
of the bridge at the put-in. The absolute minimum is 9 inches; 1 
foot is optimal, and 18 inches a healthy maximum. A USGS 
gauge is located on Lookout Creek at New England, a short distance downstream of the confluence with Sitton Gulch. Recom
mended levels using this gauge are unknown.

MAPS: Durham (USGS); Dade (County)

A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to Georgia is a compilation of paddling guides to over 80 Georgia streams and rivers, plus the Okefenokee Swamp and Georgia Coast, published by Menasha Ridge Press since 1982. Originally written by Bob Sehlinger and Don Otey, it has been extensively revised and updated by Suzanne Welander. Organized efficiently by watersheds, the book contains a wealth of interesting and useful information about Georgia physiography and paddling, in general, as well as the authoritative paddling guides. To purchase a copy of A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to Georgia, a book every paddler of Georgia streams should have in their library (and boat), and to see over 75 other outdoor guides published by Menasha, visit the Menasha Ridge Press website.      

Cooper Creek, in the Tennessee River Watershed, is a good introduction to “creeking.” Suitable for intermediate or advanced paddlers, it is only runnable during rainy season or after a heavy rain. Photo by Mountainfreak.net.

CANOEING COOPER CREEK from Forest Service Road 33A to Mulkey Campground CLASS: I-III (IV in high water);LENGTH: 5.2 miles; TIME: 4 hours; GAUGE: None; LEVEL: N/A; GRADIENT: 60 feet per mile; SCENERY: A.

Cooper Creek, in the Tennessee River Watershed, is a delightful introduction to “creeking” and is suitable for intermediate or advanced paddlers. The creek runs through pristine wilderness and is one of the most primitive small streams in the state. It’s small and tight, and consequently, hosts a fair number of deadfalls. Scouting and portaging are possible at most major rapids. The creek is a major tributary of the Toccoa River. Cooper will only be runnable during rainy season or after a major rain. If the small island at the put-in is under water, it is runnable. If it looks too honkin’ high, it probably is.

DESCRIPTION: Cooper Creek starts with Class I and II rapids and almost never has a flat section without something of interest. A mile or so from the put-in, a huge rock in the center of the stream and an obvious horizon line presage the first interesting rapid, Corner Picket (Class III-). Scout the 5-foot drop from the large granite rock in the center of the stream. It can be run on either side, but the right side has a good surfing hole. Cooper Falls (Class III) follows almost immediately. This drop is a 16-foot slide, which can’t be scouted, but shouldn’t be any trouble.

After the slide the river gains in gradient and Class II rapids increase in frequency. After another mile or so the creek takes a sharp right turn. In about an eighth of a mile, the last big drop occurs. This rapid is known as “Grunch” (an 8-foot waterfall) and should be scouted from the right bank. Run it on the left side, but be careful, as Grunch has smashed the deck plate of more than one canoe. Below Grunch, Cooper picks up even more in gradient and is almost continuous Class II for several miles. What looks like a low head dam is approached under the FS 236 Bridge; don’t worry, it’s a simple Class II drop. Soon after the last drop and a few more Class I ripples, the takeout comes into view, and you should be able to see your car.

SHUTTLE: From Dahlonega, take GA 60 north. Stay on GA 60 to Suches; after passing into Suches, turn right onto GA 180 east. Continue on this road until you reach Lake Winfred Scott Recreation Area. Immediately past the recreation area, turn left onto Cooper Creek Road, FS 33. Turn left when FS 33A branches off to the right. The unpaved road will become paved again and travel past some houses and farms, but don’t get worried. Turn right onto FS 236 and continue on this road until you come to a stop sign at the FS 4 junction. Turn left on FS 4 and proceed to the Mulkey Creek Campground on the left, the take-out for this run. To reach the put-in, return to FS 33A. The put-in is at the bridge over the creek.

GAUGE: There is no gauge. Cooper will only be runnable during rainy season or after a major rain. If the island at the put-in is under water, it is runnable. If it looks too high, it probably is.

Links:

• Read more about the Tennessee River Watershed.

By SUZANNE WELANDER

This is a paddling guide to a trip on the Hiawassee River in the Tennessee River watershed, from Georgia Highways 17/75 to Lake Chatuge. CLASS, I-II; LENGTH, 8.3 miles; TIME, 5 hours; GAUGE, web and visual; LEVEL, 2.5 feet; GRADIENT, 13 feet per mile; SCENERY, C. VIEW MAP

The Hiawassee River flows north into Lake Chatuge near the Town of Hiawassee, Below the Chatuge Dam, it continues into Tennessee, and the spelling of the name changes from Hiawassee to Hiwassee.

The Hiawassee River is a coldwater mountain stream with its headwaters on the northern side of Unicoi Gap in Towns County. Flowing north, the river becomes the major feeder stream for Lake Chatuge near the town of Hiawassee. The community jealously guards the river and its fish. “No trespassing” signs are posted prominently at most access points, and strung across the river itself are at least two signs warning against entry. (See Pages, Who owns Georgia’s Rivers) The most easily accessed trip through the gentle valley portion of the river is described below. Downstream of the dam, the river emerges in Tennessee with a new spelling: Hiawassee.

DESCRIPTION: The reaches of the Hiawassee above this section roughly parallel GA 17/75. The stream is occasionally visible from the highway, but it is too small to be considered feasible for boaters. It is not until after Soapstone Creek and Corbin Creek have added their flow that the river becomes suitable for canoeing. If you can manage to secure access from the private landowners, this Class II stretch is runnable only when the water is fairly high. (more…)

By SUZANNE WELANDER

Family Fun on the Toccoa. The Toccoa’s many assets  incude beautiful scenery, wooded seclusion and mild rapids. See more photos of the Toccoa at the end of this guide.

The Toccoa is a purely delightful mountain stream. Its upper reaches harbor a primitive woodland paddling experience with mostly mild rapids. Unregulated by dams, the river’s flow becomes the major feeder for Blue Ridge Lake. Below the dam, the river widens as it weaves through settled lands on its way to McCaysville and into Tennessee, where it is thereafter known as the Ocoee River.

From Deep Hole Campground to Blue Ridge Lake, a distance of about 17.5 miles. Allow 1-2 days. Class I-II with some III.        See MAP

DESCRIPTON: While it is navigable by canoe or kayak above the junction with Cooper Creek in Fannin County, the highest usual put-in is the U.S. Forest Service campground at Deep Hole on GA 60. The first 3-mile segment traverses some farmland, some woodland, and intersects with a couple of roads before veering into the fragrant realm of the undisturbed forest. Putting in downstream of the campground where GA 60 passes near the river brings the forest’s entrance 1.8 miles closer. (more…)