Tallapoosa River
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¢ ¢ Front Cover Harold Banks Canoe Trail New Site Welcome to the ocated at the southern end of the Peters Daviston Appalachian Mountains, the Tallapoosa Island Harold Banks Canoe Trail! p Access River winds 258 miles from western Upper peaceful, family friendly adventure, the trail is a Sandbar Georgia into eastern Alabama. The river N Irwin Shoals Laura’s Leap combination of flat water and shoals rarely above gets its name from the people who lived along Bibby’s Ferry class 1 (easy) in the International Scale of River L Baptistry the lower stretch of it in the eighteenth century. Jenny Rock ADifficulty. But the level, flow, and volume of the Tallapoosa Lake Martin Shoals 123 The Tallapoosa flows through stretches of lush Backwater River are seasonal and dictated by Alabama Power and its Newyaucau Bibby’s countryside that help preserve its natural beauty Ferry hydroelectric Harris Dam located upstream near Wedowee, Tallapoosa Piedmont Alabama. Paddlers are strongly encouraged to monitor the and solitude. The Tallapoosa is so unique that Access Azalea the Alabama section has been designated a part online water level gauges kept by the U.S. Geological Service Horseshoe at the Wadley Bridge and Horseshoe Bend Bridge. of the Alabama Scenic River Trail. Horseshoe Bend Bend National Naturalists, historians, and adventurers are Military Park Tallapoosa River The Tallapoosa County Canoe Trail is divided into three Access Tallapoosa and Chambers Counties, Alabama Fish Trap River quick to point out that the crown jewel of the Co Rd 062 sections and manageable float trips: Tallapoosa River lies in east central Alabama Cahaba Lily County Line within the borders of Tallapoosa and Chambers Peters Sweetwater Section 1 (8.25 miles, 5-hour float) begins with public Island Counties. Along a 25-mile stretch of water, Sandbar Co Rd 121 access at Bibby’s Ferry, just across the Tallapoosa County visitors discover the tranquility in a mighty Griffin Shoals line in Chambers County, and ends with public access at waterway that winds and spills along the (ends) Germany’s Ferry Bridge. This section features unique spots such Piedmont. Pause along your journey to witness Jay Bird Burton as the Baptistry and the Fish Trap, brisk shoals, great fishing, a Creek Flatwater the unique perspective of a fierce battle fought Mountain Campsite campsite, and stretches of flat water paddling. Campsite & Bald Eagle Denver Road long ago and wonder in the beauty of the shoal Laurel Access Germany’s lily while catching a glimpse of a soaring Ferry Germany’s Ferry Road Burton Griffin Shoals Section 2 (9.75 miles, 6-hour float) begins with public bald eagle. Horseshoe Bean’s Island Bluewater Campsite Bend Bridge (begins) access at Germany’s Ferry Bridge and ends with public access About Harold Banks Jay Bird Creek at Horseshoe Bend Bridge. This middle section begins with Harold Banks is a man of many talents— blue water paddling and includes fishing spots, mile-long historian, forester, storyteller, explorer, and Germany’s Griffin Shoals, with a brisk side channel, and ends with Ferry State Highway outdoorsman. But in Tallapoosa County, he is Access reminiscent paddling through historic Horseshoe Bend County Road National Military Park. best known for his red canoe and his expertise Water Level Info Alligator Rock Trumpet Paved/Dirt Road on the river. In 2009, he became the first Tallapoosa Creeper The Tallapoosa River may be floated year-round, but the best time is in Buttston Chambers Dirt Road person to solo paddle the entire 258 miles of the Road (6 miles, 4-hour float) is the most popular and the spring and summer. Paddlers are strongly recommended to check the Section 3 Tallapoosa River from its origins in Paulding considered by many to be the most scenic. It begins with U.S. Geological Survey website (www.usgs.gov/water) before floating the Public Access Points County, Georgia, to its end at Fort Toulouse Tallapoosa River for current streamflow conditions, levels, and discharge Middle Island public access at Horseshoe Bend Bridge and ends at Jay Bird Big Turn Chatahospee Jay Bird Creek – 1897 Boone Valley Road, Jacksons Gap, AL near Wetumpka, Alabama. In 2015, the 25-mile rates. Specific data for the Tallapoosa River can be found from two gauges Creek public access. This lower section has several patches Sandbar Peters Island – 1586 Peter’s Island Road, Daviston, AL stretch of the river located in Tallapoosa and located at the bridges in Wadley and Horseshoe Bend (near New Site). Elder Road of Shoal or Cahaba lilies, is known to have bald eagles in the Horseshoe Bend – 10689 Horseshoe Bend Road (Hwy 49 North), Dadeville, AL 3 ARCHIVEDadeville Denver Road area, and features Peters Island, Laura’s Leap, side chutes, Chambers Counties and cherished by A favorable discharge rate is between 1,500 and 10,000 ft /sec. Alabama Cooperative Extension System • Alabama Scenic River Trail ¢ 3 Germany’s Ferry Access – 1387 Germany’s Ferry Road, Daviston, AL Irwin Shoals, and a campsite at Jay Bird Creek. Bear left or Coosa Valley RC&D Council • Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership Harold was named in his honor. He resides A rate above 10,000 ft /sec may be dangerous and is not recommended. Dadeville 0 .5 1.0 Mi 3 ¢ Black-eyed Susan Bibby’s Ferry Access – 12449 County Road 62, Wadley, AL right to take the swift side chutes for more excitement! in Dadeville, Alabama. A rate below 1,500 ft /sec may present low areas and some dragging. Denver Road The Alabama Cooperative Extension System does not guarantee the accuracy of information provided in this map. Use it for general reference. Back Cover Tallapoosa Darter Southern Horseshoe Bend National Military Park Water Quality Camping Notes p Catalpa Sandbar Several landowners have given Fish Trap Tallapoosa River is classified as Outstanding 65 N n March 26, 1814, General Andrew Jackson’s army made permission for public camping along Alabama Water (OAW): high-quality waters camp six miles north of Horseshoe Bend and the Red p Fish weirs are structures that constitute an outstanding Alabama R the creek. Respect this privilege and 20 Stick village of Tohopeka. The next morning, Jackson sent N built within a stream or E S resource, such as waters of state parks and POWER Tallapoosa LINES camp only at designated campsites. L river designed to route Tallapoosa Redeye Bass 21 County Horseshoe General John Coffee and 700 mounted infantry and 600 Cherokee V wildlife refuges and waters of exceptional O I A Lilies All private land adjoining the creek is and Creek allies three miles downstream to cross the Tallapoosa fish to a particular area, recreational or ecological significance. Bend National O R 20 Lilies posted by Alabama law. American such as shallows or into 280 and surround the bend. He took the rest of the army—about 2,000 H A Military Park Water 231 p S a trap where they can The Tallapoosa River Basin, a part of the Park S men consisting of East and West Tennessee militia and the Thirty- L S Camping is by permission only and Willow 85 A Canoe to N Entrance greater Mobile River Basin, has long been O ALABAMA O Old Miller’s N be captured. Native H the Left ninth U.S. Infantry—into the peninsula and began an ineffectual S only in designated areas. I treasured for the quality water it provides. Bridge O Americans and early I N two-hour artillery bombardment of the Red Sticks’ log barricade. F Canoe P The Tallapoosa River’s headwaters originate W Landowners who give permission F to the settlers stacked stones to I For more information, contact R At noon, Coffee’s Cherokee allies crossed the river and assaulted A Right I River Cooter in Georgia’s counties Paulding and Carrol. for trespass have liability protection L R build V-shaped dams in your county Extension office. NATURE the Red Sticks from the rear. Jackson quickly ordered a frontal It then flows into Alabama in Cleburne L Bluegill G Horseshoe Visit www.aces.edu/directory. under the Code of Alabama 1975 TRAIL Griffin the river to create a rock bayonet charge, which poured over the barricade. By dark, at least A County and meanders southwesterly Bend Ferry and Article 1 Section 35-15-1. Access Battleground 800 of Chief Menawa’s 1,000 Red Sticks were dead (557 slain on T Mill weir to trap fish. The “V” through Randolph, Chambers, Tallapoosa, Monument Important Contact Numbers Canoe R the field and 200 to 300 in the river). Menawa himself, although pointed downstream with and Elmore Counties until it joins the Coosa to the E a narrow opening at the Tallapoosa County Extension Office (256) 825-1050 Right V River to create the Alabama River. The I severely wounded, managed to escape. In the battle, 49 of Jackson’s Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office (256) 825-4264 R apex. Often in normal or Tallapoosa River forms two large reservoirs, Campsite Etiquette In Bend army were killed and 154 wounded, many mortally. Russell Medical Center (256) 329-7100 Boone Valley Rocks A McGill high water, the rocks were Lake Wedowee and Lake Martin. Irwin Shoals The two public campsites on the Tallapoosa River S Horseshoe Bend National Military Park (256) 234-7111 Jay Bird Creek Road Though the Red Sticks had been crushed Island not evident; one might Blacktail 0 .5 1.0 Mi are all on private property. These sites are available O Alabama Forestry Commission (to report wildfires) (800) 492-3711 Campsite & Total drainage area of the Tallapoosa Redhorse O at Tohopeka, remnants of the war party Canoe only notice watery ripples Access by permission of the landowners, so respect Basin equals 4,053 square miles in Alabama.