National Park Service Chattahoochee U.S. Department of the Interior

Photo: Tom Wilson The starts high in the Southern in the Area. Seeping from a patch of sand and gravel, the river travels down the steep mountainside, growing quickly, fed by many springs and small . The river passes through scenic mountain villages, past farms, factories, and subdivisions and into . After dropping 197 feet, the river emerges at the base of Buford Dam to begin its 48 mile journey as the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area under the stewardship of the National Park Service. The beautiful river and the land along it have a rich history dating back for centuries. The word Chattahoochee is Native American and is thought to mean “River of Painted Rocks.” The referred to the Chattahoochee River Corridor as the Enchanted Land. This guide is designed to help you discover the enchantment. Photo: Tom Wilson

Restrooms Boat ramp Wildlife viewing National Recreation Area (includes Fish weir 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River) Parking Boat launch Bicycle trail Other public area Bridge crossing Ranger station Picnic area Hiking trail 55 River milepost Historic bridge or Prehistoric Trail crossing Picnic shelter Wheelchair-accessible Shoal area

Playground 20 9 North Road

m Creek a aw D H Buford Dam rd fo Bu Lake (Army Corps of Engineers) 0 1 2 Kilometers 348 0 1 2 Miles

14 Federal laws and National Park Service Market Place Blvd regulationsBufo apply to national recreation lands rd Bowmans Island BOWMANS ISLAND and 48 miles of H theig Chattahoochee River. hw Shoals ay

347 ek re C

d n la ch Ri Buford Trout Hatchery

B 346 uf or 20 d Hi ghw ay Fish Weir Shoals

k ree James C ORRS Union troops shown crossing the Chattahoochee River at FERRY the Hightower Trail Ford as they approached .1864 A covered bridge crossed the Chattahoochee 345 Courtesy of the Georgia Archives River near the Roswell Cotton Mill. ca. 1900 13 (Georgia Courtesy of the Georgia Archives Department of Natural Fords, Ferries, Bridges Resources) 9 Wading In

Rivers serve as a natural barrier to human travel. Shallow areas ins riv- 344 e Historic Settles

ers are called fords, and serve as ideal locations for crossing the m river. Bridge 141 a The fords on the Chattahoochee River have been important forJ centu- (closed) ries and connected an extensive network of American Indian foot-

paths used for trade. These footpaths resulted in the establishment of k s e le e the Sixes Trail, Hightower Trail, and others through the river . tt r e C S SETTLES 343 Dry Feet BRIDGE As settlement of the area Sharonincreased, ferries began to appear along theSou thers river. Ferries used the river current to move the boat across the river. A l ve e rope was stretched across the river with bow and stern lines attached L to it which could be set at an angle to the current. The current’s force and the boat’s angle pushed the craft across the water. Until the early 342 years of the twentieth century, ferries were the major means of cross- ing the river. Many names along the river are derived from these early ferry crossings.

19 P Spanning the Rivere a Just like today, as increasedc travel resulted in waiting lines for the h 340 400 t 341 r next ferry, wooden covered ebridges began to replaceRoad the ferries. One Creek e such bridge crossed the river at the city of Roswell before and after Dick Dick Creek the Civil War. Today, only a few lonelyPa stonerkway piers remain of these

bridges. More durable narrow bridges of steel were gradually built to d

replace the decaying wood bridges.a Though no longer in use, three of o

these historic steel truss bridgesR still span the river; the oldest being

McGinnis Ferry Road

Settles Bridge, constructed in the 1880s. Today, modern multilane d

bridges of steel and concrete stando as a monument to their early 12 o McGINNIS ek engineered predecessors. Thesew serve as a reminder of the transition 339 re k C from fords to ferries to bridgeso as the need and desire to cross the FERRY o r river increased with the growingB population.

e e n a American Indians 338 Suw

M

d Rock shelters have been used over e a

d o the years for protection from the l Rd R o Home Progression c elements. Ferry American Indians in the southeast used the Chattahoochee Riverk val- Photo: NPS s e hany nni ot i g B G ley as their home for thousands of years. The most intensive occupa - Road c Historic Rogers SUWANEE M d i

r

y tion of the river corridor was during the Woodland Indian period,B Bridge a B

r CREEK

w from 1000 B.C. to AD 900. These people were hunters and gatherers,i (closed) d 337 k g r s Alpharetta and took advantage of rock shelters, naturally occurring overhanginge a e

P rock, for cover. Sixteen rockn shelters have been identified in the park, o

J with the most visible being in the Cochran Shoals area at riverBridge mile d r 307.7. With the Historic Period came the incorporations of European a tt w bo 336 Road influences in the Creek and Cherokee cultureAb along the Chattahooch- d 120 in ee River. Over time, villages with sturdy log cabin-style homes became W established along the river as the inhabitants began to settle in one area to adopt an agricultural economy. While the rock shelters have Abbotts Bridge Abbotts Bridge Road 11 withstood the weathering of time and nature, all evidence of these villages disappeared long ago. 335 120 Fishing the American Indian Way ABBOTTS The Chattahoochee River served as a source of protein for the early in- BRIDGE habitants. Fish weirs, which are stone dams in the shape of a down- pointing “V,” were constructed in the river with wooden pole fencing across the top. This allowed water to pass through, but not large fish. These fish weirs were a very economical method of harvest- 120 ing fish. The stone remains of a number of these fish weirs can still be 334 seen in the waters of the Chattahoochee River. State Bridge Road 10

d a McClure o C R r Bridge e

e e k

g d i r B

333

H s a e yn n

e o

s J J

o

h

n Berkeley

s 141

9 C Lake r

e 9 e 332 k 330

Medlock Bridge Road

120 B Old rid 331 g e

The Partridge family stopped for a picture Historic Jones Road 329 on the Jones Bridge on their way to a Bridge Sunday picnic. 1913 (closed) MEDLOCK BRIDGE Photo: NPS Jones Bridge Shoals Jones Bridge Park 19 JONES BRIDGE (Gwinnett County)

400 8 328

CREEC Chattahoochee River 327 Environmental Education Center

326 19 140 Holcomb Garrard Landing Bridge (City of Roswell) H olco mb Don White Memorial Park Bridge Rd. 400 (City of Roswell) C 322 324 325 ro Waller Park ok ed HOLCOMB Cr (City of Roswell) eek Prehistoric BRIDGE 318 319 Sixes Trail C i VICKERY Island rc Ford 321 le 323 CREEK B Shoals ig C reek W Riverside Park 320 i nt Allenbrook (City of Roswell) er s Azalea Park R ISLAND FORD C o h (Fulton County and s a w Park Headquarters p City of Roswell) e e l Information Drive 317 l l

R o a d Ro ad Prehistoric Hightower Trail Chattahoochee 316 9 Nature Center

Bull Sluice Lake 315 314 k ee Cr GOLD BRANCH N Shallow ford 31 313 Road 32 Morgan Falls Park y (City of Sandy Springs) c n

a

Morgan Falls Dam N portage river left 30 285 C 312 ha mblee D u n w o od y R oad

ek 23 re C h 311 arc JOHNSON FERRY M

Clairmont rry Rd. Johnson Fe d a 141 Jo o hn R so y n Ferr

310

P e a c Paper Mill h t Ruins r e e S op e C ree Sope k Creek 309

Parkway 308 h t r o

N

e t a t s

COCHRAN r e t

Powers n SHOALS I Island 307

Cochran Shoals PALISADES 306 Devils Race 285 Course Shoals

Overlook R ott enw ood C 305 ree Thornton k Shoals Long Island Shoals

75 41 304 Paces Mill Parkway Cobb

303

302

301

300 9 20 Road

m Creek a aw D H Buford Dam rd fo Bu Lake Sidney Lanier (Army Corps of Engineers)

348

14 Market Place Blvd Bufo rd Bowmans Island BOWMANS ISLAND Hig hw Shoals ay

347 ek re C

d n la ch Ri Buford Trout Hatchery

B 346 uf or 20 d Hi ghw ay Fish Weir Shoals

k ree James C ORRS FERRY 345 13 (Georgia Department of Natural Resources) 9

s 344

e Historic Settles

m Bridge 141 a J (closed)

k s e le e tt r e C S SETTLES 343 BRIDGE Sharon Southers

l ve e L

342

19 P e a c h 340 400 t 341 r e Road Creek e

Dick Dick Creek

Parkway

d

a

o

R

McGinnis Ferry Road

d

o

12 o McGINNIS ek w 339 re k C o FERRY o r B

e e n a 338 Suw

M

d

e a

d o

l Rd R

o

c Ferry

k

s e

hany nni t i g Bo G Road c Historic Rogers SUWANEE M d i

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y B Bridge a B

r CREEK

w i (closed) d 337 k g

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P River Guide n

o

J Bridge d r a ts ot w bb 336 Road d A in 120 W River Safety Abbotts Bridge Abbotts Bridge Road 11 The river emerges at the base of Buford Dam from the bottom of Lake La- Wear suitable clothing. In summer, lightweight, quick-drying clothes are 335 nier. This cold bottom water poses a potential hazard to all river users. In recommended. In cold weather, wool and wool-blends are recommended. 120 the event of a spill, you are advised to get out of the water or help others Avoid denim and cotton, as these provide no insulation to the body. Al- ABBOTTS out of the water as quickly as possible, as hypothermia can set in. In and ways wear proper footgear. Flip-flops and similar footwear are discour- BRIDGE below and , the water warms consider- aged. Be prepared for all types of weather; bring a rain jacket, hat, sun- ably, though caution is still advised. Contact the Corps of Engineers at 770- screen, water, and high-energy snacks. 945-1466 to know dam release times when water levels will rise rapidly. Watch for possible hazards, such as fallen trees, strong currents, slippery U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Devices120 (PFDs) must be worn rocks, and logs. Unseen submerged rocks, logs, and debris can be hidden in 334 by all persons between Buford Dam and the Hwy 20 Bridge. Below Hwy 20, the sometimes murky water. State Bridge Road each person must have a PFD readily accessible10 in any floating craft, includ- d ing tubes and floats. PFDs must be worn by anyone under the age of 10 Glass containers are not permitteda on the Chattahoochee River from Bu- McClure o C R r Bridge years at all times on any stretch of the river. ford Dam to . Styrofoam products are note recommended

e and are bad for the environment.e Always pack out yourk litter.

g To ensure your safety, check weather conditions and forecast before every d i r river trip. Watch for late afternoon thunderstorms. Get off the river in the B

333 event of lightning. H s a e yn n

e o

s J J o

Restrooms Boat ramp Wildlife viewingh

National Recreation Area (includes n Berkeley

Fish weir s 141

48 miles of the Chattahoochee River) 9 C Lake Boat launch r

Parking Bicycle traile Other public9 area Bridge crossing e 332 k 330

Medlock Bridge Road

120 Picnic area Hiking trail B Ranger station Old 55 River milepost Historicrid bridge 331 or Prehistoricg Trail crossing e Wheelchair-accessible Drinking water Picnic shelter Shoal area Historic Jones Road 329 Playground Bridge (closed) MEDLOCK BRIDGE Jones Bridge Shoals Jones North 20 9 Bridge Park 19 Road JONES BRIDGE (Gwinnett County)

m Creek a aw 400 D H Buford Dam rd fo 8 Bu Lake Sidney Lanier 0 1 2 Kilometers (Army Corps 328of Engineers)

0 1 2 Miles 348 Federal laws and National Park Service CREEC regulations apply to national recreation14 lands Chattahoochee River Market Place Blvd 327 and 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River. B Environmental ufor d Bowmans Island Education BOWMANS ISLAND Hig hw Shoals ay Center

347 326 ek 19 140 re C

d n Holcomb la Garrardch Landing Bridge Ri (City of Roswell) Ho Buford Trout lcom Don White Memorial Park b Bridge Hatchery Rd. 400 (City of Roswell) C 322 324 325 ro B 346 ok Waller Park uf ed or 20 C (City of Roswell) d HOLCOMB re Hi ek ghw Prehistoric ay FishBRIDGE Weir Shoals 318 319 Sixes Trail C Island k ir VICKERY ree c Ford 321 James C le 323 CREEK B Shoals ORRS ig C reek W Riverside Park 320 i FERRY nt Allenbrook (City of Roswell) erOsprey 345 s Azalea Park R ISLAND FORD (Georgia C 13 o h (Fulton County and s a w Park Headquarters Department p City of Roswell) e e l Information Drive of Natural 317 l l

R Resources) o a d 9 Ro ad Prehistoric

Hightower Trail s 344 Chattahoochee 9 e Historic Settles 316 m Bridge Nature Center 141 a Flora and FaunaJ of(closed) the

Chattahoochee River k s e le e Bull Sluice tt r e C Lake S SETTLES 343 315 Look Up BRIDGE 314 Sharon Large birds of prey are ever on theSou thunthers for their next meal. Watch for great blue heron fishing the river shallows, red-tailed hawks perching

el k in the tree tops or soaring overhead, and osprey seizing fish from vthe e e re river with their sharp talons. Don’t overlook the smaller birds thatL C grace the river and its banks with their presence. Notice the swallows GOLD 342 skimming the river surface for their meal of insects or the blue and BRANCH white kingfisher bouncing through the air. Look more closely for your Great Blue Heron N Shallow favorite aerial pest, the mosquito, just before it is devouredford by a dam- 31 313 Road selfly or dragonfly. 32 Morgan Falls Park 19 y P c (City of Sandy Springs) e a n c Look Down a h Morgan Falls Dam N 340 400 t 341 r The waters of the Chattahoochee are portage river left e Road Creek 30 e teaming with native bass, bream, perch, Dick 285 C Dick Creek 312 andPark catfish,way as well as stocked trout ha mblee

awaiting the lucky angler! The rising D d u

n a fish are not the only animals breaking w

o o

R the surface. Lucky boaters may catch a Muskrat

o

McGinnis Ferry Road d glimpse of beaver and muskrat playing in y

d R oad o and around the water. Along the shoreline, look for these tracks as 12 o k well as for otter, heron, geese, and raccoon. McGINNIS e w 339 re k k ee 23 C r o FERRY C o r rch B 311 Ma Look Around JOHNSON FERRY Follow the raccoon tracks into the stands of azalea, rhododendron,

e and mountain laurel with their pink and white blooms that adorn the e n a river banks in the spring. Enjoy the show of summer yellow and purple 338Clairmont uw . S n Ferry Rd nso wildflowers, punctuated by the scarlet cardinal flower. As the floating Joh M d d a 141 e a season draws to an end, the forest explodesJo in a rainbow ofo color be- d o hn R l Rd R fore they turn to the drab subtle tones of winter. o s o y

n r c r Ferry Fe

Flame Azalea k

s e

hany nni (Rhododendron t i g Bo G Road c Historic Rogers SUWANEE

M calendulaceum)d 310 i

© derek L. Ramseyr

y B Bridge a B r CREEK Fishing the Chattahoochee

w i (closed) d 337 k g

r s Alpharetta e

a e

P n River P e o a J Bridge c Paper Mill h d r t Ruins s r a t e ot w Generalbb Fishing Regulations e 336 Road S A d op 120 Due to the cold water released from Buford Dam, the river within the in e C ree Sope W k boundaries of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is a Creek 309 designated trout stream. Fishing in the river is managed under Georgia Department of Natural Resources and SpecialAbbotts Trout Bridge Stream Regula-Abbotts Bridge Road 11 tions. Besides the General Trout Stream Regulations there are two sec- 335 tions of the river that have additional Special Trout Stream Regulations 120 in force. For a complete listing of all Trout Stream Regulations visit the Parkway ABBOTTS 308 h Georgia DNR website at www.georgiawildlife.org/fishingregulations_ t r BRIDGE o fishing.aspx

N

e

t

a

t

s COCHRAN r Artificial Lures Only e

t

Powers n Special Trout Stream Regulations apply SHOALS I Island to the Chattahoochee River from Georgia 120 334 Highway 20 to the boat ramp at the Medlock 307 State Bridge Road 10 Bridge unit immediately upstream of

d a Georgia Highway 141. When fishing in McClure Cochran o C R this stretch of ther river, only artificial lures Bridge Shoals e PALISADES

e

may be used; it isk unlawful to possess any other type of bait while fish- e

306 g d ing. For a complete listing of Special Trout Stream Regulations visit the Devils Race i r B Georgia DNR website at www.georgiawildlife.org/fishingregulations_ 285 Course

333 Shoals fishing.aspx H s a e yn n

e Overlook o s J J

Ro o t h ten Delayed Harvest

wo n Berkeley

od Special Trout Stream Regulationss for Delayed Harvest141 apply to

C 305 9 ree Thornton C Lake k the Chattahoochee River fromr downstream to US Highway

e 9 Shoals e 332 41. Anglers in this section mustk release330 all trout immediately and use

Medlock Bridge Road

120 Long B andOld possess only artificial lures with one single hook per lure from No- rid Island 331 g vember 1 - May 14 annually. The use of additional ”dropper” lures on e Shoals one line is permitted as long as each lure contains one single hook. Historic Jones Road General Trout Stream329 Regulations apply from May 15 - October 31 of 75 Bridge each year. For(closed) a complete listing of Special Trout Stream Regulations 41 304 for Delayed Harvest streams visit the Georgia DNR websiteMEDLOCK at www. BRIDGE georgiawildlife.org/fishingregulations_fishing.aspxJones Bridge Shoals Jones Paces Mill Bridge Park Parkway 19 JONES BRIDGE (Gwinnett County) Cobb Fishing for trout, bass, catfish, or other species can be a great experi- 400 ence. Georgia fishing regulations must be followed. Persons 16 and older must have a Georgia fishing license and trout stamp. 8 303 328 Water Quality The water quality for the Chattahoochee River depends on the level of bacteria found in the water. Bacteria levels help you make an informed decision about safe use of the river. Generally speaking, when the wa- CREECter is clear, the bacteria level is low; when the water is muddy or Chattahoocheecloudy, River the bacteria327 level is high. For current information, visit www. 302 Environmental Educationnps.gov/chat or call 678-538-1201. Center Fish Consumption 326 Bacteria in the Chattahoochee River does not affect the Chattahoochee19 River National Recreation Area 140 quality of fish for consumption. The Georgia Department of 1978 Island Ford Parkway 301 Natural ResourcesHolcomb (DNR) periodically tests fish from the river Sandy Springs, GA 30350 Garrard Landingand has foundBridge the quality of fish for eating to be very (City of Roswell) Ho lcom Don White Memorial Park good. While manyb Br idhavege no consumption restrictions, DNR 678-538-1200 Rd. 400 (City of Roswell) 300 has issued guidelines for eating some fish. To learn more 770-952-0370 emergency dispatch about the guidelines for the Chattahoochee River, and else- C 322 324 325 ro Waller Park 770-399-8087 fax where, consultok the Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations. Visit ed http://www.nps.gov/chat HOLCOMBwww.gofishgeorgia.comCr or call 770-918-6418. (City of Roswell) eek Prehistoric BRIDGE 318 319 Sixes Trail C i VICKERY Island rc Ford 321 le 323 CREEK B Shoals ig C reek W Riverside Park 320 i nt Allenbrook (City of Roswell) er s Azalea Park R ISLAND FORD C o h (Fulton County and s a w Park Headquarters p City of Roswell) e e l Information Drive 317 l l

R o a d Ro ad Prehistoric Hightower Trail Chattahoochee 316 9 Nature Center

Bull Sluice Lake 315 314 k ee Cr GOLD BRANCH N Shallow ford 31 313 Road 32 Morgan Falls Park y (City of Sandy Springs) c n

a

Morgan Falls Dam N portage river left 30 285 C 312 ha mblee D u n w o od y R oad

ek 23 re C h 311 arc JOHNSON FERRY M

Clairmont rry Rd. Johnson Fe d a 141 Jo o hn R so y n Ferr

310

P e a c Paper Mill h t Ruins r e e S op e C ree Sope k Creek 309

Parkway 308 h

t

r

o

N

e

t

a

t

s

COCHRAN r

e

t

Powers n SHOALS I Island 307

Cochran Shoals PALISADES 306 Devils Race 285 Course Shoals

Overlook R ott enw ood C 305 ree Thornton k Shoals Long Island Shoals

75 41 304 Paces Mill Parkway Cobb

303

302

301

300