Upper Ochlockonee River Paddling Guide
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F ll o r ii d a D e s ii g n a tt e d ¯ P a d d ll ii n g T r a ii ll s U p p e r O c h ll o c k o n e e R ii v e r G E O R G I A U p p e rr O c h ll o c k o n e e R ii v e rr P a d d ll ii n g T rr a ii ll M a p 1 159 «¬12 )" Hinson )"157 343 Lake Iamonia )" «¬267 Havana «¬12 344 Quincy )" ¤£319 342 GADSDEN U p p e rr O c h ll o c k o n e e R ii v e rr «¬ P a d d ll ii n g T rr a ii ll M a p 2 Bradfordville 90 ¤£ 27 ¤£ Lake Jackson Midway «¬263 ¨¦§10 1)"541 Capitola TALLAHASSEE Lake Talquin «¬20 «¬267 ¤£27 LEON ¤£319 Bloxham )"259 «¬267 Woodville Helen Designated Paddling Trail )"61 Wetlands ¤£319 Water WAKULLA Designated Paddling Trail Index 0 2.5 5 10 Miles 319 ¤£ 61 Newport Arran )" U p p e rr O c h ll o c k o n e e R ii v e rr P a d d ll ii n g T rr a ii ll M a p 1 ¯ Bell Rd d R d or n c Co o ir a C !| River Ridge «¬12 Plantation Concord Conservation Easement Access Point 1: SR 12 N: 30.6689 W: -84.3051 Havana Hiamonee à Plantation Conservation «¬12 Easement River Ridge Plantation C Conservation o n c Easement o d r R d n a R i id d r e M Kemp Rd N E D Tall Timbers Research Station S D & Land Conservancy A N O G E L Lake Iamonia I ro n B r id g e R d d Pond R ard ch Or !| Mallard Pond Access Point 2: Old Bainbridge Rd Bridge N: 30.5858 W: -84.3594 O l d B Carr Lake a i n b r i d Upper Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail g e R Canoe/Kayak Launch d !| Conservation Lands 27 0 0.5 1 2 Miles ¤£ Wetlands ¯ U p p e rr O c h ll o c k o n e e R ii v e rr P a d d ll ii n g T rr a ii ll M a p 2 )"270 RCM Farms Conservation Easement O l d B a i n b r i d g e R d )"159 ¤£27 N E D N S O D E Access Point 3: Tower Rd A L N: 30.5286 W: -84.3894 G !| Tower Rd Lake Jackson Coastal Forest Resources Conservation Easement Dupont Rd Ol d B ain br idg e R d C a p i t o l C i r c l Lake Talquin State Forest e N W Fred George Greenway Midway Fred George Rd Br icky Thompson/Gray ard Rd Conservation Easement M i 10 s s § i Ochlockonee ¨¦ o n Gearhart Rd R d ¤£90 C Lake Talquin State Forest ommon wealth Bl !| vd Joe Budd Wildlife Mgmt Area Access Point 4: US 90 Upper Ochlockonee River Paddling Trail N: 30.4734 W: -84.4072 G e d d Canoe/Kayak Launch i !| e Lake Talquin State Forest R d Conservation Lands 0 0.5 1 2 Miles Wetlands Upper Ochlocknee River Paddling Trail Guide The Waterway Beginning near the Georgia line, the narrow upper portion of the upper Ochlockonee River twists around cypress knees and log jams as it flows toward Lake Talquin. The river originates in Worth County, Georgia, and flows 206-mile southward to Ochlockonee Bay. Most of this river corridor is completely undeveloped, surprising when considering that the City of Tallahassee is only a few miles away. The Upper Ochlockonee Paddling Trail empties into Lake Talquin and then reemerges below the Talquin Dam just above SR 20, renamed the Lower Ochlockonee River, another designated state paddling trail. Lake Talquin is an impoundment of the Ochlockonee River built in 1929 for power generation and very popular fishing and recreation area. The Paddling Experience The designated portion of the river is 27 miles long. However, the first 15-miles from the SR 12 Bridge to the Old Bainbridge Road Bridge is a very challenging with numerous blockages and downed trees making it barely navigable. A better option is to paddle 12 miles of the river below the Old Bainbridge Road Bridge with fewer of these challenges. If the USGS gauge level is below 12.5 feet, expect numerous pullovers or portages. Do not attempt to park or access the river from US 27. Access points are remote and not well- developed, so leave unattended vehicles at your own risk. Access Points #1, Start of the Trail, SR 12 Directions: From Tallahassee travel north on Meridian Road (SR 155) to SR 12. Turn left (west) and proceed to bridge and unimproved boat launch at southwest side of the bridge #2, Mile 15, Old Bainbridge Road Bridge (SR 157) Access is on the northeast side of the bridge. Directions: From Tallahassee take US 27 (Monroe Street) north about 5 miles past I-10 to CR 157 (Old Bainbridge Road). Turn right on Old Bainbridge Road and travel about 3.5 miles to the bridge over the river. #3, Mile 21, Tower Road From Tower Road the river flows downstream through Lake Talquin State Forest. Directions: From Tallahassee travel north on CR 157 (Old Bainbridge Road) about a quarter mile after it merges with CR 263 (Capital Circle Northwest). Just before US 27, turn left on Tower Road and proceed about 1.6 miles to the unimproved landing where the road dead ends at the river. #4, Mile 27, End of the Trail, US 90 Boat ramp and parking is located on the southwest side of the Ochlockonee River Bridge. Directions: From CR 273 (Capital Circle Northwest) in Tallahassee, travel west on US 90 about 3 miles. .