The Place to Share
Canoeing & Kayaking
$10
Chattahoochee River, Gainesville, GA
By reading further, you agree to our Terms of Use

Copyright 2000 Alfonso Vazquez-Cuervo - See Terms of Use

Our Route Summary

  • Submitted by: Al Vazquez
  • Date Submitted: 11/2000
  • Email: alvazquez@kayakguide.com
  • Location: East of Gainesville, GA
  • Class: Typically flat water section of the river
  • Water Level: we paddled during a time of extreme low water and had no pullovers in this area
  • Distance Paddled: 5.6 miles round trip
  • Water: fresh
  • Wildlife: very fast crew teams

Entry or Exit

  • Directions: From I-23, exit north onto I-129 to Gainesville. Follow I-129 through Gainesville. Just over a mile outside Gainesville, the road will cross the river. Continue about another mile to the road to Laurel Park on the right hand side. Turn right onto that road and follow it to the end at the Laurel Park public boat ramps and a large parking area.
  • GPS: N 34 degrees 21.303' W 83 degrees 48.842'
  • Fee: none
  • Description: grassy or mud banks and paved ramps
  • Parking: adjacent paved
  • Facilities: restrooms, picnic areas, beaches, walking trails

Entry or Exit

  • Directions: From I-23, exit north onto I-129 to Gainesville. Follow I-129 through Gainesville. Just outside Gainesville, take a right onto Route 284 east (Clarks Bridge Road). Follow the road about 2 miles to the Olympic Rowing venue just over the bridge. Enter the Clarks Bridge Recreation Area parking and boat ramps on the right just after the bridge. (The Olympic Boathouse is on the left just down the road.)
  • GPS: N 34 degrees 21.103' W 83 degrees 47.586'
  • Fee: none
  • Description: grassy or mud banks and paved ramps
  • Parking: adjacent unpaved
  • Facilities: restrooms, picnic areas

What We Saw

Paddle where Olympic rowers competed during the last summer games hosted by the United States. Relive what Olympians felt and rowing teams feel today paddling between the hills of this winding course.

 
We put in at Laurel Park and paddled about 2.8 miles to the Clarks Bridge Recreation area to watch a high school and collegiate rowing regatta..

This area is where the Chattahoochee River empties into the huge Lake Lanier north of Atlanta.

Leaving the boats beside the Clarks Bridge ramps, we walked around to see the exhibits in the Olympic boathouse as well as some 1000 sleek rowing shells shown at the top all waiting to race.
It's also possible to continue east on the Chattahoochee past Clarks Bridge, but the water was extremely low exposing long barren banks, so we stayed to watch the finish line.

Lake Lanier also has numerous other launch ramps, some with islands, other feeder streams, and purportedly excellent fishing.