Chattooga River Hiking, Swimming and Waterfalls

Join me for a rewarding day on shady mountain trails beside the Chattooga River, about 100 miles NE of Atlanta.  Famous as the site of the movie "Deliverance," the Chattooga is known for its gnarly rapids and forms much of the border between SC and GA.  We'll explore a side creek or two and take the time to relax, swim, have lunch together and visit a couple of nice waterfalls.

For those in our group who choose the carpooling option we'll depart the Indian Trail park-and-ride promptly at 8:00 AM - see Carpool Directions below. Please plan on arriving there 5 or 10 minutes early for introductions, vehicle assignments and a discussion of the driving route. (See those main Directions also below.) On our way up we'll stop in Clayton, GA at about 10:00 AM to regroup and take a bathroom break. We'll then caravan in our vehicles to the riverside trailhead/parking lot where we'll all gather for the hike at about 10:30 AM.

Our hike route will take us northeastward from the cars about 3.5 milesvia SC's Chattooga River Trail to Licklog Creek and back, mostly along the riverbank with a few gentle inclines and declines - nothing too strenuous. At Licklog Creek we can have lunch at Licklog Falls or nearby Pigpen Falls and may spend up to 2 or 3 hours swimming, relaxing, etc., but if the group wants to head back sooner, no problem. We'll hike back to the cars via essentially the same 3.5-mile route.

Last year we encountered a yellow jacket nest on this trail with several people getting stung. Lightweight long pants and shirts are recommended, but not required. Bring plenty of water; it is July in Georgia.

We will allow up to three more well-behaved dogs in addition to my golden retriever, Jake. You must be in control of your dog at all times. We will plan to do the hike if the weather is typical afternoon summer thunderstorms, but may cancel the event if severe weather or a rainout is forecast.\

HANDY LINKS to ONLINE TRAIL MAPS, etc. for this HIKE:
- Overview Trail Map of Chattooga River Trail in SC: http:// www.sctrails.net/trails/MAPS/Chattoogatrl%20map.html
- Annotated Topo Map of Hike from Russell Bridge to Licklog Falls and Back:  http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php? trip_id=1603789

From the Indian Trail Park-and-Ride Lot at I-85 Exit 101 it's about 105 miles to our Trailhead/ Parking Lot in SC by the Chattooga River, as follows:

- Take I-85 North and bear leftward onto I-985 North (bypassing Gainesville, GA) then continue straight ahead via US-23 North and US-441 North to Clayton, GA (about 90 miles total from the Indian Trail Park & Ride).
- Our carpoolers will regroup in Clayton in the INGLES parking lot.  This large supermarket is on the right side of US-441 just 0.1 mile north of its junction with Warwoman Road. After a bathroom break, etc. we'll caravan in our vehicles from the Ingles to the trailhead as follows:
- Take Warwoman Road eastward for about 14 miles to its junction with Hwy 28.
- Bear Right onto Hwy 28 (a.k.a. the "HIghlands Hwy" ) and go about 2.3 miles to our gravel; parking area and trailhead for the hike on the Left side of the highway.  (It's in SC, about 0.1 mile beyond Russell Bridge, which crosses the Chattooga here from GA into SC). The parking area is known among locals as "Ridley Fields" and is the main trailhead for the Chattooga River Trail from Russell Bridge northward toward Licklog Creek & Falls.

GPS and Maps.Google.com USERS:  Feel free to augment the above verbal directions to our trailhead/ parking area by entering as your destination its approx. Lat/Lon coordinates:   34.9173, -83.1673

No Charge!  Free event with free parking.

The trip will be canceled if there is a rainout for the day or severe weather.