Chattooga Cliffs Trail Hike and Swim

The Chattooga Cliffs trail is a very scenic trail in the northernmost section of the Chattooga River Wild and Scenic River protected corridor. Our hike will start near the swirling cascades that flow under Bull Pen Bridge. We will hike upstream along the northern end of the Chattooga, just a few miles below the headwaters which begin near Whiteside Mountain. Certain sections of the trail are rocky, wet, narrow, and steep in places as it negotiates the precipitous terrain.

The trail crosses two rust colored bridges built with long spans of COR-TEN steel flown in by helicopter.  At the second bridge, Mill Creek flows into the Chattooga with a rushing cascade. Nearby is a sandbar and large swimming hole where we will spend some time playing in the falls and swimming. Just upstream from this swimming hole, the Chattooga River is forced into "the narrows" - a 5 foot-wide v-shaped crevice with solid rock walls. If time permits, at the end of the Chattooga Cliffs Trail, we will make a very short hike (300 yrds) to the top of Slick Rock for some nice high views of the surrounding area.

After the hike, the TLs plan to stop for dinner on the way back to Atlanta.