Paddle the Historic Etowah near Atlanta

We'll float and paddle 10 miles from the small town of Euharlee, GA, just west of Cartersville, starting at the new ramp on Euharlee Road and run West and North on the Etowah to the Highway 411/20 bridge for the take-out. Please see http://www.notatlanta.org/euharlee.html for information about the town! There is a restored Covered Bridge and Museum crossing the creek just across the river in the town of Euharlee. We can enjoy it and lunch at Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse after our paddle!

This section of the Etowah is near Cartersville, GA just up I-75 from Atlanta and is a regulated flow from the dam at Lake Allatoona. It has a constant current, with Class I and low Class II's, to make for an enjoyable day for beginners and experienced paddlers alike. We'll see and experience pre-historic fish weirs all along the route as well as a Civil War era bridge that was once the longest iron bridge in the south. Be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife too!

This is a "BYOB event"-so, rent, beg or borrow, but please BRING YOUR OWN/A BEGGED/ A BORROWED/ OR A RENTED BOAT! (Kayak or canoe, no inflatable rafts please). We have a limited number of extra paddles and PFD's if you need to borrow. Please email if you can, to bobbymarie@bellsouth.net if you can provide an extra boat, space or gear OR if you would like to join us and need to obtain a boat or gear.

EVENT PLAN:
This will be a "rain-or-shine" float, and I intend not to cancel it unless the weather is really terrible. Paddling in a bit of rain or on a cloudy day is kind of fun. Wassa matter, we gonna get wet? We will take a break for a snack and some playing during the paddle! Especially if the day is warm and sunny!   

Pace is moderate, I mean it! Plan to spend the day on this event... If you decide to run off ahead just let me know so I don't worry or have to look for you! HOWEVER, if your idea of a river paddle is to lag behind the sweep boat and make everyone wonder where you are and whether you will ever catch up again, please advise the sweep or plan your own day on the river. We love you and want you to be part of our day!!  'Nuf said I hope.... :-)

WHERE & WHEN? We'd like to meet promptly at 8:00 AM at the Busbee Park and Ride at the Chastain Rd. exit of I-75. We'll plan to leave the Park and Ride at 8:15 AM for the short trip through Cartersville to Euharlee where we will stage the boats and set the shuttle and meet and greet. If you meet at the event, please be at the ramp by 8:45 to be part of the shuttle set-up.

SHUTTLE SETUP: From 9:00 AM to 9:30 we'll send a group of volunteer "shuttle drivers" in their vehicles to the 411 Bridge take-out lot, about 6.5 miles from our Euharlee put-in. At least one of our drivers will then return all those drivers to Euharlee. After the float the vehicles left down-river including Bobby's with a trailer will facilitate a speedy return to Euharlee for those who may still have vehicles at our put-in and want to enjoy lunch and a look at the Covered Bridge and Museum!

LAUNCH & TAKE-OUT: We plan to launch by or before 10:15 AM from Euharlee and take out at about 3:00 PM or there-abouts at the 411 Bridge (on the right bank of the river).

OPTIONAL Late lunch/Early Dinner at Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse in Euharlee (after the paddle): Check out their menu at www.johnnymitchellssmokehouse.com Great food, tea and desserts and reasonable prices! We'll depart at our leisure for the ride back to the carpool location or on to town! Every one who has gone on this paddle in the past usually says, Bobby Who?, after we have had a meal at the restaurant.

Personal Preparedness and Responsibility:
Be a competent swimmer.
Wear a life jacket.
Be practiced in self rescue, individual paddlers are ultimately responsible for their own safety, and must assume sole responsibility for their decisions.

DIRECTIONS from ATLANTA to our New Euharlee Road RampPUT-IN" on Euharlee Road at the river near Euharlee, GA
1) From the I-75/I-285 Interchange in NW Atlanta, take I-75 North about 24 miles and get off at I-75 Exit #283 toward Emerson.
2) Turn Left onto Old Allatoona Rd SE and go 0.7 mile.
3) Continue onto GA-293 N and go 4.0 miles.
4) Turn Left onto West Avenue and go 2.6 miles.
5) Turn Right onto Euharlee Road SW and go 5.5 miles to the bridge over the Etowah.
6) Turn Left just at the bridge and into the NEW(!) parking lot at the ramp.
8) For a Map and/or Customized Directions to the Put-In from your point of departure:
Go to Google.com/maps and input as your DESTINATION the following "dummy address" which is just a few yards from our put-in:
998 Euharlee Rd SW Euharlee, GA 30120    The little side street is Dobson Dr. at the ramp

DIRECTIONS from the Euharlee Road Ramp to GA-20 ETOWAH RIVER BRIDGE TAKEOUT:
From our Put-In parking area at the new ramp and parking lot.
1) Turn Left onto Euharlee Road and go 3.7 miles to Macedonia Rd (there's a church here on your right). 
2) Turn right onto Macedonia Road and go 2.6 miles to GA-20/US-411.
3) Turn Right onto GA-20, drive just 0.2 mile (eastward) across the Etowah River bridge and make an immediate hard Right onto the gravel river-access road and parking area by the Etowah. (NOTE: In order to return to the Euharlee Creek Put-In via the same route, you'll first have to drive eastward on GA-20 a short distance and make a U-turn before re-crossing the Etowah bridge to Macedonia Rd.)

"DIRECTIONS IN A NUTSHELL" from ETOWAH RIVER BRIDGE TAKEOUT back to ATLANTA:
1) Take GA-20 eastward in the direction of Cartersville. (Initially it will be concurrent with GA-411).
2) CAREFULLY follow the "GA-20 EAST" signs (through several ramps and turns in north Cartersville) to the GA-20/ I-75 junction at I-75 Exit #290. Total distance from the Etowah bridge to I-75 is about 14 miles.
3) Take the entrance ramp here I-75 South here at I-75 milepost #290 and return to Atlanta (about 30 miles to I-285 interchange).

Parking is free in Euharlee and at the take-out beside the River!