Tropical Storm Bill hit over Fourth of July weekend and the Ohoopee was running about 2K (10') so we gave it a try. We were lucky to paddle at flood stage because the river was over-bank and percolating through the forest at each major bend and ox bow. Or better said, the black water Ohoopee at flood stage was up to half a mile wide and resembled Tolkien's deep dark Mirkwood Forest. Even in the widest portions, towering bald cypress and willows shaded us. We were also lucky, because the Ohoopee drops about a foot per mile so flood stage on this river ain't like flood on Chattooga.

We probably would have gone even if it hadn't rained like stink, because the Ohoopee can be run as low as 200 cfs. At low levels, it will be very constricted and you will have to portage deadfalls. On the other hand, you'll be meandering through numerous gigantic sandbars, which provide outstanding locations for camping and picnicking. In other words, the Ohoopee can be run for most of the year, is in many ways as unique as the Okefenokee, and constitutes a mandatory trip for southeastern paddlers.

The Ohoopee can be experienced any way you like it, from a five-day expedition starting at the top and taking out at the Altamaha or as multiple day trips. Barb and the Hawk went on our own and did it our traditional way, paddling upstream and floating back to the put-in. We paddled three quite different sections. A local outfitter ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) (912.526.8222) will run shuttle and will guide multi-day trips. Seriously consider contacting him because he is one of the most knowledgeable naturalists I have paddled with. On this trip, we based out of Vidalia and all the accesses we used were reached by driving east on 280 to Lyon and then taking either 152, 292, or 280 east to where they crossed the river.

Fourth of July — Hwy 152 bridge north to the intersection of Emanuel, Candler, Toombs, and Tattnall counties. This is considered close to the upper section and this intimate small meandering river running through a canopied tunnel of bald cypress, willow, pond cypress, swamp black gum, Ogeechee lime, ash, red maple, water oak and sweet bay immediately enchanted us. Numerous sandbars lined the banks even at flood and I can only imagine what this part must be like at low water. Civilization and people were rare for the first couple of miles, but as we neared the County Road 255 Bridge and Hwy 1, we began to encounter houses and people.

Getting to this part of the river is easy if you are based in Vidalia, just head east toward Lyon. Take 152 east out of Lyon and drive for 10 minutes or so until you cross the river. You'll find put-ins at either end of the bridge. Both allow you to drive right to the shore.

July 5 — GA 292 bridge north to Sand Hill Creek. This part of the river is considerably more settled but supports long undeveloped stretches. The river is wider and lacks the intimate quality of the upper sections. However, about two miles upstream from the Hwy 292 bridge you encounter some major meanders and a large beach on river left that on weekends is densely inhabited by the last remnants of Georgia's pioneering Crackers (AKA rednecks).

We encountered lots of local boaters on this section and had a great time visiting with them. Some were in canoes and others in johnboats and all were friendly, courteous, helpful, and truly loved the river and outdoors. In addition to its size, this section had the most sandbars with beaucoup areas for camping. It also had numerous sloughs, which were readily accessible because the river was at flood. We made it all the way to Sand Hill Creek and navigated half a mile or so up towards Sand Hill Lake.

Getting to this put-in is just as easy as the previous section. Drive east to Lyon and, rather than taking 152 east, take Georgia 292 until you cross the river. We were encouraged when we saw a paved access road just before the bridge, but it is blocked (as is an equally good paved access road at the other end of the bridge). Apparently, the county has decided that locals (AKA the resident taxpayers) shouldn't use the river and reasoned that if the roads were blocked their constituents couldn't get to the river.

However, being typical unimaginative bureaucrats, they did not anticipate local ingenuity and resident boaters have constructed a dirt road at the north east end of the bridge that cuts back to the river. It requires four-wheel drive, leads right to the bank, and allows parking under the bridge. If you don't have a jeep, just park on the roadside and carry down to the river on one of the paved access roads.

July 6 — US 280 bridge north to Pendleton Creek. Many feeder creeks have joined the Ohoopee by this point and it's 60 to 80 feet wide. This was the most scenic and interesting part of the river for us. This portion is sparsely inhabited and at flood it was over the top of the dike, which made all of the bordering sloughs and hardwood swamps accessible. Even better, as the river percolated over and through the banks it provided shortcuts directly through the many oxbows. It actually became slightly difficult to figure out the true location of the main channel. I don't have a clue what it would be like at normal or low flows. We made it to the intersection of Pendelton Creek, a must do experience. At least it's must-do at flood, but Pendelton would be really tight at the usual July levels.

The dunes. The Ohoopee is one of the most exotic and beautiful rivers we have paddled in Georgia, in part because it's a black water river that runs through an ancient system of sand dune ridges that were laid down during the Pleistocene when the area was coast. These aren't your usual coastal sand dunes but rather reflect what happens to dunes when they sit around for 20,000 years and the coast moves 80 miles out. Erosion of the dunes accounts for the numerous large sandbars (AKA campsites) found in all sections of the river. The major and best-known Ohoopee dune ridge ecosystem surrounds the Little Ohoopee, north of I-16. However, the sand hill ecosystem intermittently borders the Ohoopee for most of its length and periodically pokes through the dense oak/cypress forest on the parts we paddled.

Interestingly, sand ridges only occur on the northeastern borders of the river (because that's were the coast was). Dunes soil lacks nutrients and moisture, so it provides a desert-like environment with relatively stunted vegetation interspersed in the more dense vegetation that borders most of the river. Dunes vegetation is primarily dwarf oak/evergreen/shrub forest. The most common trees are dwarf live oaks, turkey oak and impressive longleaf pine. Shrubbery includes sand hill rosemary, red basil, shrub goldenrod, and joint weed. If you look carefully and are lucky, you may find Ohoopee Dunes Savory, a shrub that smells like basil and is found only in the Ohoopee dunes.

If you get into the dunes, look carefully for sand hilladapted animals (i.e., burrowers). Several endangered or threatened species live in the dunes. The most famous resident is the endangered gopher tortoise. However, the threatened huge black Eastern Indigo snake is found only in the dunes and if you're lucky, you may sight the endangered red cockaded woodpecker.

How to get there. First, since you're going to spend about four hours driving to Vidalia or its environs and a successful run on the Ohoopee is dependent on rainfall, check the gauge (Ohoopee River near Reidsville). Then depending on whether you're going to do multiple day trips or mount a multi-day expedition, either drive to Vidalia and get a hotel or just go to the put-in and start paddling. This article describes day trips based out of Vidalia so get a road map, drive to Vidalia and check in. Then drive on the only road east out of Vidalia to Lyon and take the appropriate highway to the appropriate put-in/take-out and paddle.

by William "The Hawk" Reeves
From The Eddy Line, September 2003

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