CHATTOOGA RIVER (BURRELL’S FORD SITE #2)

The Chattooga River (which is occasionally misspelled the Chatooga River or the Chattoga River) begins in the mountains of North Carolina as small rivulets, nourished by springs and abundant rainfall, high on the slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. The water drops a half mile in elevation over fifty miles as it winds its way to Lake Tugaloo where the river ends between South Carolina and Georgia. The Chattooga is one of the few remaining free-flowing streams in the Southeast, and the setting is primitive with dense forests and undeveloped shorelines on most of its route. On May 10, 1974, Congress designated the Chattooga a Wild and Scenic River – a honor reserved for rivers with outstanding scenery, recreation, wildlife, geologic, and cultural values.

This hike starts at Burrell’s Ford on the Georgia side of the river and uses a fisherman’s trail to access the west side of the river. There is a small parking area here and a few scattered campsites along the Chattooga in this location. No camping is permitted within 0.3 miles of the parking area. The Burrell’s Ford Trail near Mountain City, Georgia is a completely different hike – so don’t confuse it with this area.