ATHENS – Paddle Georgia 2025 will consist of paddlers from 21 states set to travel seven days and 82 miles across three states.
Release:
Some 370 canoeists and kayakers hailing from 21 states will converge on Ringgold, Georgia this weekend
for the start of a seven-day, 82-mile journey down South Chickamauga Creek and the Tennessee River as
part of the Georgia Rivers Paddle Georgia 2025.
The group will gather Sunday, June 15, at Camp Jordan in East Ridge, TN for their first camp and then launch on South Chickamauga Creek Monday morning to begin the odyssey. They will stroke down
South Chickamauga Creek into Chattanooga and then down the Tennessee, finishing June 22 in
Stevenson, Alabama.
Celebrating its 20th year, Paddle Georgia is considered the country’s largest week-long canoe/kayak
camping adventure. Georgia Rivers organizes the trip each summer to connect people with the region’s
rivers and raise funds to protect Georgia’s rivers and streams.
“It’s an environmental education adventure for all ages,” said Rena Ann Peck, Georgia Rivers executive
director. “We’re connecting people with our rivers so that they can fall in love with them and take action
to protect them.”
The trip will begin on the South Chickamauga Creek Water Trail, a narrow water course that flows
beneath spectacular limestone bluffs and over playful rapids into the Tennessee River just east of
Chattanooga. The journey’s final five days will follow the course of the Tennessee and the Tennessee
River Line, a 652-mile water trail stretching from Knoxville to the Ohio River, that winds through
Chattanooga and the river’s historic and scenic gorge into Nickajack Lake. After locking through
Nickajack Lock and Dam in their small vessels, participants will float into Northeast Alabama for the
adventure’s final two days.
On the water by day, Paddle Georgia participants will have the opportunity to visit the region’s iconic
off-water destinations like Ruby Falls, Rock City, the Tennessee Aquarium and downtown Chattanooga
as well as Russell Cave National Monument, Nickajack Cave and Neversink Pit.
The adventure will make use of both public and private camping and event facilities. Participants will
first camp at the City of East Ridge’s Camp Jordan before moving downstream to overnight sites at
Tennessee River Place, an event facility nestled at the head of the Tennessee River Gorge, and
Stevenson City Park in Alabama adjacent to Crow Creek Wildlife Management Area.
“Participants like to call it summer camp for adults and families,” said Joe Cook, Paddle Georgia
coordinator, “It’s an opportunity to embark on an epic adventure, meet great people and see our
region’s natural beauty from a unique perspective.”
Georgia Rivers uses a portion of each event registration fee to advocate for policies to protect Georgia’s
water and improve public access to Georgia’s 70,000 miles of rivers and streams.
The route on South Chickamauga Creek was chosen, in part, because it is one of many creeks that are
threatened by Georgia’s vague and ambiguous policy regarding recreational use of the state’s streams.
That policy has led to private landowners blocking the public from floating down small streams like
South Chickamauga Creek.
On South Chickamauga, local governments in Georgia and Tennessee have spent hundreds of thousands
developing public access to the creek and it now supports an outfitter that provides float trip services.
As a tourist destination it has become and important part of the local economy.
“South Chickamauga Creek is kind of the poster child for why Georgia needs to clarify its policy on
recreational boating and affirm what has been the state’s common law tradition for more than 200
years,” said Peck. “The public should have the right to boat down any stream that supports recreational
watercraft. It’s the right thing to do for Georgia’s tourism economy and for our outdoor recreation
traditions.”
Since 2005, Paddle Georgia events have engaged more than 7,000 participants and generated more than
$900,000 for river protection and water trail development in Georgia.
The following serve as sponsors and partners: Georgia Power Company, Hennessy Land Rover, Colonial
Pipeline, Southwire, RYAM, Southern Company Gas, Butler-Prather Trial Lawyers, Purina, Isdell
Foundation, Festive Waters, Murph’s Surf, John & L.A. Spears Foundation, REI, Crescent Kayak, Georgia
Kayak Fishing, Baxter & Harbin CPA, Dick’s House of Sport, Troncalli Subaru, RES, Mill Creek
Environmental, Stream Techs, Fruit of the Loom/Jerzees, Terry Pate, PC, Patagonia, Learn to Kayak,
Wildwater, The Canoe House, Georgia Mining Association, Oconee Outfitters, Ocmulgee Outdoor
Expeditions, Whitewater Express, Westbrook Supply Co., EVRAH3 Sparkling Water, Molson Coors,
Mustang Survival, The Hike Inn, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Appalachian Outfitters,
Southeast Adventure Outfitters, Royal Restrooms, Adventure Keen, Savannah Canoe and Kayak, Rock
City, Ruby Falls, Tennessee River Place, Café Campesino, Outdoor Chattanooga, Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
United, KayaArm, Kayak Kushion, Tennessee Valley Canoe Club, Georgia Canoeing Association, Georgia
Adopt-A-Stream and Tennessee RiverLine.
Georgia Rivers, formerly Georgia River Network, is a 501c3 non-profit organization with the mission of
connecting people with and protecting Georgia’s rivers. It serves as Georgia Department of Natural
Resources non-profit partnering to coordinate the state’s water trail program.
