Georgia Natural Wonder #64 - Oconee River Rapids - Milledgeville (Part 1). 1,542

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Georgia Natural Wonder #64 - Oconee River Rapids - Milledgeville (Part 1)

Going back to our fall line theme for natural wonders of Georgia, we turn to the Oconee River and the antebellum town of Milledgeville. We already covered Augusta and Columbus. The Oconee River will provide us with many future natural wonders in the Cedar Shoals in Athens, the Skull Shoals, and Franklin Springs as the River flows through the Oconee Forest. Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair are formed by this wondrous stream.


Oconee River below Lake Oconee dam.

The Oconee River at Milledgeville offers many interesting attractions for boaters as well as those looking for some fun on a hot day.



For a river runner this section of the Oconee also provides a good paddle. If you head north on North Jefferson St. leaving Milledgeville you will soon come to a 4-way stop at Log Cabin Rd./Sinclair Dam Rd. Take a right headed east onto Sinclair Dam Rd. and this will take you past the country club to the dam at the southern tip of Lake Sinclair. This is the put in where the Oconee River begins from the lake.



The spill way of Sinclair dam creates a super impressive monster wave when it is flowing. The spill way only empties during periods of a lot of rain up north of Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair. If you see any flooding in Milledgeville it is always a good idea to go check out the dam just to enjoy the massive wave from a distance. I don't believe the spill way is runable, it is impressive though.



Here you will bypass Furman Shoals which is a rock outcrop blown up in order to build the dam. You can fish or swim below the dam. It is a marshy area most of the time but when big water is released it quickly becomes unrunable class VI whitewater. Your paddle begins directly around it and around Carter Island where you join the main body of the river. There is a good rope swing about a quarter of a mile down the dirt put-in road.



The run is almost 4 miles and takes a considerable amount of time, depending on the water level. This paddle is flatwater until you reach the rapids at the highway 22 bridge other than a mild class I turbulence called Turtle Shoals about a mile past the put in.



It is roughly a 3.5 mi float until you begin to approach the highway 22 rapids. You warning sign is the gaging station which is a concrete tower shooting a stream into the river, you have about a 100 yards to make your decision. After about 3.4 miles down the river, you will come to a major split. There will be three distinct channels. The left channel (which will be straight ahead) can be spotted by a small horizon line. This is a good play spot at medium to high flows (2500 and up). This is called the Upper Drops.



Upper Drops

Upstream on the river left fork of this part of the Oconee, there is a drop. There are a few different drops. The center is the best. At higher levels it creates a good play wave. At low levels it is almost unrunable. If the river is high enough you may decide to run the upper drops on the left fork of the river. At high water this is where the river naturally takes you. It's a good idea to land your boat onto the small island in the middle of the river to scout out your options from there. You may walk out onto it into the eddie below and view the rapids from downstream.



Another description of the Upper Drops - The far river left rapid separated from the other two called "Oconee Falls" is only runable at real high water and just tumbles over small rocks.



Baldwin's Dip



At 3500cfs or more there is a surfable wave in the middle channel.



The center rapid called "Baldwin's Dip" is a more enjoyable class II run while the line is slightly right of center.



Then you just bump over the main wave and ride the wave train afterwards.



Power House Rapids

Far river right where most of the current goes is a class II called "Tombstone Rapid." This is a good run with no specific line as long as you avoid the "Tombstone" pin rocks.



If you take the middle or right at the split, you will soon come upon the old powerhouse. Just to the left of the powerhouse is the rapid. This is the main drop. The best line is just right of center. There is a large broken down building on the river right. Stay left of the building, but look out for the pylon a few feet to the left of the powerhouse. Look out for logs in the wave. A really good surfable wave is created at high water.



Here you may choose to run river right around Buzzard Island. This will take you to "Grist Mill Rapid" labeled here as "Powerhouse Rapid." This is my favorite way to go and the only way to go at low water. Like instructed here the line is just right of center and just left of the mill. At higher water this creates a nice climbing wave. You can collect in a eddie pool just upstream of the mill before running the rapid and recollect in the eddie behind the mill to play.



After running any of these three upper drops you can ferry down to "Grist Mills Rapid" and play. If you swim in any of these three rapids you will get beat up. I am not sure of any rebar, but these rocks have gravel teeth.



If the water is low the upper drops do not exist and you will have to portage the shoals below them to the current that comes out of the mill. You can view some fish activity in the pools in the shoals.



From here you can take out at the highway 22 bridge or paddle another 4 miles of flatwater to complete the Milledgeville Section of the Oconee. You can camp out at low water on sand bars to make an overnight trip, but beware of the rising water or sleep in you boat.



There are also some rock outcrops on the river bank below the only houses on the the river at Pebble Hill. The take out will be a concrete boat ramp on the right. To get there by road you go South on Hwy 112(Vinson HWY) out of Milledgeville and when you see the prison you take a left down the road before it.



Rocks Below Milledgeville: These unique boulder formations line a stretch of the river just below Milledgeville. \



The rocks quickly give way to sand as the river moves into the Coastal Plain.



Still further down we will paddle past the site of Ft. Wilkinson, a frontier fort built in 1797, marking the boundary between Georgia and Creek Indian territory. The fort rather quickly outlived its purpose. Within 10 years, Georgians had relentlessly pushed the frontier further west and in 1807, the garrison moved to a new frontier fort on the Ocmulgee River.



The takeout is just downstream of the powerhouse after the two channels meet back together. You will go under the Hwy49 bridge and takeout at the boat ramp on the river right. The boat ramp area has been worked on for the past year and includes good parking, a greenway, and access to the river. The powerhouse, and fall line rapids can also be park and play spots. The takeout area is a good place to just spend some time in your boat. You can put in at the boat ramp and paddle up to the powerhouse or the fall line rapids. It is a great place to practice fairies and rolls in some current.



Overall, this spot is perfect for a little after work (or class) fun.



The Oconee River Greenway Park and Riverwalk offer trails, paths and boardwalks to walk, jog, bicycle, relax and enjoy the beauty and sounds of the Oconee River. The Greenway offers multiple individual fishing stations and a boat ramp. The river is navigable in many sections by canoe or kayak and because its shoreline remains largely undeveloped it offers an opportunity to see native bird and plant life. Four legged friends are welcome on the trails, while a designated dog park allows friendships to form and legs to run without a leash.



The Greenway is located adjacent to the Oconee River. From the earliest days, the river has been an important source of water power. In 1892 a grist mill was built on the shoal of the Oconee River and used in the early 1900s when it was converted to a hydro-electric plant, the first source of electricity for the City of Milledgeville. Part of the dam and mill structure are still visible in the river just north of the bridge.



The southern boundary of the developed portion of the Greenway is a tributary of the Oconee known as ‘Fishing Creek’. At one time a small island (McMillan’s Island) lay at the mouth of the creek, remnants of that island are still visible from the observation deck. There are long boardwalks.



The Greenway is open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. Free parking. Today's GNW gal is a Georgia College and State University Bobcat lass.