Georgia Natural Wonder #65 - Ocmulgee River Rapids. 1,852

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Georgia Natural Wonder #65 - Ocmulgee River Rapids

We continue with our fall Line Georgia Natural Wonders explorations as we turn to the Ocmulgee River. The Yellow and Alcovy River will feature future wonders on our list. There are marvelous shoals in Conyers and at Porterdale Mill shoals on the Yellow River. There is the Big Ben rapid/fall at Factory Shoals on the Alcovy River below Covington. The South River was discussed briefly in our review of Panola Mountain as Georgia Natural Wonder #58.


Big Ben.

The Ocmulgee River is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha River system. The Ocmulgee begins at an elevation of around 1,000 feet above sea level in the headwaters of the Yellow, Alcovy, and South rivers in north central Georgia. Southeast of Atlanta, the rivers flow into the impoundment of Lake Jackson and emerge as the Ocmulgee River, which joins the Oconee River 241 miles downstream to form the Altamaha. Along the way, the Ocmulgee and its tributaries drain an estimated 6,180 square miles in sections of thirty-three counties.


Lake Jackson.

When it first emerges from Lake Jackson, the Ocmulgee scatters shoals and pools and carves a succession of very narrow valleys through the red clay soil and metamorphic bedrock of the Piedmont region. Above Macon, the Ocmulgee crosses into the fall line, a twenty-mile-wide transitional zone that marks the beginning of the Coastal Plain at the Mesozoic shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean.


Lloyd Shoals Dam – Lake Jackson.

American Whitewater has a write up on two sections of the Ocmulgee.The first and main section it appears is just below the Lake Jackson dam.

1. - Lloyd Shoals Dam to Wise Creek (Seven Islands)

River corridor is historically called the Seven Islands area. Dam controlled run. Large river. The river corridor is very pleasing...completely forested with no streamside development. River left is a patchwork of National Forest and private land. The first half of the run is flat; consider it price of admission. The gradient picks up at mile 3 as islands become more prevalent.


Admission rapid

Georgia Power Put In (Class I)

Just off Highway 16 on the road on river right is the Georgia Power Park that has the public boat ramp. It is approximately 1/4 mile below the dam.



I searched the internet for good directions to the take out at Wise Creek and never found any great ones. Basically it is in the middle of nowhere. I settled on latitude and longitude coordinates and we put those in the GPS. We were on a dirt road without much signage and the GPS indicated for us to take a right (into the middle of some pine trees) so I thought maybe the road was a little further down, luckily we ran into some folks headed opposite us up the road and I asked the guy if he knew where Wise Creek ramp was and he said that is where they were headed and just to follow them. He said that the last time they came it took them 2 hours to find the spot. We finally made it down lots of dirt road and dropped Clay's truck there and headed north up another dirt road toward Lake Jackson and the put in.

New Put In (Class I, Mile 4.0)

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has added a new put in near the end of the flatwater and beginning of the whitewater section.



Flat at first. We started off in slow moving water and ran into some rocky shoals here and there requiring some grunting and maneuvering to get loose and back to paddling (which you had to do a good bit of since there wasn't a current here to speak of). This also made the water a little stinky, there were lots of little mussels and due to the low water a lot of them on the rocks were exposed and baking in the heat, eew. Further downstream the river opened up some and still required paddling but there were less rocks and made for smooth sailing for a while.

Smiths Shoals, arranged sporadically throughout the mile between Giles Ferry and the river left forest service road access, provide good surfing and play at flows above 2000cfs.



Following another half mile of flats, you have a choice to make at mile 4.5, where 40 Acre Island divides the river for an entire mile. On the right side, the main channel takes 90% of the stream over the only III, a single large long stairstep ledge at Lamar's Mill. Usual portage is on river right.



River Right Ledge (Class II, Mile 4.5)

At this spot the river has several islands in it and the channel on the right has a nice ledge that you can surf, ferry, catch eddies and is a spot to do stern squirts.



Be careful at minimum flow as there are some shallowish rocks in there. Strainers like to end up on river right so be cautious


Surf it

Lamar Mill Shoals (Class III, Mile 5.0) Lamar Mill Shoals (Class III, Mile 5.0)

This is the main event for the run. As you approach it you will notice the horizon line across the river. The far left line is a series of stairstep style ledges.



Just to the left of the island there is a decent drop that has a couple of chutes below it at lower water and at higher water this becomes one continuous rapid. It is about 100 yards long.



The right side of the island has a dam that is not a good choice to run. You know when you get to the Class III because the river gets really wide and there is a large horizon line. On river right there is a small island DO NOT GO TO THE RIGHT OF THIS ISLAND (short drop with a sudden stop).



We always run just left of this Island.


Lamar Mill Ruins.

After this rapid be wary of strainers and make sure to look for the remains of the mill on river right.


Scouting Party

The channel left of 40 Acre Island hides an exquisitely pretty creek run in which 15 or 20' of gradient is allocated throughout one mile of several interesting II/II+ drops. It is not an easier or safer alternative to the main channel due to deadfalls and lack of portage options.


Typical drop on the channel left of 40 Acre Island. A very pretty, isolated place.

Wise Creek Takeout (Class II, Mile 5.8)

At Nelson's Island drop over the ledge and enjoy some surfing. There is a very nice surf wave that develops between 1000 and 2000 cfs. Be mindful of the local residents who like to swim here. The river left bank has some sharp concrete blocks under water so if you go end up out of your boat swim to the island. This is the confluence of Wise Creek and the Ocmulgee and is the take out of this section.


Wise Creek Surfing

American Whitewater did not write up the float from Wise Creek to Juliett Mill, it seemed mostly flat water, We did find these images and a recount of the float from georgia Wilderness. Although the prediction was 100 plus temperatures fourteen GWS members and friends braved the heat to do the two-day 14-mile Ocmulgee River paddle from Wise Creek to Juliette, GA.



Wise Creek take out / put in.


Wise Creek comes in.

The current was swift enough to lazily drift down the narrow green corridor of overhanging trees the first day. The canopy kept us nearly in perpetual shade.



To cool off after lunch we floated to a second sandy beach around a bend in the river. We then hiked back to our original beach along a tree lined sandy horse trail. It was fun to watch a number of horses wade in the water with their owners to beat the heat.



We set up camp on a large sandbar downriver that shrank to half its size when water from the Jackson Lake Dam was released. To play it safe Wayne relocated his tent to higher ground.



Kerry Colburn decided to gamble and stayed put when the river swelled within a few feet of his tent. We all breathed a sigh of relief when the river crested and began to drop after dark.



Sunday's five-mile paddle was more challenging. There was little shade or current as the dam at Juliette backs up the water. OK honestly I would skip this part of the river and just float to Wise Creek, take out and put back in below Juliette Mills dam.


First eat at Whistle Stop Cafe if it is still open.


Juliette Mill. Fried Green Tomatoes.

Float up to edge of dam.




Walking on the dam.



Launch Spot below Mill.



Dames Ferry Shoals is main rapid on this section.



Jean and Corky make the rapid below Dames Ferry look really easy.



Wasn’t so easy for others.



Recovery never easy.



You Tube floating Dames Ferry



The Steps at Dames ferry.


Near Dames ferry.

More random photos from this section, not sure what we are looking at, just that it is the float from Juliette to Pope's Ferry.







The second section American Whitewater recounts is from Pope's ferry down into Macon. Some of these pictures however may not jive with actual rapid, but point is that it is pretty rocky and fun north of Macon.

2. - Popes Ferry to Macon

This section of the Ocmulgee River starts out a piedmont style river and changes to a coastal plain river at the Arkwright Shoal which is just below the Arkright Power Station. A reviewer posted, Three friends of mine and me went down this section on 5/29/16. We had a great time. This was our first whitewater experience. This trip took us 8 hrs. We spent probably an hour rerunning the  last drop.



Popes Ferry (Class N/A)

The put in has a concrete ramp that sometimes gets silt deposited on it after a high flow. The end of the concrete drops off so be aware if you try to step off the end.



River Mist Shoals (Class II, Mile 1.1)

After a few minutes of paddling you will see a horizon line across the river. The normal line is to start on river left at the top of the rapid. You will see the whitewater taking a left to right diagonal path through the rapid. At the bottom there is an S turn that goes to the left then curves back to the right. There are numerous eddys to catch on the way down the rapid and some decent waves to surf/play in. At flows over 3000 cfs you can pretty much go straight through the rapid and enjoy some waves



Ejection Seat (Class II, Mile 1.8)

This rapid is best at lower levels. At flows below 2000 cfs the entire river is channeled into a nice surfing area. There is a decent amount of current there and it is a good place to practice ferrying. surfing, rolling in current and there is a nice rock you can position a rope thrower on to practice rope tossing.


I know what would eject me from my seat.

High Water Ferry (Class II, Mile 2.3)

At flows above 4500 on river right there is a good chute to practice ferrying. At lower water you can walk on the rocks there.


Google of High Water Ferry gives us High Water Fairy instead.

Random Rapid (Class N/A, Mile 2.8)

At mile 3 there is a shoal that has a rapid that develops waves at different water flows. Typically it is better in the 450-1500cfs range. Above that it washes out some.



Training Wheels (Class II, Mile 2.9)

On river right of the Random Rapid ledge is a chute that forms a wavetrain that is about 2 boats wide. It is a great place to practice surfing. The runout is about 6 feet deep with no rocks so it is a great place to roll in current. It washes out into a sandbar to collect your items if you swim.



Strainer-River Right tree (Class N/A, Mile 3.3)

There is a huge tree on top of the water if you go river right around the bend. There are several below the surface and the main current pushes right to it. Avoid it by going straight instead of around the right side.

Island (Class N/A, Mile 4.3)

At mile 4.3 you will approach an island that divides the river. The best choice at lower water is to take the river right channel. You will have to pick your way down the middle left side as that is where the best water is. The left side of the island has a nice gentle creek feel to it.



Island end ledge (Class II, Mile 4.5)

If you run the river right channel around the island, there is a chute on the left side of the ledge that is fun to surf. It has a nice eddy you can catch there and on the left side is a boof rock that is in play at levels above 1200cfs.



Larry's Lunch Rock (Class N/A, Mile 5.0)

At the 5 mile mark there is a nice rock on the middle right of the river that is big enough that you can get several boats and people on it.



There is a sweetgum that is about 1 foot high that had taken root that grows on the top of the rock.There is a pothole with a side hole that is perfect to put some charcoal in and a grate on top and grill some steaks on the river. The rock is not good above 2000cfs because it is mostly underwater.



Pipe line (Class N/A, Mile 5.2)

You will come up to a gas pipe line that you can stop and eat at on river left if Larry's Lunch Rock is underwater. Please stay on the edge of the river and dont leave trash.



Arkwright Shoal (Class II, Mile 6.5)

This is the final decent rapid of the run. There are a couple of ledges below it but they aren’t too challenging. The approach to this rapid is reminiscent of the Nantahala above 5500cfs while the other side is flat.



At more normal flows the approach gives you a few waves but nothing extraordinary. There are a couple of lines with running near the center being one. You can see the waves at the bottom as you approach it and then run it.



There is a chute on river right next to the bank that is fun and has a boof rock in it. There are several places to surf in it.



River North Bridge (Class N/A, Mile 6.8)

The upriver side of the bridge has a dirt path access point. Hike up past the guard shack of the gated community. Park across the street from the River North Subdivision entrance and shuttle from there.

Amerson Water Park (Class N/A, Mile 10.0)

A ramp access point was closed until sometime in 2015. It is named after Frank Amerson who was in charge of the Macon Water Authority. The water works was flooded in the flood of 1994 and was subsequently relocated on the Town Creek Reservoir. Amerson is back open with a canoe ramp that you will encounter first and another water access after the large bend in the river.



Amerson to Spring Street

This is a flat water paddle. There is a canoe launch ramp on the north end of Amerson Waterworks Park. They have added a new takeout at the south end of the park which gives you a nice alternative to paddling down to Spring Street in Macon. This part of the Ocmulgee River is a layed back relaxing trip. Good family fun for all ages above 8 years old with adult company and life vest of course.



Home of the Ocmulgee River Race back in the day.

Ocmulgee Heritage Trail Ramp (Class N/A, Mile 14.0)

This ramp is near downtown Macon. If you go this far down you will get to see the Rose Hill Cemetary on river right as you paddle through Macon.



Heritage Trail



As the Ocmulgee drops to the Coastal Plain, its slope gentles, its currents become shallower and darkened with silt, and its floodplain broadens to as much as three miles across, becoming a thickly wooded landscape of hardwood swamps, creeks, and oxbow lakes. Below Abbeville the river begins a dramatic easterly sweep—the "Big Bend"—which cradles rolling hills of longleaf pine forests and hardy undergrowth.


Otis Redding sculpture.

In Georgia's wiregrass region, the Ocmulgee is joined by the Little Ocmulgee River a few miles before it merges with the Oconee River. In the area known locally as "The Forks," the Ocmulgee and Oconee become the Altamaha River and complete the tideland descent to Georgia's coast at Darien. Tomorrow we explore the deep Indian history of the Ocmulgee along with Bond Swamp. Today's GNW gal is waiting for you to get off river.

GNW Gal reprise from earlier in post.
Awaken Macon.