Georgia Natural Wonder #188 - Yellow River - South Gwinnett County (Part 1). 1,018

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Georgia Natural Wonder #188 - Yellow River - South Gwinnett County (Part 1)

We have explored whitewater in several of our Georgia Natural Wonders. We have done a pretty good dive on the rivers of Douglas, Cobb and Forsyth Counties. We haven't found many Georgia Natural Wonders for Gwinnett County other than Jones Bridge and the shore of the Chattahoochee River GNW #181 a few post ago. So we come to the Yellow River. The Yellow River is a 76-mile-long tributary of the Ocmulgee River in the U.S. state of Georgia.



The river rises north of Lawrenceville in Gwinnett County and flows south through the outer eastern suburbs of Atlanta, passing through the easternmost corner of DeKalb County before entering Rockdale County.



Continuing south into Newton County, the river joins the South River in Lake Jackson, 2 miles upstream of the junction of the Alcovy River to form the Ocmulgee River.


TRD Addendum later in this post from my misadventure. It was hairy like daughter's boyfriend leg.

Name

The Yellow River's name is an accurate preservation of its native Creek language name Coc-la-pauchee or Welauneehatchee.


Creek GNW Gal

Beginnings

The Yellow River Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) is an award-winning advanced wastewater treatment facility located in Lilburn. Originally built in 1979 with a capacity of 6 million gallons per day, the facility underwent a $240 million modernization effort in 2011 to convert it to a membrane bioreactor wastewater treatment plant and increase its capacity to 22 million gallons per day. Another purpose of the project was to merge six of the county’s wastewater plants into a single facility to improve overall system reliability and reduce environmental impact.



The Department of Water Resources (DWR) strives to be a good neighbor to the community, and during the 2011 renovation, DWR ensured that the Yellow River WRF would be more than just a wastewater treatment facility. Seated on 120 acres, the facility is surrounded by green trees, has no issues with odor, and has even been likened to a public park due to its natural beauty.



Residents flock to the Yellow River WRF every year during the Fall Festival, a family-friendly day that includes tours, activities, games, and more. Gwinnett County residents learn about how water is reclaimed, cleaned, and returned to the environment, making the treatment processes we perform every day more relatable and transparent. In 2016, the facility received the Platinum Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies for 100 percent permit compliance over a five-year period.



Yellow River Post Office

This 5-acre passive park is a significant example of what farming and commercial activity was like in the mid-19th century. The post office building once served as a post office, general store, sharecropper's house and a school.



Learn about the site through historical interpretive signage.



Stroll the paved walkway and bring a lunch to enjoy at one of the picnic tables. Restrooms and limited parking available. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.



The Hudson-Nash House, was built by Thomas Hudson around 1840, but it had been owned by various Nash’s from different branches of the family since 1870. Todd Nash said the Nash family he comes from acquired the house in the 1950’s. He even lived in the house from 1993 to 1998 after graduating from college.



The moving of the Hudson-Nash House has been expected since the Nash family donated the home to Gwinnett County in 2017. It tied in to the history presented at the Yellow River Post Office, which Thomas Hudson operated and was already owned by the county. The house had been located across Five Forks Trickum Road from the park.



Gwinnett County Cultural Resources Manager Catherine Long said the house will be restored to its original 1840 appearance. In addition to the post office, the site includes a barn and the last remaining slave cabin in Gwinnett County.



The cabin also belonged to Hudson, who was one of Gwinnett’s three representatives at Georgia’s secession convention in 1861. Thomas Parks Hudson was a member of the Georgia General Assembly 1853-56;1861-62. He was Postmaster of Yellow River Post Office, Gwinnett County, GA from 1846-1862. The Hudson home is on the self-guided driving tour sponsored by the Gwinnett County Historical Society [Plantation Houses of Gwinnett]. Hudson is buried in a wooded area behind the home he lived in and which still stands across from what is now the Hudson-Nash Farm Park off of Five Forks Trickum Road in Lilburn, Gwinnett County, Georgia.



Yellow River Water Trail

An intimate river with a piedmont flavor, the Yellow River Water Trail stretches from suburban Atlanta to Lake Jackson covering the counties of Gwinnett, Dekalb, Rockdale and Newton with put-in and take-out points located approximately every 5-10 miles. The 53 mile river is mostly flatwater, and has a wide array of wildlife and a rich history from prior mill towns and Native American Indian settlements. The upper suburban stretches offer locals a quiet, peaceful, paddling get-a-way from hectic life.



3 established access points (17 potential access points).


Supersized image so you can study map better. Light blue dots indicate main rapids, red triangles are river portage for dams and pipes. .

FIVE FORKS ROAD BRIDGE ACCESS POINT

The Five Forks Bridge Access represents the upper point for year round navigable water depth. This suburban section winds between wooded neighborhoods. From spring through fall, paddlers will rarely see a house due to the thick canopy of trees. This is a beautiful section of flowing flatwater with the occasional small shoal. You may encounter a tree across the river that will need to be negotiated, although storm flows normally keep the river clear. As you pass the Killian Hill Bridge the river will slowly widen and, with occasional low water levels, become shallow. When you near the Yellow River Game Ranch, you will hear some of their animals and perhaps see some of their guests. The take-out is under the Hwy 78 bridge. You can combine your Yellow River paddle with a family visit to the Yellow River Game Ranch, and also enjoy a beverage and snack at Alcovy Coffee House, located on the scenic shore of Lake Lucerne, on Hwy 78 across from the take-out.



Tangent On Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary



HISTORY

In 1962, the Yellow River Game Ranch became a first-of-its-kind establishment in Gwinnett County providing a home for injured or orphaned wildlife, as well as a place where hundreds of families came to interact with deer, rabbits, goats and more.


More.

Not only did it become an iconic venue in the area, it served as a treasured experience and memory to its many guests. Through 2013, the Game Ranch was owned and operated by Col. Art Rilling who then sold it to long-time employees. In December of 2018, the Yellow River Game Ranch closed its doors. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources worked to re-home many of the resident animals leaving the bison, pigs, vultures, turtles and the bears to be cared for by dedicated volunteers.


Bison.


Bears.

NEW BEGINNINGS

When we heard the news about the closing, we couldn’t help but wonder about the animals and how they would be cared for. Showing our children how to care for wildlife and giving them an opportunity to learn has always been important to us. Jonathan reached out to GDNR and quickly began inquiring about the sale of the property… and the fate of the animals left there.



We purchased the Game Ranch and began envisioning what we could do to provide the resident animals with the best life possible. Major improvements to the property were top priority, the most notable was creating a two-acre bear enclosure complete with a pond, waterfall and night house. We also built strong relationships with fellow sanctuaries, Zoo Atlanta and many wonderful rehabbers.



LOOKING AHEAD

With the help of talented curators, keepers, staff and volunteers, the new Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary will promote animal appreciation and provide wildlife education. We continue to work closely with both the GDNR and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure everything we’re doing is in the best interest of the animals. Our plan includes various programs for schools, home-schoolers and the general public. Our goal is to provide the animals with enrichment activities, high quality diets and well-maintained habitats. We thank all of you for your support and generosity and hope to see you at YRWS soon!

Katy and Jonathan Ordway
YELLOW RIVER WILDLIFE SANCTUARY OWNERS



To ensure that all of our guests, staff, and animals have an enjoyable, stress-free, and safe experience, due to COVID-19, only visitors with pre-paid tickets will be admitted. We are open Wednesday thru Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM. In hopes of reducing crowds upon arrival, we have spaced reservations at 10-minute intervals. Once you enter the Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary, you are welcome to stay as long as you like.


Don't forget, it is on the Yellow River, and I thought I floated at flood stage.

US HWY 78 ACCESS POINT

This section is known for its Class II-III+ whitewater. Please check that the water levels on the USGS website for the GA-124 Lithonia Gauge are at a height of 3.4 feet to 5 feet, or 200 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 600 cfs for a good whitewater paddling experience. Before you reach the rapids you will pass the beautiful Vecoma event facility, where weddings and other events are hosted on the riverbank.


Judith Warren and Caroline Tucker - current mother daughter owners (House Divided)

Please be respectful when paddling by.



The whitewater section starts with a couple drops of 4 feet and 3 feet, and fun stretches of class I & II rapids on the left side of an island. Between the whitewater sections are flowing flat water. This suburban section of river weaves between neighborhoods, but normally the tree canopy is thick enough to obscure sight of homes. Important! Annistown Falls at Annistown Road Bridge should be portaged, and only experienced kayakers with protective gear should attempt the Falls, due to the large rock at the bottom of the stream flow.



Now TRD found this waterfall rapid back when he was a teenager back in 1978. There was 30 folks hanging out swimming at this wonderful waterhole. I body floated the rapid and hit that large rock and I'm pretty sure I fractured a rib. All black and blue for days breath knocked out of me, was pretty bad.


You can see that rock in this decorative (Penthouse fuzzy) very low flow image.


This is more like it was when we wisely portaged around it.

After the falls there are a couple hundred yards of fun class II whitewater.


Below Annistown Falls and Rockbridge Road bridge.


Now this is pretty representative of the flow we had on our trip. We portaged around all this.

Approximately 300 yards downstream from Annistown Road Bridge is Yellow River Park. Take- out at the large low flat rocks. You will usually see families playing in the river here.



YELLOW RIVER PARK GWINNETT ACCESS POINT

The Yellow River is scenic flowing flat water along this section. You can combine your Yellow River paddle with a family visit to Yellow River Park, which offers long wooded hiking and biking trails through the woods and along the river. This beautiful park also has pavilions for patrons to use, and is a venue for special events throughout the year. The river banks are steep throughout Yellow River Park. The scenery becomes rural with few signs of civilization and more natural forest. Keep an eye out for wildlife such as Great Egrets, Spiny Soft shell Turtles, and various species of swallow that dart back and forth across the river as they catch flying insects. You may find Native American artifacts such as pottery shards and spearheads on sandbars along the way. After passing under a power line, you’ll be near the takeout at Norris Lake Drive, which runs next to the river. Take-out is at a large low flat rock below the road.



Yellow River Park Gwinnett County

Yellow River Park is a highly vegetated area located off Juhan Road in the city of Stone Mountain, Georgia - just southeast of the granite dome of Stone Mountain. The 566-acre park includes a 12-mile trail that can be used for walking, hiking, and horse riding. The park has pavilions, grills, and a large playground, as well as a wooden overlook that provides a view of the Yellow River.



Some people walk down to the river using an unmarked trail to wade in the river, or tube down the river to Norris Lake, although this is not encouraged by Gwinnett County or Yellow River Regional Park.



Amenities include 566 acres, pavilion, 12-mile soft surface trail for mountain biking, hiking and equestrian, 1-mile paved multi-purpose trail, restrooms, grill, equestrian trailer parking.



This park is open from sunrise until sunset unless posted otherwise.



Visit gwinnettparks.com for information on facility rentals and to learn what's new at Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation.

Atlanta Trails

Set in a beautiful rolling forest bordering a wide, smoothly flowing river, Yellow River Park evokes the feeling of a North Georgia mountain adventure. But the park’s trail complex is tucked in a residential neighborhood in the suburban, strip-mall-filled stretch between Stone Mountain and Snellville, just outside Atlanta’s perimeter highway. It’s a fantastic near-the-city destination for hiking, trail running and mountain biking in a beautiful forested landscape.



This 3.2-mile hike explores the most scenic stretches of the river’s sandy, meandering shores. The unpaved trail hugs the river for most of its length, exploring the park’s southwest riverine banks. And the trail’s elevation runs nearly level on this hike, making the trail equally suitable for trail running.



The park’s forested 566 acres offer over 13 miles of hiking, running, equestrian and mountain biking trails. It’s an impressive trail complex, given its proximity to downtown Atlanta. And there’s more on the way: a huge network of hiking trails on the river’s east side is planned for future development.

Yellow River Park: the hike

The adventure starts at the park’s multi-use trail parking area (view maps and driving directions), venturing south on the paved loop trail before departing the pavement. The trail crosses a small wood bridge, diving under the forest canopy. The hike soon reaches a side trail, following the short spur to a wooden observation deck and catching beautiful elevated views of the river.



Leaving the observation deck, the hike continues its southbound journey. The park’s trail network is vast – and though the trails’ tangled web is often signed, navigation the intersections can be confusing. For simplicity, the outbound, southbound stretch of this hike follows the contours of the river’s banks, veering left at all trail junctions to stay on the path closest to the river.

 

We recommend tracking this trail with a handheld GPS or a GPS smartphone app for the easiest wayfinding. There are many intersecting trails in the network – and many signs simply state the distance to the trailhead. But the signs don’t state which trailhead, and with multiple trailheads and weaving, looping trails, navigation can get tricky without a GPS.



The hike crosses a small stream at .9 miles before reaching the river’s shoals at 1 mile. The river spills sheet-like from the wide, flat rock terracing the riverbed, creating a stairway of shallow waterfalls.



Departing the shoals, the trail continues its southbound hike before looping northwest to follow the Yellow River’s wide meander. The trail leaves the river’s shore at 1.6 miles, trailing northwest.



The hike turns here, doubling back on the riverside trail to retrace its steps to the multi-use trailhead. Opposite of the outbound hike, the return route veers right at all trail junctions to remain on the trail nearest the river. The hike reaches the trailhead at 3.2 miles, finishing the adventure.



American Whitewater

River Description

Above River Drive the Yellow is both narrow and crossed by numerous strainers, many which are river wide. Before the bridge at River Drive the Yellow is joined by the flow from Sweetwater Creek. From here the river is navigable. This section of the river is narrow and flat, with a few Class I-II ledge drops: highlighted by: Britt Shoals below the Five Forks Trickum Bridge; and, the ledges at McDaniels Bluff, below the McDaniels Bluff.

(Killian Hill) Bridge.

River Description

This section of Yellow River, in particular from US 78 to the Yellow River Park, offers its most challenging white water. As noted in the posts below, the quality of the water has improved greatly. Save for the last three miles, this section of the Yellow passes entirely through private property. When scouting it is best to do so either from rocks that are squarely within the banks of the river or from the boat. When approaching Annistown Falls, do not scout and/or portage on river left.


View from illegal bank of river. I was not taking a chance of missing shore rocks and going over. Notice those local kids not getting in water.

From the US 78 bridge the river is flat water until you reach site of the old highway bridge crossing (mile 0.6). As you pass the brick supports for the bridge, the river banks to the southeast. There is the first small ledge, creating a small wave that can be surfed. For the next mile the river alternatives between a series of ledge drops and flat water. One of the drops is three feet. Before reaching the island, there are the Ledges (mile 1.8)--two significant drops form the entrance into Island Rapid (mile 1.9). Both of these ledges will produce substantial holes at high water.


Ledge and Island rapids to right at normal flow.

Below the island the current stills again for more than a mile, as the river approaches the entrance to Annistown Falls (mile 3.4). From the Falls the river widens and works through a rock garden and over small ledges. At lower levels this section is technical, at medium to high, it presents more substantial challenges. After the last ledge, there is a take-out--park of the Yellow River Park. Beyond this ledge, the Yellow returns to a placid flat water stream to the Hwy. 124 Bridge.

Ledges

Class: II+Distance: 1.8 mi


Surf Spot

Ledges

Set of two ledges before the island. At higher water, work to the right in dropping the second ledge.


Ledge before Island Rapid.

Island Rapids

Class: II+Distance: 1.9 mi


Surf Spot

Island Rapids

After negotiating two substantial ledges, the river is then divided by an island.



The left channel is a series of three drops that require quick maneuvering.


The right channel, gives the better ride as you accelerate through it to the left.


Now when we went over the rapids they were about twice this.


It felt more like this.

Annistown Falls

Class: III - Distance: 3.4 mi


Surf Spot

Annistown Falls

You will know you are approaching the falls when you see Annistown Road Bridge over the river. Most of the flow moves towards the right side of the river and then curves to the left as it spills over the five foot drop that is Annistown Falls. The best place to scout is from a big rock in the center of the river.



Stopping on far river right is another location for scouting his drop, although there is some current there. You can portage from both of these locations. Take care exiting your boat, as the rocks are very slippery.


Running the Middle of the Annistown Falls.

The two main lines for running the rapid are: running the main drop through the seam; or, boofing off the river right ledge.


Ray Cvelbar runs the Annistown Falls.


This is the wave that forms instead of the hole, wave is there from about 78cfs to 200-ish maybe more notice the big rock in the eddy on my right, the picture of the stern squirt at 550-ish it's almost under... that's how low it can get.

When scouting the falls, take notice of the following: Look for obstructions in the main flow of current, or below the ledge. There has been wood stuck in the falls in the past. If there is wood stuck in the drop, a portage should be mandatory. For running the main drop, check for visual cues upstream and downstream to line up ...


New Strainer Annistown Falls.

Just below Annistown Falls is Annistown Road, and a significant set of rapids at high water.


Entrance drop of the rapid.


Very nice hole when there's enough water, note- the hole is very sticky and bouncy at this level, but you can do almost every trick in the book here, just DONT SURF ON SURFERS LEFT, there are some bad rocks behind you and underneath you.the hole forms around 250-ish


wave above hole, try to catch the eddy ABOVE the wave to surf, roll fast or your in the hole in a bad spot.


Stern squirt while punching the hole. Again, we did not do any of the rapids around Annistown Road because it was too high.

TRD Addendum

This was almost my last GNW post. My efforts to visit and photograph these wonders almost killed me. Once under water and days later from a skin infection around my leg wound suffered.



NEVER float any river at near flood stage. Fallen trees may block the river and pin you under. More rocks are under water to sneak up on you. The volume of water is overwhelming for any Water Reclamation efforts by man, it is nasty.


So here we go TRD and daughter and boyfriend on a day of promise turned to peril.


Was watching my sisters dog, Molly. Thought it would be fun to get her out and about.


She ended up with wet tail.


Pretty mellow river, didn't smell bad. Surprisingly woodsy for Gwinnett County suburbs. Not a lot of pretty rocks like Internet images, because water was so high.


Rock formations on river's edge.


Passing the Vecoma.


Molly and me trying to keep up with daughter and boyfriend.


Lazy river was fun for most part.


Then the river got rougher as we got close to the ledge.

All hell broke lose as I was unable to land on the rock above the ledge.



Me and Molly went over the right side of the Ledge and were launched (catapulted) from our inner tube into the water below. Like a Jet ski saving a tow-in surfer from a 100 foot wave, I scooped Molly up when she came to the surface. My inner tube floated downstream.  It was either the tube or the Dawg.



We ended up on a small rock above the island. My daughter and Dustin walked down the big rock I was trying to land on and carried their tube over the ledge.



They picked me up and Dustin held Molly as I clinged to the edge of their double inner tube. We were trying to land on the island as some earlier tubers were there giving us shoreline yelled suggestions (Don't Do It !!!!!!).


Can see Island rapids in rear to left.

But the current was too strong and we were carried into the Island Rapids. My legs were dangling off the back of the tube.


Island rapid to left of where I was stuck on rock with Molly.

We looked good until the last drop and I guess my weight on back of tube made the whole thing flip backwards landing on top of me. It put me underwater and suddenly the raging flow was bending me backward violently over an angled rock and I was under that freaking rock with the small of my back. Back still hurts weeks later. I wiggled and squirmed and had that orange drug store life vest on. And I was there looking up through the water for ten seconds. Thinking about that gal that got stuck under Woodall Shoals on the Chattooga River. She was there for months until a South Carolina Senator went through court and legislature and got river blocked enough for body retrieval. That was me for 10 seconds. I don't really know how I got off the rock. I sort of relaxed and I truly think the hand of god reached down.



Well I came up for air and my daughter was cussing like a sailor. She saved her little dog Onyx, and Dustin held Molly and the ice chest, and his cell phone. She was screaming something about another fine mess I had dragged them into. Their life preservers were floating downstream so I body floated to scoop them up and land on a beach below the island where these earlier floaters were watching us in horror.

Probably best not to catch daughters angry face with this image.

I had to swim (rock crawl) across the river to make my way up the briar filled Island to instruct the youngsters to keep coming down to where I was so we could get down to car. They were frozen in fear and it took a lot of coaxing to get them back in the water. The other folks gave me an inner tube they had and they walked up a side trail to get the hell out of there. They bit off more than they could chew too.



Well we found my tube about a mile downstream wedged under a new fallen tree. The double Inner tube had a leak so my daughter used the inner tube given to us. Dustin had to blow the double tube up 5 times before we could get off the river.


There was no way we were going over Annistown Falls. Jeez the main chute was overwhelmed with Volume.



I know we were suppose to go right but we went left because I didn't want to miss a take out chance and float over the Falls.


View from forbidden left bank.

We scrambled through some thick briars under Annistown Road and went around the significant rapids under the bridge below the falls.


Looking back up to those rapids in the Sunshine as Dustin blows his tube up for another 100 yards.


Daughter was not amused. I was not taking off that life preserver.

But then I reminded her we were still alive and were probably going to make it.


Notice she had an Alpine Tubing pink strap. Don't get caught with one of these from owner in Helen.

Not too bad (lived) until a week later. I spent 13.7 hours at Grady thought I had gout could not walk on legs. Had Ultrasound, X Rays , Blood and urine test. Turned out I had a skin infection from wound on right leg. Bactum 33 and ointment for two weeks now, and I seem perfectly fine. The Yellow got me as a teenager and as an adult. Treat all rivers with respect. Think I will live vicariously through American Whitewater for a while on these post. I went on a little about the Grady Nurses while I was posting from the ER, so today's GNW Gals are Grady nurses.





108 photos, this wonder took a lot out of me. I am going to do a tangent post on Gwinnett County next, since I am not sure when I will come back here for a while, Hopefully it won't take two months to finish.