Georgia Natural Wonder #199 - Toccoa River. 806

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Georgia Natural Wonder #199 - Toccoa River

Toccoa River



Have been down the Ocoee River in Tennessee many times. Double Trouble, Table Saw. Hell the Olympics whitewater was held there. The Ocoee River is the Mecca of white water rafting and one of the greatest white water rivers in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains with an official Olympic seal of approval.


Table Saw and Double Trouble.

Well guess what, the headwaters of the Ocoee River are in Georgia. Once the Toccoa River reaches the state line it passes under the bridge where the state line towns of McCaysville Georgia and Copperhill Tennessee are joined and immediately becomes the Ocoee River.



The Ocoee River follows its path across the Copper Basin....


Ocoee River in Copper Basin then and today.

before entering the Ocoee River Gorge in Tennessee Cherokee National Forest. 


Ocoee River flows beside train trestle for long stretches.

So today's Wonder is the headwaters of the Ocoee River as we wind down the top 200 Natural Wonders of Georgia. I have found many more candidates, but this one has been in cue for a while. I have a lot of American Whitewater Rivers to feature still. But today we float North up Highway 60. We already featured tangents on Union - GNW #71 and Fannin - GNW #105 Counties. So let's just turn off our mind relax and float downstream.



The Toccoa River finds its headwaters in the wilderness mountain reaches of southwestern Union County in the Chattahoochee National Forest on the Eastern United States, Western Continental Divide.  From there the Toccoa River flows into the upper remote reaches of Fannin County and heads northward. 



This river is surprisingly broad for a high mountain river and very popular for canoeing and fishing alike Some areas of the river flow through private property, when in doubt contact the local forestry to make sure you are fishing and or canoeing in public areas.



The Canoe Trail put-in is located at the Deep Hole Recreation Area near Suches.



The Deep Hole Recreation Area is a USFS campground located off GA Hwy. 60.



Launch and parking costs $5 per vehicle. From old US 76 in Morganton, turn right on Hwy. 60 and go 14.7 miles to the entrance on the right.



The Toccoa River is the primary draw at Deep Hole Campground. The campground takes its name from a hole of deep water in this stream that courses through Georgia's mountains.



The alluring, greenish-clear water of the Toccoa crashes over rocks and boulders in shallow rapids .....



but is broken by this slow-moving deep stretch beside the campground. Trout lurk in the depths and draw anglers eager to battle these cold water-loving fish.



Following its path thru the mountains the river passes thru the remote historic community of Dial weaving its way thru high range pastureland. 



The river winds and turns with whitewater cascading over large river stones making its way to the big river bend where you will find a low water fall.



Large boulders block the river to the left side forcing the river into a small cascade on the right creating a whitewater rush along the river’s run.



Hanging out on the boulders.



This section of Toccoa River flows through private property and should be respected as such.



After the river’s bend, the Toccoa River winds thru the mountains thick forest on its descending journey to the lower valley of Fannin County. 



Reaching the mountain valley floor the Toccoa River gathers and flows into the water of beautiful Lake Blue Ridge on the edge of the mountain town of Blue Ridge in Fannin County, Georgia. 



The Sandy Bottoms Canoe Take-Out lies 13.8 miles downriver. Beyond the trail, paddlers can continue to follow the river a few more miles into Lake Blue Ridge. To access the Sandy Bottoms Canoe Take Out: From Hwy. 515 find Windy Ridge Rd. Turn right and go 0.2 miles to stop sign. Turn left on old US 76 and go 0.2 miles to Aska Road. Turn right and go 8.5 miles; turn left and cross Shallowford Bridge, then turn right on Shallowford Bridge Rd. Go 1.3 miles to Old Dial Rd. Turn right on Old Dial Rd. and go 0.6 miles to the take out on the right.



Boating recreation and bass fishing are a favorite on the waters of Lake Blue Ridge one of the many mountain lakes created and regulated by the TVA, Tennessee Valley Authorities.



Flowing thru the locks of Lake Blue Ridge Dam and past the powerhouse the river continues its journey northward heading for the Tennessee border. This section of the Toccoa River running across the valley floor of Fannin County from the dam to the Georgia, Tennessee state line is considered some of the finest fly fishing in all North Georgia.


The Toccoa River and Lake Blue Ridge combine for an assortment fun and sport and great water recreation.

Trout - Generous numbers of catchable and fingerling-sized rainbow and brown trout are stocked annually. The river also supports some natural reproduction, and trout can survive year-round in the river and some of its’ cold tributaries. Trout account for nearly 75 percent of the game fish population in the lower Toccoa. Both species of trout average 10 inches, with plenty of 12 to 16-inch fish available. The occasional 20-plus inch fish also can be caught. In fact, trout greater than 26 inches and 8 ½ pounds were captured in recent electrofishing surveys.



Technique - Wade fishing or float trips are both preferred methods for fishing this river. Use spinners, live bait and flies throughout the river. Wet flies and streamers also have their place, especially in winter. Fly-fishermen often consider the lower Toccoa as a dry fly enthusiast's dream because of the prolific caddis, mayfly and midge hatches. Be prepared to 'match the hatch' when fish are rising.



Target - If rainbows are your desired quarry, concentrate your fishing efforts on open water in the faster riffles and runs. For browns, look to areas with good cover such as overhanging banks and woody debris.



Due to early mining operations in the Copper Basin and the wild waters of the Ocoee River Gorge, fishing and the Ocoee River are not compatible.

American Whitewater

River Description

The Toccoa and the Ocoee are the same river; it is the 'Toccoa' from its headwaters on the Blue Ridge in Georgia until it crosses north into Tennessee.



This is the official Forest Service 'Toccoa River Canoe Trail' which runs from Deep Hole campground down to Sandy Bottoms. Rapids are class I-II with one set in the middle that approaches class III. Butt Bridge and Toccoa Valley Campground offer alternate takeouts and shorter runs; 8 miles and 11 miles respectively.



There is a good fisherman's parking lot on Dial Road about a mile below Butt Bridge - neither of the bridges afford great parking opportunities.



There is NO access in the 5-mile wilderness section between Margret and Butt Bridge, so bring extra food & water, first aid kit, footgear etc and be prepared as if you were hiking the backcountry.



It's a spectacular all-day wilderness cruising section or 2-day overnighter and a good training run for intermediate paddlers. Spud kayakers will have not much fun as there are some very long stretches of slack water. Take the long boat if you are planning to kayak this one, or be prepared to do a lot of tedious wallowing along. There is no park-and-play worth mentioning on this reach.



The river runs close along state highway 60 a couple miles from Deep Hole to the town of Margret.



Then the Toccoa heads west into the National Forest around the back side of Tooni Mountain.



The next few miles are dense wilderness with no easy access in or out.


Foggy before noon.

Midway, the Benton MacKaye hiking trail crosses the river over a suspension footbridge.



A set of class II-III drops separated by wide eddies starts under the bridge and continues for a couple hundred yards through a shallow gorge.



This rapid is known locally as 'the Margret Drifts' - look out for driftwood. You may not notice the bridge coming up until you are there, due to thick woods, but it can be spotted if you look ahead as you approach down a long westerly straightaway. Find the clearings along the right or left bank just upstream and pull out to scout. Scouting is difficult to impossible from the riverbanks. It's a messy riverbed portage if you elect to walk it, forget trying to get down on the banks; the woods are thick, steep and virtually trailless adjacent to the rapids. Best scouting overlook is on the bridge (see photos). There are good campsites here if you want to stay overnite. You can hike the trail back to highway 60 a few miles to the north to get out if necessary. It is difficult, but not impossible, to haul back up to the bridge once you've run down the ledges, if you wanted to do multiple runs whilst camping. Look out for snakes.



A few miles on, the river leaves the National Forest, continues through some scenic farm country, under a couple of backroad bridges, through some more pasture, finally past the Toccoa Valley campground on the left, then to Sandy Bottoms another mile or two beyond. Whitewater throughout this pleasant piece is limited to pretty small stuff; relax and enjoy the float.



There was a river-use conflict with a landowner below Margret in 2003 which is mostly settled but this depends on the responsible behavior of boaters. Fishing rights are still disputed. The Forest Service has very clearly marked the disputed 3000 feet of riverfront with many obvious large signs, and another pair of signs at the downstream end lets you know that you are re-entering the National Forest (where once again you can basically raise hell and do as you please). While boating through the private property please:

1> Do not trespass or set foot on the private land. 
2> Do not fish.
3> Keep the noise down.
4> Be courteous to the landowner and his friends.

Please help promote community awareness of landowner rights issues.



Also see River Reach #4320; shorter, more populated, easier access, beautiful & fun.

Paddler Review

Ran from Deep Hole to VanZant/Daniel Bridge (Newport Rd) at 300cfs with two recreational kayaks and one tandem canoe. On the water about 7hours with a long lunch at and two portages and several disaster recoveries. Previously my wife and I paddled Etowah through WMA with four college age girls and they were all asking for something a little bit more challenging. This looked manageable for a couple of newbies.....Be careful what you ask for. Great river, nice variety of what should be challenging or entertaining shoals/sections, but maybe is NOT suitable for inexperienced or ill equipped kayakers at this 300cfs water level. Something of an admission of guilt despite my years of lake canoeing and three other kayak trips with my wife just this year.



Oversimplified, many of the ledges are difficult to spot and are quite shallow. It is easy to get hung up and turned sideways. Note, our friends in a tandem canoe made it through without incident...couple close calls which are expected. Regarding general hazards, there are two deadfalls early on, first within 30minutes is passable on far left. At higher flows, have to believe it is full blocked....second is within another 30 minutes and it is a floater, which we had to portage over. For those unwilling to run the rapid on river right at Margret Drifts after swinging bridge, there is an easier passage far left which takes you to a lower pool which you can then exit and portage a kayak on shore around the final severe ledge/chute. Not sure if a canoe would make it through the underbrush ....My mistake was bringing my wife's kayak down river left, portaging, and after going back up for my kayak, watching my canoe friends go right with success, I then followed, and swamped at the bottom...almost made it.



I should have recognized the risk of swamping at the bottom wave section avoided. I should have just started and stayed left as I did for my wife.. Contrary to the River Description / Rapids advice for Margret Drifts, at 300cfs, once you start right, there is no path to the middle that either of us could see while scouting from bridge and from shore.....once at bottom, left is available, but there is no obvious path left once you start down that right chute. I regret not having a skirt for the sit in kayaks. My wife swamped at least six times, and twice very nearly injured herself severely on what should have been modest or easy sections. Rookie mistakes getting hung up and a little sideways. I swamped twice. As a side note, a group of three was putting in behind us and the outfitter who provided for them sent spotters out looking at end of the day and we had not. Despite at least two hours of lunch/portage/disaster recovery time, we never saw them. An hour or so later we saw one of the three hanging on to the back of the four wheeler headed to take out location.



Sandy Bottoms is the official Forest Service access; there are camping sites, a pit toilet and a developed boat launch area. The USFS charges $3 per car for parking. You will find a nice shoals right upstream that lets you get a good warmup and some eddying, ferrying and attainment practice.



Class I-II shoal-and-drop action proceeds to just upstream of Tilley Bend, where a longish uphill portage will put you back out at the corner of Old Dial Road and Shallowford Bridge Road, from where it is a one-mile downhill walk back to Sandy Bottoms.  This affords a strange opportunity; the 'shuttle-free river run'. You can actually park in one place, run 6+ miles of river, and then portage back to your car. Satellite photos tell the tale - this reach is actually a big horseshoe bend around a low mountain.



A gauging station that reads in feet is on river right less than a mile from Sandy Bottoms - easily read from your boat.

The first significant play opportunity is 'Training Wheels', just downstream from the gauge, a series of ledges that are ideal for learning basic moves: front surfs, back surfs, side surfs, flat spins.


Small ledge series with protruding rocks.  good beginner practice for basic play moves.

The second whitewater feature of notice is called 'Anything Goes' since there are so many playable features, easier and harder. This is a good place for beginners to learn basic play moves. Approach is marked by the appearance of an island to the right of center. Pull out river right above the island or eddy behind the island to scout. The main chute runs left of the island. There are two more drops below the first, both similar in configuration.  Small play spots are riverwide.


A series of low rocky ledges. Multiple routes; several playable features. Most of the flow funnels into a chute slightly to river left, between 2 boulders. Angle left; there is a rock in the outflow of the chute that is submerged at higher water levels.



Shallowford Bridge, half a mile below Anything Goes, affords another access point and features a snack bar. Toccoa Valley Campground's rafting take out is just upriver from the bridge on river left.



Another couple of miles downriver, Aska Road is visible from a few hundred yards upstream; you will spot auto traffic. As you approach, move to river left, eddy out in the rockpile, and climb out to scout the next rapids - 'One For The Road' aka 'Party Rock'.



Be aware of the trespassing issue mentioned below. 



Party Rock is the place to be.



You may want to set a couple throw ropes on the boulders below the drops to rescue any swimmers before they wash into the lower shoals, a hundred yards of power eddy hopping through a constriction that is known as 'Little Nantahala' by some paddlers. 


Party On Garth.

Little Nantahala is a double drop through a rock pile, followed by 100 yards of class II shoals. Park & playable; right next to the takeout parking lot at Aska Road. Swarming with boom-box sunbathing locals when the weather is nice. The first drop has a nice left-breaking curler in it and should be run hard against the right bank. Start from the scouting eddy and ferry across to the double rocks; turn a 180 and set a line where you can touch the right bank with your paddle. Angle left across the curler into the foam, then ferry left immediately past the large boulder to avoid the undercut on river right. Eddy left to take out or to set up for Little Nantahala below.


Constricted passage through large boulders.  Excellent eddyhopping practice in class II+ current.  Big fun to try and catch as many eddys as you can while ferrying from one side of the river to the other across the main flow.

There are two more named rapids below Aska Road - 'Skippy 'and 'BFH'.  Skippy is a short, low double drop starting from far river right and cutting back to the left. 



BFH is a more serious double drop over a riverwide ledge in front of a very obvious Big FFFffffffrightening House (BFH).  The best chute is left of center directly in front of the house.



'Big F. House'.  A more substantial double drop over a riverwide ledge breaks left in front of an obscenely large house.


Rentals along the Toccoa River in Blue Ridge.

Continue another mile or 2 after BFH into the tailwaters of Lake Blue Ridge and look for a 90' bend to the left following a long, straight, wide flatwater section.


There are some fantastic jumping rocks on lake Blue Ridge.

You know you are there when you see a row of houses with boat docks on river right after the bend. Pull out on the right bank at the bend and find the trail up in the woods. Walk uphill approximately 1/3 mile to get back to the junction of the dirt roads. The road back to Sandy Bottoms is the one that is like a continuation of the trail in the same direction. If you have time it's good idea to scout the trail and takeout before making this run.



To avoid the uphill takeout at Tilly Bend, one can paddle another 15-20 minutes of flatwater and take a 'right turn' up Persimmon Creek where it meets with the Toccoa.  The dirt road comes nearly down to the river edge. The road is a little hard to find - it is less than 1.5 miles north of the intersection of Dial Rd and Shallowford Bridge Rd. A green box marking in-ground cables exists right where the road is. A 4x4 is recommended but not required.

Toccoa River Tubing

Come join us for a fun day of tubing on the scenic Toccoa River. The Toccoa River is nestled in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains and is perfect for a relaxing day of floating on calm waters. Tubing on the Toccoa River is a great experience for all ages including kids. Toccoa River Tubing Company is conveniently located just minutes from Blue Ridge, Georgia and the Ocoee River.



We will be open every day from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM (weather permitting). Walk-ins are welcome. Reservations are not required, but we do allow reservations for groups of 5 or more.



Come join us for a relaxing time on the Toccoa River. Check in at our outpost located at 340 Toccoa Ave, McCaysville, GA 30555. We have parking at our outpost as well as an overflow parking lot directly across the street. Once you have checked in, we will transport you to our put-in beside the beautiful Horseshoe Bend Park.



You will tube for 1.5 miles, which normally takes about 1.5 hours. However, time on the water varies based on water flow and each group.



We welcome you to go at your own pace and even stop for a picnic along the way! At the end of the trip, you will exit the river back at our outpost where we have restrooms and changing areas.


Wow, the Toccoa River offers a lot.

Today's GMW Gals are tubing the Toccoa.