Settingdown Creek,

Pooles Mill to GA Route 369

Double Drop

Double Drop
Photo of Michael Minton by Chris Gorman taken 11/06/02 @ Day After Rain

River Description

Setting Down Creek is a nice little run, It is pretty close to me so I like to paddle it frequently. I found that it runs the day after it rains. The day it rains it is not generally high, so wait a day before paddling it. Here is an overview of the river

Put-In - Under the covered bridge (You can not drive to the covered bridge. You have to park in the parking lot and walk to the bridge)

Take-Out - The take out is on highway 369, but I have never gone down that far. It is like 2 miles of flatwater paddling so I just take out after the last rapid and walk about a half mile up along the creek to the put-in. There is a narrow and steep path that is hard to carry your boat on if you use a big creek boat. Also the path is in people's backyard's, But I haven't had any problems with that so far.

1. Entrance Slide- About 100 feet below the covered bridge there is a 50 foot long rock slide that you generally want to run the left side.

2. The river splits and I have not run the left side but it looks like a nice rock slide, I run the right side, which is also a rock slide, the best way to go down it is right though the tongue in the center of the river but there is a strainer right below that so watch out.

3. Next is a slot where the whole river condenses into about an 8-foot wide shoot that hits a pillow rock (not undercut). Just go through straight and you should be fine.

4. Double Drop - This is the biggest rapid of the river. There is a riverwide ledge and you can boof the left side or you could go down a narrow slot on the right. In the right side there is a 5-foot drop where the water hits a rock. Then right after that there is another drop about 5 feet or so, the water is moving at a high velocity so it really isn’t a “drop”.

5. The next and about last big rapid is a steep rock slide about 10 feet or so down at about a 75-degree angle below the horizon. Normally you just run near the center watch out for the strainer.

**There is a little side surfing hole right before the last small rapid. It is a little shallow but it is fun to ride.**

6. There are a couple smaller rapids, then the river flattens out and it is time to take out. The path back to the putin is on the river-right-side and is very steep and narrow. It also is in private property (peoples backyards).

Chris Gorman Nov. 2002

Editor's note: American Whitewater does not endorse trespassing in order to access runs or to scout drops. Paddlers who trespass, especially on posted property, may endanger access for everyone. At the very least, they must understand that they trespass at their own risk.