Talking Rock Creek

Gauge Information

Min Sug. Level:

1.5 ft

River Description

This was our first time on this river and probably the most remote we've been in GA. Yep them Georgia mountains shore are beauteeful and this particular stream is an extra kewl treat. It was a delightful adventure as we had never scouted it before and put in with boats loaded with camping gear for the first time. All we knew was that it was purdy, fairly remote and that it was a class I/III creek. At 2.3ft there were only 2 or 3 rapids of any consequence and a coupla fun wave trains.

Did an overnighter on 3/18/01 and had and absolutly great time, cept for the flats at the end ... We had head winds all the way thru them. I would not have minded the flats much but the wind really made it a trudge. I can see where doing it as a day trip and ending up with headwinds after a 14-15 mile paddle would be a test of endurance.

We checked the gauge (USACOE) on the net Sat (3/18) and it was at 2.3. Sunday evening when we came back the gauge was at 1.9. Based on those readings and our experience with loaded down boats I would say that that those levels are just about the cutoff point the do T.Rock on OC1s loaded with camping gear. At the level we did it at many of the shallower areas were quite marginal and technical. You really really had to pick your lines well. All in all a beautiful and fun river especially after Talking Rock/Rapids (34.55919N/-84.63063W) where the rapids are fairly close throughout the run cept for the 3 mile flats at the end.

I have put up a website with pixs from this trip at:

http://www.mindspring.com/~pepe3/talkingrock

At the bottom of the page the page containing the thumbnail images I have a link to another page I created containing an overall and a detailed road map showing the put-ins and take-outs.

Someone had mentioned a dirt road that one can take out before the flats. If anyone has any info on this take out please let me know.

SYa'llOTR

pepe

* The "published" total length of this run is 18mi but I retraced the river on my mapping software and the distance I get from the put-in at hwy 136 to the Carter Lake Resevoir hwy 136 take out is 14.67mi.