| Difficulty | II-III |
| Length | 11.5 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Apalachee River Near Bostwick, Ga |
| Flow Rate as of 35 minutes | 198 cfsrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 8, 2022 |
Shortly below 441 is Pot Leaf Shoals, a long rapid that wasa great park and play spot until all roads leading to it were gated. In theoryone could put-in at 441, float down to Pot Leaf Shoals, then paddle backupstream. Depending on the flows, Pot Leaf is class III-IV+. Continuing downstream, the river de-evolves into swamps. The first swamp is less than half a mile long and is early warning for what is to come. The river recombines into a single channel and you feel relieved but not for long. The 2nd swamp is 2-3 miles long, depending on the level and how lost you become. The river splits and recombines with abandon, creating a maze that has befuddled many a crew. Channels disappear into massive root strainers, forcing one to get out onto 'islands' and scout for the nearest navigable channel. See below for some of the accounts of past expeditions. To navigate the swamps the following advice is offered: go when vegetation is minimal (winter or earlyspring), go when the level is >1500 cfs at Bostwick, bring a GPS and a healthy sense of adventure. The 2nd swamp ends, with the river recombining into a single channel, right at Trimble Bridge Road.
As of April 2022, if the 'Experience' of the art piece on the railway bridge piling is half-way under water or more, beware, Pot Leaf Shoals is a solid 4+ with a large recirculating keeper midstream in the last drop, making it really a 5. Get out early river left to scout, though this is private property. It may be possible to set safety above and below the keeper. Otherwise scout/portage river right. River right does have an open channel but there may be piton and pinning hazards.
Continuing on to section 6, or putting in at Trimble Bridge,the river does flow quickly but with no shoals or swamps. Do be aware of strainers. This section isabundant with wildlife and is bordered on river left by forest land and onriv
...Fun little wave at low water but develops
into fun but shallow play hole around 400
cfs. Above 1000 cfs, it turns back into a BIG
trianglular steep wave that offers great
surfing. However, at that level it has a pretty
meaty hole that develops closely behind it
on river left.
Fun hole for blasts, blastwheels, etc but too
shallow to throw ends in. Does have a rock
on river left that your boat will hit when
throwing blast wheels, but still plenty of fun
from 175-400 cfs or so. Above 400 cfs, the
hole gets pretty rough and all of the current
throws you into the rock mentioned above
pretty hard, making it real hard to do much
blasting, etc. Great eddyline seam above
and below the hole for squirts, flatwater
wheels, etc.
Sep 9, 2019
I have been paddling and researching the Appalachee for the last few years. I would like to restructure the 3 reaches currently listed in the AW database with 4 sections. These would be labeled 2-5 and would go from Treadwell Bridge Road (just above Hwy 78) to Hwy 278 at Lake Oconee. This would encompass 36 miles. The restructure will enable updates to be made concerning access, rapids, dams and the infamous swamp. Sections 0, 1 would be reserved for the upstream reaches I have not paddled yet. The restructuring would be done so as to preserve existing information (comments, etc) for the 3 sections already in place. If you have comments, suggestions, please let me know. Thanks!
Jul 5, 2013
I paddled this in a canoe with a friend some 30 years ago so I can't speak to the Hwy441 access as of 2013. What I can tell you is despite the terrain map look or the appearance of water on satellite, you CANNOT paddle from 441 to Lake Oconee. About 4-5 miles below shoals, water becomes swampy and it is that way for a couple miles...map shows a Timber Bridge Rd (dirt) and that is last thing that resembles a road for access. Go past the old iron bridge frame (visible in satellite image) and you are likely to be walking in a swamp with three feet of mud rather than paddling..
Dec 8, 2004
AW received a report today 12/8/04 that the access to this section has been closed.
'I found on your web site a cool play spot on the Appalachee River that is close enough to get in my boat and get wet without driving far. Well, I went there today and a person has bought all the land from the bridge on 441/129 all the way down and has posted several gates with the Classic 'NO Trespassing' signs. I talked with locals and he does not live there, but to be safe in the backwoods of Georgia I would rather not take my chance with the law. I thought I would try further upstream, but there would be no way to hike my boat out without stepping on this guys property due to the fact that he bought both sides of the river.'
If you have more information, please notify AW at kevin@amwhitewater.org.