Paddlers know the beautiful oranges, reds and yellows of fall foliage are even prettier when reflected off of the water. And North Georgia paddlers know one of the prettiest places to see those colors is Carters Lake and the Coosawattee.
Formed by the Cartecay and the Ellijay rivers just north of the lake, the Coosawattee flows nearly 50 miles before hitting the Conasauga and forming the Oostanaula on its way to Rome, Ga.
On Nov. 8, the New Echota Rivers Alliance will host its second annual Fall Leaf Paddle, highlighting one of the prettiest sections of the river from the Carters Reregulation Dam 24 miles down to the New Echota Boat Ramp.
“This section of the Coosawattee is our most popular paddle and is especially beautiful with the fall foliage,” said Dan McBee, executive director of the New Echota Rivers Alliance.
In the fall, McBee says, the Coosawattee section is particularly pretty because of several rock formations that are visible in the fall, but submerged during the spring and summer months.
If the 25 mile NERA trip isn’t long enough, the Oostanaula is paddleable all the way to Rome where it forms the Coosa. Beyond that, it takes paddlers through Weiss Lake down to Montgomery before trailing to the gulf as the Alabama River.
For more information on the NERA trip email Dan McBee at mcbee.dan3@gmail.com.