Chattahoochee Bend State Park

Entrance to the park

A river runs through it. Well, in this case, a river runs beside it. In 2011, Georgia opened its newest park: Chattahoochee Bend. Protecting five miles of river frontage, the 2910 acre park is one of Georgia’s largest state parks. Three visits to the park, and I still want to return for more scenic walks along the Hooch. The Bend caters to paddlers, anglers, campers and hikers. The facilities still look and smell new. There are some great picnic sites down along the river bank, next to the boat ramp. Take a minute and stop by the visitor center to shop or pick up a trail map.

Here is some information I pulled off the park’s website:

25 RV campsites.
10 tent/pop-up sites.
16 riverside platform sites.
12 tent walk-in campsites.
4 Adirondack-style camping shelters.
2 picnic shelters
boat ramp

I’ve enjoyed hiking the trails along the river, and the connector trail between the visitor center and the river is very nice. I’ve paddled my sit-on-top Native Watercraft down the very calm Chattahoochee; the gorgeous scenery can’t be experienced just one time. A good place to put into the river is the Highway 16 Bridge near Plant Yates–Whitesburg, Ga. From the bridge, I floated down to McIntosh Reserve Park, about a 7 mile trip. From McIntosh Reserve to Chattahoochee Bend State Park, it’s about another 7 miles.

Don’t have a kayak? No problem. Talk to Tim at Georgia Trail Outfitters, and he can provide kayaks and/or shuttling services. Tim also offers free tips for navigating and enjoying the river.

Here’s a link to the park: Chattahoochee Bend State Park. Check out my pictures below, and get out there!