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Shoot The Hooch!
Tubing down the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta is one of my favorite things to do. If you're in Atlanta over the summer, I highly recommend it!
There are several companies that will rent you tubes and bus you between the put-in and take-out locations. Nantahala Outdoor Center has everything at the Powers Island put in for $25 per person. However, you can actually buy everything you need for that price, and as long as you have enough cars, you can shuttle yourself between locations. This guide will cover doing it yourself!
Where to Go
There are several places to shoot the hooch in Atlanta, however I recommend Powers Island to Paces Mill!
Powers Island to Paces Mill
Put in at the Powers Island Chattahoochee River Recreation area. Make sure you park on the east side of the river, as there are recreation areas on both the east and west side. Parking is $3, and there is a machine that accepts cash and credit cards. Annual passes are $35.
Powers Island Put-In:
It's a 5 minute drive from Powers Island to Paces Mill. While people are blowing up rafts, you can send two cars down to the take-out and leave a car there.
Paces Mill Take-Out:
Paces Mill has a larger parking lot and also has a cash/credit card machine for $3 parking. Be aware that during the summer, both of these parking lots get quite full by 12:30-1pm!
What to bring
- Tubes for everyone
- Extra tube(s) for cooler
- Life vest for everyone
- Cooler
- Drinks, snacks, sandwich (alcohol is OK, but NO GLASS)
- Trash bag for your empty cans
- Sunscreen
- Sun glasses
- Hat
- Water shoes
- Waterproof bag for phone/keys
- Extendable paddle is handy
For tubes, the Intex River Run is THE tube to have. It is made of a thick rubber that can (usually) handle going over rocks, has a very large diameter, a mesh bottom to sit on, two cup holders, an inflatable head rest, and a large one-way valve for quick inflation and easy deflation. I don't recommend pool floats - they tend to have thinner plastic and will get holes more easily. I also don't recommend simple “donut” tubes, like the River Rat sold at nearby WalMarts. These tubes are durable enough, but they are smaller and don't have a mesh to sit on. They also don't have cup holders. Plus they cost about the same, why not get the real deal?
If you don't have an air pump, a 12V DC pump is really handy. You can also get cheaper hand pumps, but I wouldn't recommend trying to blow these tubes up with your lungs. There is a building with a standard 120V wall outlet that you can use also, but a DC pump is easier usually.
Everyone needs a life vest. You don't need to wear it, you can just strap it to your tube. However, DNR officers do patrol the river and they will give you a hefty ticket if you don't have a life vest.
What to Expect
The water in the hooch is released from the bottom of Lake Lanier, so the water is usually pretty cold, even in the summer. It's best to go on a hot sunny day!
Floating down the river will generally take 2-4 hours, depending on the flow of the water and how often you stop. There's lots of awesome nature to see, and once you go under I-285 and pass some apartments, your view will be entirely surrounded by the beautiful river and trees. It's hard to believe you're actually within Atlanta city limits!!
About halfway between Powers Island and Paces Mill, there is a small beach area off to the right of the river. This is a popular spot for groups to stop and eat. You can also swim across the river, climb up some rocks and jump from about 15 feet into water. Even if you don't want to jump, lots of other people will and it is fun to watch people jump from the beach. Be aware that this is also a popular place for DNR officers to check if everyone has a life vest!
The flow rate depends on when they release water from the various dams. The water will rise 1-1.5 ft when they release, and the current will move much more quickly. You can tell if the water is high at the Powers Island put-in; the bottom steps of the dock will be covered in water. The water will be colder and you will move faster, but you are less likely to get stuck on rocks. When the water is high, I will generally stop 1 or two times to hang out on some rocks so that the overall trip is longer. Otherwise, if you float straight through, it will only last about 1.5 hours.
Check the current and historical water height at Paces Mill on the USGS website. I would consider the water “low” around 4.5 ft. “High” is around 6 ft. You can check the dam release schedule, but generally this information is not terribly accurate, so I wouldn't recommend planning your trip around it.
When the water level is low, there are more rocks exposed, but the water moves more slowly and is a little bit warmer (but not much!). I prefer going when the water is low.
You should also check the bacteria levels in the river before you go. Generally, this will only be problem if it rained a lot the day before.