On Sept. 22, dozens of paddlers from across North Georgia and beyond will launch on the Etowah River in Bartow County to celebrate the river and raise funds to create a 163-mile-long boating trail stretching from near Dahlonega to Rome.
The Etowah River Water Trail Rodeo will feature a 6-mile paddle on the Etowah from Hardin Bridge Road near Euharlee to Neel’s Landing near Kingston.
The paddle will be followed by a dinner catered by Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse with beer provided by the Anheuser-Busch Cartersville Brewery. The dinner program, to be held overlooking the river at Euharlee Creek Outfitters’ Floyd’s Landing, will also feature a raffle for a $300 gift certificate from Cedar Creek Park & Outdoor Center.
Cost of the event is $75 per person (or $130 for two tickets) and includes complimentary canoe or kayak rentals courtesy of Euharlee Creek Outfitters and Coosa River Basin Initiative (CRBI), dinner and drinks, shuttle service, a complimentary copy of the Etowah River User’s Guide and raffle tickets to win the Cedar Creek Park gift certificate.
Proceeds will be used to assist local communities in promoting and building the Etowah River Water Trail. The registration deadline is Sept. 20.
The event begins at 1 p.m. and continues until 8 p.m.. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit https://coosa.org/events/etowah-river-rodeo-paddle-trip/.
During the journey down river, participants will have the chance to see and learn about some of the Etowah’s fishes from Mary and Bud Freeman, biologists with the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Georgia.
Since 2010, ten new public access points have been added along the river making it easier for local residents and visitors to enjoy the Etowah River. The Hardin Bridge site, completed by Bartow County in 2017, is the newest public boat launch along the 163-mile trail.
Sponsors of the Etowah River Water Trail Rodeo include Euharlee Creek Outfitters, Anheuser-Busch, Cedar Creek Park & Outdoor Center, Coosa River Basin Initiative and Cartersville Park & Recreation Department.