Taki and i documented our trip through the etowah river mine tunnel which is 7ft. These mining tunnels were labor intensive being hand dug using picks. View of fortifications near the ruins of the western and. Headwaters miles 0 7 hightower miles 7 17 etowah falls miles 17 23 tunneling for gold miles 23 31 big savannah miles 31 39 dawson forest miles 39 48 eagles beak miles 48 55 mcgraw ford miles 55 72 canton miles 72. It seemed like we were never going to get to the tunnel. Begun in the late 1800s and completed in the early 1900s, the tunnel was blasted perpendicular through a tall ridgeline of nearly a quartermile of solid georgia granite and the entire river was subsequently diverted through. The etowah river is actually a subsystem of the coosa river system, but throughout this paper we refer to the etowah river as a system. The etowah river water trail is 163 miles long from lumpkin county to floyd county. Below the mining tunnel, the river s pace slows as it enters the upper reaches of the valley known as big savannah where the ruins of former hamlets haunt the river banks. Knee deep at the tunnel entrance is a good to high level. Searching for the etowah river mine tunnel 20 on imdb. Tunnel, according to several surveys the entry channel lies in ll142 the balance lies completely in ll178 lumpkin county ga. Located just below this bridge is best part of the trip.
But this particular adventure in georgia might just be the endallbeall in terms of nature, excitement, and adrenalinepumping fun. Jul 6, 2016 etowah river mine tunnel kayak tunneling for gold miles 23 31. If you put you kayak in the river at castleberry bridge, the mine is about 4 miles. The little river is the largest tributary of the etowah, their confluence now flooded by lake allatoona. I think a piece of wall art of a scene in portugal could be really neat. Join us as we paddle the tunnel section of the etowah river. In these watersheds, visitors will find the highest waterfall in georgia, as well as the approach trail for the beginning of the appalachian trail. Shows fortifications near the etowah river in the vicinity of allatoona, bartow county, georgia. A gold miner by the name the dutchman first broke ground on the etowah river mine tunnel in 1880. This program will reintroduce a century of mining that has long been forgotten. Be sure to check to see if there is light at the end of the tunnel before entering as the exit may be obstructed by fallen trees making it unsafe. The river may be accessed at four launch sites established in and around cartersville which are part of the 163mile long etowah river water trail. Bartow authors corner etowah valley historical society.
This guide offers all the information needed for even novice paddlers to feel comfortable jumping in a boat and heading downstream, including detailed. Etowah river users guide georgia river network guidebooks ser. The lower section also includes a truly unique feature. Sold the only gold mining tunnel of its kind in the entire united states with a river flowing through it and with a wide and long swath of the etowah river flowing through the property as well. Etowah mine tunnel discussion in the powder keg started by rockman7, aug 17, 2017. Tunneling for gold length etowah river water trail. Kayak through an abandoned mine tunnel on the etowah river. The etowah drains the south side of the tennessee valley divide, while the toccoa drains the north side. Bartows golden era of tunnel mining will step into the limelight during the etowah valley historical societys lecture tuesday. This prompted some great quotes like, ill never do that again and it was a lot scarier than i expected. Then you pull over to the side to collect yourself for a few minutes.
You can kayak through an abandoned mine tunnel on the etowah river. Georgia is full of outdoor adventures, from hiking to breathtaking waterfalls to tubing down the chattahoochee river. An old mine tunnel about 7 feet in diameter and about. This kayaking adventure journeys along the etowah river water trail, which flows 163 miles from lumpkin county in north central georgia to floyd county in northwest georgia. His photography has been widely published, and he is the coauthor with monica cook of river song. The etowah river and the toccoa river flow in different directions.
Adventure through the etowah river mine tunnel youtube. Shows fords, bridges, and ferries across the etowah river spanning southeastern floyd county and southwestern bartow county, georgia. Past saturday my brother in law, his wife, another family, and i shot the fg section of the upper etowah river. The nearest weather station for both precipitation and temperature measurements is rome which is approximately 2 miles away and has an elevation of 615 feet 38 feet higher than etowah river. Etowah river users guide by joe cook overview from its headwaters on the southern slope of the tennessee valley divide near dahlonega to its confluence with the oostanaula to form the coosa in rome, the etowah is a river full of interesting surprises. Even the american whitewater recommendation of 100 cfs seems like it might be really low for this section. Located just outside of dawsonville ga in the dawson forrest wma it has a. See the quartermile tunnel created to divert the etowah during georgias gold rush and the pilings from antebellum bridges burned in the civil war. About four miles from the castleberry bridge, however, the water runs through a mine tunnel that dates back to. The above list contains all mineral locality references listed on. Joe cook was our guide and also the author of etowah river users guide. Etowah mine tunnel gun and game the friendliest gun. Helmets are required, and flashlights are recommended.
Etowah fg tunnel section georgia canoeing association. Frequent shoals, class i and borderline class ii, highlight the first three miles of the run, but this section is bestknown for the quartermile mining tunnel that diverts most of the etowah. This eightmile section runs through the heart of the areas gold mine history. Georgia is filled with outdoor adventures for the whole family, from the stunning waterfall hikes to nighttime swamp tours. As you exit the tunnel, you swear to your buddies that it was great. Bartows tunnel mining unearthed etowah valley historical society. North georgias best family paddling takes place on the etowah river. In floyd county it converges with the oostanaula river to form the coosa river. Canoeing through the etowah river mine tunnel youtube. You can kayak through an abandoned mine tunnel on the. These stories are historical excerpts and candid recollections of past events in bartow county history. Etowah is recorded as being founded in 1845, established by mark anthony cooper which started out as the etowah manufacturing and mining company. See the quartermile tunnel created to divert the etowah during georgias gold rush. The light fades, the noise grows, and the sense that your ancestors survived by not doing stupid things like this.
Status and restoration of the etowah river, an imperiled. Title and date from stephensons civil war maps, 1989. Tunnel or shaft mining was indeed the beginning of the golden age of bartow county mining history. Kayak through an abandoned mine tunnel on the etowah river in georgia only in your state is one of the worlds leading travel and culture website with writers in all 50 u. Jason, rachael, karlie and i went on a living the dream kayaking trip on the etowah river on memorial day weekend 2011.
Etowah river paddle tunneling for gold sun, sep 2 2018. Etowah river mine tunnel kayak tunneling for gold miles 23. He had judged correctly that we would miss the cherokee fishing weirs which are wedge shaped stone formations in the river. Readercontributed links to the georgia mountains book. A journey down the chattahoochee and apalachicola rivers. Near the town of holy springs, if you go west 1 mile you will find the 301 mine.
Etowah river park canton 2020 all you need to know. This eight mile section runs through the heart of the areas gold mine history. Sherpa guides georgia mountains the etowah river and. Joe cook works with the coosa river basin initiative and is the coordinator of georgia river network s annual paddle georgia event. Cartersville, ga paddling on the etowah river trail. The river on the lower section of the etowah below the t weinman dam is either slow and easy or hauling like crazy. Kayak through this unique abandoned mine tunnel in georgia. Etowah river mine tunnel kayak tunneling for gold miles. Etowah tunnel as you enter the tunnel, you cant help but think that this was a huge mistake. The mine was originally made to this weeks adventure journal takes us to the etowah mine tunnel, one of natures theme parks tucked away in north georgia. Only in your state was launched in march 2015 with the goal of connecting passionate people and discovering the best of what each state in the u. Look for a fastmoving stream running away from the river to the left and into a big hole in the side of the mountain.
Searching for the etowah river mine tunnel 20 plot. Kayaking on the etowah river to explore an old tunnel carved through a mountain by gold prospectors. Hes as conversant about the river as he is area high school sports rivalries. Paddle over native american fish weirs and past the etowah indian mounds, one of the most intact mississippian culture sites in the southeast. At the tunnel, vincent spaced the boats at 2 minute increments to prevent a traffic jam in case of a flip. The first small drop should not be run unless you also plan to run the main drop.
A brief history of the george washington carver state park. Along the way, paddlers can see more native american fish weirs some prehistoric than are found on all other georgia rivers combined. Etowah river mine tunnel is georgias cantmiss kayaking. From its headwaters on the southern slope of the tennessee valley divide near dahlonega to its confluence with the oostanaula to form the coosa in rome, the etowah is a river full of interesting surprises. From its headwaters on the southern slope of the tennessee valle. Cherokee county history museum and visitors center 37 1. Partnering organizations bartow, forsyth, cherokee, dawson, floyd counties, cities of canton, cartersville, euharlee and rome. The coosa river continues flowing westward, into alabama, where it joins with the tallapoosa river to form the alabama river, which flows southward into the gulf. The etowah river is smaller, quicker, and in general more challenging than. Chattahoochee river users guide wormsloe foundation nature book ser.
Public use etowah river water trail canoe kayak launches in bartow county, ga name of input address distance to next ouput city of cartersville leake mounds opened october 20 1540 west avenue, cartersville, ga 1. Fortifications shown at caldwell ford, bartow county. The etowah river originates in lumpkin county, flows southward for a short stretch, then turns westward. Below are weather averages from 1971 to 2000 according to data gathered from the nearest official weather station.
Etowah river mine tunnel kayak tunneling for gold miles 23 31. The river is the northernmost portion of the etowahcoosaalabamamobile waterway, stretching from the mountains of north georgia to mobile bay in alabama. Many georgians have not heard of etowah but may have visited the coopers furnace day use area at the base of allatoona dam in cartersville, georgia. Throughout the water trail there are whitewater rapids and waterfalls, and several public access points from which paddlers can launch their boats. Work began in 1880 by a lone miner known only as, the dutchman at the upriver entrance.
Southeast of town by 7 miles on the etowah river is the location of the creightonfrankline mine and it had a total production of 50,000 ounces by 1909. His goal was to divert the river allowing easy access to the gold rich river bottom that. Because the nearest station and this geographic feature may have. Inside the tunnel is a class ii rapid that you never see coming.
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