Rivers are earth’s oldest roller coaster.
When you take a trip to the Chattooga river, you’re going on a truly unique adventure. The river itself is an oasis – a very long one – and it places you in the cradle of nature and in the center of adventure and whitewater excitement. It’s not an experience that you can mimic at 6 Flags – unless you like crowds of strange people and lines and reminders of urban sprawl.
That’s the Chattooga difference – giving you the ability to throw the city away and take in the best of what the earth can offer. To turn your back on civilization and get to the heart of what is most important, your communion with the deeper stirrings of your soul.
Until you’re bored.
Then you need to figure out what to do, and this guide to all things Chattooga (except the Chattooga) is the perfect antidote to rivertime blues. For a complete list of everything there is to do, check out our complete page of Chattooga area links.
Ropes Course
You can experience a ropes course, which is earth’s third or fourth oldest roller coaster – used in approximate form to train ancient Roman soldiers for combat and siege. The earliest modern “natural method” of ropes training was developed by Georges Herbert of France, and taken from models of ships to train soldiers in how to climb and do well among masts and sails.
He wrote: “The final goal of physical education is to make strong beings. In the purely physical sense, the Natural Method promotes the qualities of organic resistance, muscularity and speed, towards being able to walk, run, jump, move on all fours, to climb, to keep balance, to throw, lift, defend yourself and to swim.”
So you can make progress on all of those with a rafting trip coupled with a ropes course and a zip line.
Entertainment
Or you can just start with Square Dancing at Oconee State Park. And if you’re really not going to exert yourself, go to the Highlands NC playhouse for a show, or the Brooks Center, which is located at Clemson University for great musicians.
Water Sports
If you’re not sick of the river, you can always try canoeing or kayaking. Cool River Tubing is another option, which is in Helen, GA.
Hiking and Waterfalls
If you’re sick of being in the river and you’d just like to look at it – you can get your fill of Chattooga waterfalls. We actually have more of them than here than anywhere else in the United States. Check out the Upcountry Carolina Association, which publishes a pamphlet that will show you how to find them.
Horseback Riding at Sunburst Stables
You can also try your luck on a horse. It’s back, that is. Go to Sunburst Stables for a new view from the Northeast Georgia Mountains, which is a few miles out of Helen.