Camping question

[greasemnky20]

I don't know if anyone on here has seen the movie Without a Paddle, but my question came from this movie. I am wanting to find somewhere that i can just go out either hiking or in a canoe and just find somewhere and set up camp, preferably somewhere I can fish and try out some survival excersizes. Thanks for any advise.

 

[greene_dawg]

Anywhere in the Chatt National forest. How about backpacking the Cohutta Wilderness? The Jacks and Conasuaga rivers both have trails along them with wild rainbows and brown trout... Been there several times. It's about as wild of a place that there is in Georgia. You could canoe on any number of rivers in Georgia and camp on the sandbars along the way. Just make sure you know the release schedule unless you like sleeping in water.

 

[05kodiak]

Anywhere in the Chatt National forest. How about backpacking the Cohutta Wilderness? The Jacks and Conasuaga rivers both have trails along them with wild rainbows and brown trout... Been there several times. It's about as wild of a place that there is in Georgia. You could canoe on any number of rivers in Georgia and camp on the sandbars along the way. Just make sure you know the release schedule unless you like sleeping in water.

Yep, what he said in the north area, and you can canoe and camp on platforms in the Okefenokee Swamp. Fishing is good there also. Call Stephen Foster State Park for more info. Good luck.

 

[greene_dawg]

Just keep in mind that if you do the river trails in the Cohutta that you WILL get wet. For example, Jacks River Trail is 20ish miles and it crosses the river 40 times and there ain't a bridge one. Some crossings are chest deep. The Cohutta Wilderness isn't a joke and if you go you need to make sure you are prepared and the trout are wild and not easily caught.

 

[Twenty five ought six]

You can canoe from Lumber City to the Atlantic Ocean on the Altamaha River. It's about as remote as the mountains. Plenty of camping on the sandbars.

I've never made the whole trip, but have done it all at one time or another. When you are out on one of those sandbars, you are pretty much on your own.

 

[crackerdave]

You can canoe from Lumber City to the Atlantic Ocean on the Altamaha River. It's about as remote as the mountains. Plenty of camping on the sandbars.

I've never made the whole trip, but have done it all at one time or another. When you are out on one of those sandbars, you are pretty much on your own.

Aw,you won't be on your own - plenty of gators to keep you company!

 

[greasemnky20]

Thanks

All those ideas are great. I really got hooked about 2 years ago on the Survivorman show and I have worked myself up to doing it myself. I just have to get up and do it I am going to try a weekend secluded and then go from there, I have done it before but never more than 20 min or so from a house. I am ready for a true outdoors challenge.

 

[Davans]

Beware of Banjos !

 

[greene_dawg]

PM me if you are interested in the Cohutta Wilderness. I've been there a few times and could get you started.

 

[greasemnky20]

I'll do it

Thanks greene dawg, I will definitely be talking to you as soon as I am able to get free for a weekend. Are you able to small game hunt or set traps and things like that for a true survival situation in there? If so do I need any special permits or anything? Thanks for the help.

 

[greene_dawg]

I don't know the answer to that. I've only backpacked there and packed what food I needed in with me. I know that you can hunt and I'd assume that state regs apply. The wilderness area is 37,000 acres which, if I'm not mistaken, is inside the 90K acre Cohutta WMA so the area is huge. Very rugged and as soon as you step into the woods there you realize that you are in a very wild place. Jacks river trail is the most popular trail there. I've backpacked it and seen as few as three other people all weekend but I've also seen a good bit more than that during good weather. For more seclusion (from people) I'd recommend the Conasauga river trail or the trails around it. You could camp at any of the sites on the river and trap/hunt well away from the trail. Keep in mind that there are plenty of bears in the area so clean and cook your food well away and downwind of your campsite and make sure you know how to hang a bear bag. The rivers can swell to the point of being uncrossable if a good rain falls so getting stuck between river fords is a concern as well as hypothermia this time of year. I'd call the WMA ranger station or the national forest just to make sure I was legal as far as the unting and trapping go. The trout are tough to catch but I'd think you could get your fill of crawdads if you wanted. Like I said, hit me up if you want any more info. Here is a link to the best book that I know of on the wilderness. It has rough maps and descriptions of every trail there as well as directions to each trailhead. Of course, a good topo and a compass would be essential if you are going to bushwack off trail for any distance.

http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Trails-Cohutta-Frog-Wildernesses/dp/1561454141

 

[greasemnky20]

Yeah

It will most likely be early spring before I get a chance to go, I have a book similar to that one but its over all of Georgia trails so it's not as specific. I also have a great survival guide, a compass, a flint for fire, and a metal canteen to boil drinking water. Since I am only going for the weekend to start with, I feel safer having some sort of safety net if you will so I am going to bring one mre just in case. I'm sure I may add other things but not too many, cause there is supposed to be some sort of challenge to it. I am studying over it about the bear danger and how to handle all that, most likely I'll. But really I will appreciate any info you have and may try to visit the area a couple times before I try the weekend, but it should be fun.

 

[greene_dawg]

It is my favorite place in the state. I highly recommend the book. It's not just on trails but the types of wildlife, trees, etc that you might run into so it's really informative. The temps there are usually much cooler than most of the state and down on the rivers it is even that much cooler. Someone else mentioned the Altamaha. That is on my list for backcountry experiences as well.

 

[Backwoodsman]

Hi Greene Dawg.

From what you have observed from your experiences in the Cohutta Wilderness, would floating downstream in a light canoe, and paddling back upstream seem like a fairly easy task on the Jacks and Conasuaga rivers? Are the rivers shallow in most places? Gravel bars? Rapids?

I would like to go up there this month for a few days and test my gear in some "real" backwoods conditions.

Blessings,

Mark

 

[chewy32]

Aw,you won't be on your own - plenty of gators to keep you company!

and dont forget windigo too he will alwase be there for ya but just watch jeramiah johnson a couple times and you be ready to go