Ellijay’s name is derived from Indian word(s) meaning “many waters” and you can experience our many rivers!
Cartecay River
The Cartecay River Watershed is 136 square miles of forested land among the Blue Ridge Mountains. The run of the Cartecay alternately drops over narrow rapids up to 100 yards long and then pools for placid stretches of scenic stream. Recreation on the river includes 3 miles of scenic calm below Holt Bridge Road, followed by 7 miles of intermittent white water on a narrow streambed under forest canopy. Developed commercial access and shuttles are available at Lower Cartecay Road.
Ellijay River
The Ellijay River Watershed consists of 92 square miles among the mountains in the Chattahoochee National Forest. The watershed includes a reservoir dam constructed at the Kells Creek confluence in 1969 and proposed for expansion over existing wetlands in 2004 to accommodate increased residential water demand downstream. The Ellijay’s tributary streams on Rich Mountain flow over bedrock and boulder, with stream crossings over natural rock rather than road surface.
Coosawattee River
Below the Ellijay and Cartecay confluence, the Coosawattee River channel varies from 120 to 150 feet wide and has a bank-full flood capacity up to 3,500 cubic feet per second between banks that range up to 10 feet high in the lower stretch of the river. From Ellijay, the Coosawattee River descends 20 feet over an easy 2-mile stretch, before dropping 552 feet in the next 19 miles of mountain escarpment. In the final 27 miles to its confluence with the Oostanaula at Blue Ridge, Georgia, the Coosawattee drops only 50 feet. Carters Dam forms a reservoir at Lake Carter within the final stretch of the river.
Source: USA Today
Tubing
Ellijay, GA 30540
Ellijay, GA 30540
Not open for the 2017 season
Lake Activities
Carters Lake
3200 acre reservoir in the southwestern corner of the county offering a beautiful undeveloped shoreline and great fishing. The offer a full service marina and boat ramps.
Carters Lake Marina
575 Marina Rd.
Chatsworth, GA 30705
706-276-4891
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
975 Powerhouse Rd.
Chatsworth, GA 30735
706-334-2248
Lake Conasauga
A beautiful, remote 19-acre spring fed lake resting near Grassy Mountain is the highest lake in Georgia. Open seasonally.
U.S. Forest Service Conasauga Ranger District
706-695-6736
Rafting
Ocoee Adventure Center
4651 Highway 64
Copperhill, TN 37317
(888) 723-8622
Ocoee Rafting
1548 Hwy 68
Ducktown, TN 37326
1-800-251-4800
Rolling Thunder River Co.
10160 Hwy 19 West
Bryson City, NC 28713
1-800-408-7238
Wildwater
4596 US 64
Ducktown, TN 37326
1-828-508-8285