Georgia Wilderness Society
Upper Flint River
Flint River Spring Paddle
by trip leader Curt Cole
After all the rain and high water of last year, we finally had good luck for our Flint River weekend. A beautiful spring day greeted us, Saturday, 23 March, 2019, as seven GWS members and a guest launched our two canoes and five kayaks at Crooks Landing Road/Montezuma Bluffs. Water level was around 4.65'/2,800 cfs on the Montezuma gauge. A dozen or more sandbars were exposed, and the level could've gone up another 3'-4' and we still would've had sandbars to camp on.
This was a new section of river for most of us. Not much development on it. The largest sandbar we passed did have an elaborate camp on it. We saw some other boaters, mostly motorboat fishermen, but several paddlers too. We stopped to camp about 2:30, after roughly 12 miles. Somewhere along the way Tom saw a 'gator he judged to be 12'. The next day Terry saw one the same size and got a photo as it lazed on the sandbar.
We passed the afternoon shooting the bull, gathering firewood, then sitting around the evening campfire eating up Jo's cookies and watching Curt try to cook biscuits on a stick. They wished Chef Curt better luck next time.
Sunday dawned just as nice as Saturday and we got a fire going to knock off the chill. Once we finally got on the river again, it took only a little over 3 hours to leisurely paddle the remaining 9 or 10 miles to Reeves Landing.
Of note is the fact that after years of free use of the ramp at Montezuma Bluffs/Crooks Landing, the DNR is now requiring that users have a fishing or hunting license to enter this area. I don't fish to speak of, but I went ahead and paid the $15 for an annual license. It helps support the installation and maintenance of access points.
Participants were: Rob Apsley, Curt & Irene Cole, Tom Payne, Terry Ross, Jo Scott, Jeff Sorensen, and Rob's guest Bob Minarcine. Thanks for the friendship and participation.
Prior Years
Flint River Trip: June 13-14, 2020
The water from Cristobal, bright sunshine, cumulus nimbus clouds, true blue skies, warm weather, and mountain greenery gave Curt Cole, Jeff Sorenson, Tom Payne, and Jo Scott a picturesque trip. After stretches of flat water interspersed with some small rock gardens, we stopped and searched for Dripping Rocks and Moss Falls in the Scout camp. The Google Coordinates did not appear to be accurate. As for Moss Falls the trip leader forgot to check with the camp and did not wish to trespass as signs were posted. We had lunch under trees on the Scout camp river trail.
West Sprewell Bluff WMA did an excellent job in creating four boat accessible campsites with shade, sand, and fire rings. We had the first one that sits on the Flint River and Pigeon Creek. The sand was white crystal sugar like the sand the mountains gave to Panama City Beaches.
On Sunday we broke camp and went through Tally Gap. This area has both coastal plain and mountain vegetation. A clump of Spanish moss was draped on Mountain Laurel. The Titi shrubs were in bloom. The mountain associated with the gap is Rock House Mountain. A sign posted by the river points the trail leading up to the rock cave which was used by Indians. The trail is steep, rocky, without many footholds. GWS cavers Curt and Jeff, “broke a good sweat,” making it up to the cave. Cave pictures are compliments of Jeff.
Lunch was at a picnic table under a shade tree in Sprewell Bluff Park. It was good to see families out tubing, swimming, and enjoying the park. Kayak and canoe traffic on the river increased at this point. After a few more islands, shoals, bends in the river, a bridge and transportation back to the 21st century came into view. The primitive odyssey was over.
Jo Scott
01 August 2020Flint River Canoeing Trip 25-26 July 2020
Nine (9) GWS members came out for a wonderful overnight trip on the Flint from Free Ferry Landing to Montezuma at Montezuma Bluffs. We met at 8AM except for the trip Leader who forgot his canoe seats & life jackets and was 15 minutes late after returning home to fetch them. Everyone got signed in and had a short brief on shuttle procedures and finished the shuttle by 9AM. Jo & Curt did the shuttle dance for the group back to put in. All got launched on river by 9:45am. Participants on this venture were Bud & Niki, Jo, Curt, Irene, Tom, Jeff, Terry & Rosemary. Weather was clear and cool in the AM, but got hot after 11 when we stopped for a break and stretch. Arrived at midway sandbar for camping about 2PM, unloaded canoes and setup camp and got in a few swim/floats before the evening storms blew up from the south and cooled the sandbar and gave us a sprinkle before dark. We had plenty of room on the sandbar and Curt made an evening fire right in the middle for all to enjoy.
Rose the next morning to blue sky and did a leisure canoe load and was on river by 9:30am. We had the convenience of good water levels and the river was moving very fast. River moving so fast it got us to the takeout before lunch & we loaded up for the trip home. Saw one very unusual colored (Orange & Black) Duck fly up from a sandbar before takeout, could not find it in the Bird book to get a name.
Stopped by Dickies to get Ice Cream & Dickies was closed on Sundays, sad, missed the peach treat.
Pics will be on GWS Website
It was a very nice overnight on the river.
Bud Queen, Trip Leader
Flint River Overnighter
On April 17-18, 2021, seven GWS members paddled about 18 miles down the Flint River, from GA Hwy 128 to Ga Hwy 96. Trip leader was Curt Cole. We camped on one of the few large sandbars on this section. Our first choice, where we camped in 2017, was occupied by a trio in a motorboat, so we paddled back up stream maybe a quarter mile, to a bar that was even more roomy. Despite a forecast of rain, we received none and had a pleasant time around the campfire. Curt & Irene saw two 6'-7' alligators leave sandbars as we approached, and Tommy saw one as well. Participants were: Curt & Irene Cole, Gus Lane, Joe Mangum, Tom & Tommy Payne, and Jeff Sorensen.
