Altamaha River and the Cathead Creek Tributary
The Altamaha River is the largest river in Georgia. It drains 1/3 of the state before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean just north of St. Simons Island. It has been declared by the Nature Conservancy one of the “Last Wild and Scenic Places” and is home to many rare and endangered species. There is a rich history on the Altamaha River and in it’s delta. There are Indian settlement ruins on some of the old bluffs, remnants of the timber boom, and 200 year old rice canals dug into the swamp from the time when rice was queen of the Georgia coast. You may catch a glimpse of ancient virgin cypress trees that escaped the mass harvesting - some date back 1000 years or more.
Cathead Creek is a 15 mile tributary of the Altamaha River and flows from the wild and woolly Buffalo Swamp - emptying into the Darien River right near the waterfront community of Darien. It is an intimate setting for exploring the rich waters of the Altamaha delta and it’s inhabitants.
We offer day trips and multi-day trips on the Altamaha River. A day trip runs about 17 miles with a lunch stop on an old Indian bluff. A day trip gives you a glimpse of the mighty river as well as some smaller offshoots. Different times of the year offer assorted wildflowers, hawks, eagles, and owls. Our multi-day trips can be 2 days to 6 days paddling all the way to the sea - camping along the way. A longer trip is customized and gives more chances to watch the ecosystem adjust to the tide. You will truly feel like you are on a journey that has been made by many types of folks for 1000s of years.
Cathead Creek is a wonderful day trip option and can even be made into a 3 hour jaunt. There are many old rice canals off of Cathead Creek that are full of life.
Day trips ( lunch included ) $90 / Cathead Creek 3 hour $75
Multi-day ( all paddling, camping gear and food ) ~ $125/day
