Embedded Files
Etowah River / Ball Ground, Georgia
Eagle's Beak Park
September 19, 2025
The Etowah River is a 164-mile-long (264 km)[1] waterway that rises northwest of Dahlonega, Georgia, north of Atlanta. On Matthew Carey's 1795 map the river was labeled "High Town River". On later maps, such as the 1839 Cass County map (Cass being the original name for Bartow County), it was referred to as "Hightower River", a name that was used in most early Cherokee records.
The large Amicalola Creek (which flows over Amicalola Falls) is a primary tributary near the beginning of the river. The Etowah then flows west-southwest through Canton, Georgia, and soon forms Lake Allatoona. From the dam at the lake, it passes Cartersville and the Etowah Indian Mounds archaeological site. It then flows to Rome, Georgia, where it meets the Oostanaula River and forms the Coosa River at their confluence. The river is the northernmost portion of the Etowah-Coosa-Alabama-Mobile Waterway, stretching from the mountains of north Georgia to Mobile Bay in Alabama.
The Little River is the largest tributary of the Etowah, their confluence now flooded by Lake Allatoona. Allatoona Creek is another major tributary, flowing north from Cobb County and forming the other major arm of the lake.
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially named the river in 1897.
The river ends at 571 feet (174 m) above mean sea level.
The river is home to the Cherokee darter and Etowah darter, which are listed on the Endangered Species List.
Country singer-songwriter Jerry Reed made the Etowah the home of the wild, misunderstood swamp dweller Ko-Ko Joe in the 1971 song "Ko-Ko Joe". The fictional character, who is reviled by respectable people but apparently dies a hero while saving a child's life, is alternately known as the "Etowah River Swamp Rat" in the song. Reed, a native of Atlanta, took some liberties with Georgia geography in the song, including the non-existent "Appaloosa County" and "Ko-Ko Ridge" as part of the song narrative’s setting.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
All Christel's Etowah River Videos
All Christel's Etowah River Videos
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 12
September 29, 2025
Etowah River / Ball Ground, Georgia
at Eagle's Beak Park
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Sweet Dreams by Amarent
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 11
August 7, 2025
Etowah River / Canton, Georgia
at Etowah River Park
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Outer Space by Amarent
Christel & Brannon's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 3
July 2, 2025
Etowah River / Dawsonville, Georgia
at Kelly Bridge
Paddled up the Etowah, then at the intersection of the Etowah and Amicalola, I paddled up the Amicalola. Then I paddled back down and met up with Brannon on the Etowah.
Music:
Hero by Aftertune
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 10
May 6, 2025
Etowah River / Ball Ground, Georgia
at Long Swamp Creek
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Breathing Deep by Shaolin Dub
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 9
December 31, 2024
Etowah River / Rome, Georgia
@ Dixon Landing at Grizzard Park
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Pizza Jones by Triple5 Here
Christel & Brannon's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 2
December 13, 2024
Etowah River / Dahlonega, Georgia
Dawsonville Hwy to Castleberry Bridge
Water Level: 240 CFS
With my friend and music partner, Brannon McKay.
Music:
Cattails by Triple5 Here
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 8
July 16, 2024
Etowah River / Cartersville, Georgia
@ Hardin Bridge Rd
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Don't Let Them In by Ketsa
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 7
June 7, 2024
Etowah River / Dawsonville, Georgia
Scenic Etowah River Park
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Digital Age by Scott Holmes
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 6
July 7, 2023
Etowah River / Kingston, Georgia
Neel's Landing
Paddled upriver, floated back.
This is the first time I've repeated a location, breaking my streak of only going to new places!
Music:
D2 by Maarten Schellekens
Christel & Matt's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 2
June 1, 2023
Etowah River / Cartersville, Georgia
Hardin Bridge Road
With my boyfriend, Matt Simpson.
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
In My Head by Shaolin Dub
Christel, Brannon, Hunter & Misti's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
May 8, 2023
Etowah River / Dawsonville, Georgia
Castleberry Bridge to Hwy 136
With Brannon McKay, Hunter Watkins, and Misti Bradley Watkins
Music:
Old School by Frank Freeman
Christel & Brannon's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
May 4, 2023
Etowah River / Ball Ground, Georgia
Yellow Creek Road to my mom's house, lol.
With my friend, Brannon McKay.
Music:
Living Voyage by Kevin MacLeod
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 5
September 8, 2022
Etowah River / Ball Ground, Georgia
Eagle's Beak Park
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Lunis the Moon by Ketsa
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 4
July 27, 2022
Etowah River / Kingston, Georgia
Hwy 411 Boat Ramp aka Neel's Landing
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Before the Countdown by Maarten Schellekens
Christel & Matt's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 1
June 22, 2022
Etowah River / Dawsonville, Georgia
Scenic Etowah River Park
With my husband, Matt Simpson.
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Braver_Atum by Independent Music Licensing Collective
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 3
May 18, 2022
Etowah River / Dawsonville, Georgia
at Kelly Bridge
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Hachimantai Snow by Maarten Schellekens
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 2
July 5, 2021
Etowah River / Canton, Georgia
Etowah River Park
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Awakening by Spectacular Sound Productions
Christel's Etowah River Kayaking Adventure
Part 1
June 28, 2021
Etowah River / Canton, Georgia
Knox Bridge Boat Ramp
Paddled upriver, floated back.
Music:
Turn Around by Ketsa
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse