Longstreet Highroad Guide to the North Georgia Mountains The
Chattooga River is the crown jewel of southern whitewater rivers
and a symbol for wilderness river lovers throughout the United
States and Canada. Its high rainfall, unusual geology (with many
cliffs, gorges, and waterfalls), and steep gradient place it in
the "world class" category of rivers. Most remaining rivers of
the Chattooga's quality are tucked away in western gorges or
West Virginia mountains. The river is arguably the area's prime
single natural attraction, luring some 100,000 visitors a year
for hiking, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, fishing,
swimming, or plain and simple river watching. Headwaters of the
Chattooga are in the Nantahala National Forest and private lands
in North Carolina. Flowing southward out of North Carolina, they
form approximately 40 river miles of boundary between Georgia
and South Carolina. The river drops from approximately 3,000
feet elevation at its headwaters to 950 feet at its termination
into Lake Tugalo