Chattahoochee River between Johnson Ferry and Powers Island, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 1.5 to 2 hours
As with the trip down the Chattahoochee River from Morgan Falls Dam to Johnson Ferry, the stretch of river from Johnson Ferry to Powers Island is calm and uneventful, with the exception of a patch of rapids shortly before Powers Island, an hour or so into the journey. About a third of the trip is along private property, nearly all of which is residential. This means that plenty of homes can be seen along the river bank. Most sit back from the river and are well camouflaged by trees. You’ll even pass townhomes and condos along the way.
Homes along the Chattahoochee River near Johnson Ferry
To tell the truth, there isn’t much reason to put in at Johnson Ferry and take out at Powers Island. The trip is too short to be worth the effort, and as mentioned, there’s not much in the way of excitement. If Johnson Ferry is your entry point, be sure to paddle all the way to the end of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area at Paces Mill (it’s not the end of the park, but it is the last boat ramp in the park). You will hit rapids a little before Powers Island, and then it is nearly non-stop rapids for the rest of the way, easily the best stretch of river in the Recreation Area.
The put-in at Johnson Ferry is a boat ramp suitable for a launching all types of watercraft. The take-out at Powers Island is for hand-launched water craft only (no trailer-launched boats). Motorboats won’t be going any further than Powers Island anyway due to the low water and abundance of large rocks just below and at the surface. Look for the ramp on your left just before the I-285 bridge.
Powers Island canoe launch, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
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Last updated on May 15, 2024
