Flint River Headwaters

Where the Water Goes 2016, Part I, Feb 27,  9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

this outing is full, now taking wait list

Georgia’s Flint River is the focus for this year’s river odyssey, where we follow a Georgia River from its headwaters to the ocean. The Flint River’s headwaters are near Hartsfield-Jackson Intn’l airport, where they are rather unceremoniously piped back into their natural channel just below the southeastern runways. But the Flint recovers quickly and goes on to become one of Atlanta’s most beautiful and interesting rivers, one of a very few nationwide that still flow free (without dams) for more than 200 miles. Dropping through the Fall Line, sets of shoals make for challenging kayaking in some areas, while providing habitat for the rare shoal spider lily in others.

Named by Native Americans for the flint rocks found near the river, the Flint flows for over 300 miles from its Atlanta headwaters to its confluence with the Chattahoochee River at the Florida state line where the two rivers join to become the Apalachicola, which then flows on to create the rich estuary of Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of Mexico.

On our headwaters outing, we’ll travel together, stopping to visit the river and see it’s diverse beginnings, finding and exploring pockets of forgotten wilderness surviving amidst the hustle and bustle of commercial and industrial districts. The river corridor, though damaged in many places, still hosts beautiful rocks and sandbars and serves as a critical haven for birds, deer and other wildlife. Taking a moment to glimpse this corridor of life, quietly enduring even near the most challenging places, is a surprisingly eye-opening, heart-expanding experience, especially when realizing how majestic these river waters become. It’s all part of the story.

On this outing we will travel by van and carpool to three or four different locations to view and access the Flint River. On our last stop we’ll offer a short, optional walk off-trail, through a field and woods to see a larger portion of the river.

This event is made possible in part by the Ecology Wildlife Foundation

 To register (RSVP) click HERE  – details and directions will be sent to registered participants. Limit 12 

A donation of $15 or more helps sustain our programs.

The Flint River after it exits Hartsfield-Jackson Intn’l Airport and begins to flow south, can you believe this is right here in the metro zone?