Regional Blueways

Regional Outdoor Recreation

Regional Blueways Trails

In addition to biking and other forms of terrestrial trails, there are also great opportunities to develop water trails, often referred to as “blue trails,” on a number of the beautiful rivers and creeks that fl ow through the River Valley Region.

housands of people already visit Columbus to take advantage of its world-class whitewater facilities, and it is a small leap to attract those visitors to engage in other types of water sports in the area, such as canoeing, kayaking, or stand-up paddle boarding. Local blueways would support employment opportunities for river guides, boost equipment sales and rentals, and draw visitors to all associated elements of the tourist economy, such as restaurants and lodging. The impact of this industry can be significant. Research from American Rivers shows that Americans spend $86 billion per year on watersports, which is second only to camping gear in outdoor recreational spending.76

The Georgia River Network has identified 21 designated water trails in Georgia, more than a dozen of which are in some phase of development.77 While establishing these trails requires a great deal of organization and community engagement, they do not require large amounts of built infrastructure. Two water trails are currently in development in this region: the Flint River Water Trail and the Lower Chattahoochee River Water Trail. Water trails like these are opportunities for economic development that can also promote community resilience and enhance compatible land uses.

The Flint River Water Trail was established along 28 miles of the Flint River in Meriwether County. This project was organized by the Meriwether County Board of Commissioners and the Lake Meriwether Advisory Board. The partners maintain a website that describes the trail, entry and exit points, geological and ecological diversity, and fishing information. They also publish maps and brochures detailing the trail. Efforts are underway to extend this trail from Spalding County down to Lake Seminole, which includes Talbot and Taylor counties. (https://flintriverwatertrail.com/)

The Lower Chattahoochee River Water Trail78 is a proposed trail in the River Valley Region. It is intended to run for 50 miles along the Chattahoochee River from West Point in Georgia to Phenix City in Alabama. The effort is being organized by the Trust for Public Land, and its goal is to eventually have eight to 10 launch locations on the upstream sections and portages around the river’s main stem dams. This would create a continuous paddling path along the Georgia–Alabama border from West Point to Columbus. Sponsors estimate that when completed the water trail will produce 50 local jobs and generate $3 million in annual revenue for the surrounding communities.