2016 Paddle Georgia to start near Tennessee line, end at Heritage Park in downtown Rome.

Media release: The country’s largest week-long canoe/kayak camping adventure strokes through Northwest Georgia’s Ridge and Valley region on the Conasauga, Oostanaula and Coosa rivers this summer, ending in downtown Rome. More than 400 paddlers ranging in age from 4 to 84 are expected to make the journey. Online registration begins Friday.

Georgia River Network’s Paddle Georgia 2016 will launch near Beaverdale just a few miles from the Tennessee state line on June 18 and travel south for seven days and 103 miles, finishing at Heritage Park in downtown Rome on June 24. The event, billed as an environmental education adventure for the whole family, will celebrate its 12th year.

“The purpose of the event is to connect people with Georgia’s rivers while raising money to protect Georgia’s rivers,” said Paddle Georgia Coordinator Joe Cook. “When people fall in love with rivers—and they do that on this trip—they are much more likely to take action to protect those rivers.”

During Paddle Georgia’s first 11 years, GRN has introduced more than 3,600 paddlers to more than 1,100 miles of water trails on 12 Georgia rivers. Along the way the event has generated more than $300,000 for river protection.

Registration opens online at 8 a.m. Jan. 29. Registration fees are $425 for adults, $230 for children 8-17 and $30 for children 7 and under. A very limited number of spaces are available for “Paddle Georgia Lite,” an abbreviated version of the trip that includes just the first two days. Registration fees for Paddle Georgia Lite are $120, $70 and $15. Additional registration information is available at www.garivers.org/paddle_georgia.

The route will take paddlers through Whitfield and Murray counties on the outskirts of Dalton and Chatsworth, through Gordon County and Calhoun and on to historic downtown Rome.

Daily paddle trips will average about 15 miles, and each night participants will camp at nearby facilities such as schools and parks. In addition to spending each day on the river, paddlers will have the opportunity to explore everything from Dalton Utilities’ water treatment facilities to Calhoun’s New Echota Historic Site. A street party in downtown Calhoun and a River’s End Celebration in Rome are also planned.

Sponsors of the event include Hennessy Land Rover Centres, The Outdoor Foundation, Cary Baxter, CPA, CYA Agency Inc. and Oglethorpe Power. Partners include American Canoe Association, Café Campesino, Coosa River Basin Initiative, Georgia Canoe Association, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream and Project WET.

Details: http://www.garivers.org/paddle_georgia or by contacting Joe Cook at 706-409-0128 or [email protected], or contacting Dana Skelton at 706-549-4508 or [email protected].