Rescheduled again due to high water, this time to April 19, 2025.

Join us for a leisurely paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter on the Withlacoochee River. You can choose 3 miles or 11 miles.

Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19

Thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.
Thanks to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for shuttle vans.
Thanks to Valdosta Boys & Girls Club for bringing youth and boats to paddle.
Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition and Phil Royce for being sweep.

When: Gather 8 AM, shuttle by 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, April 19, 2025

Put In: Troupville Boat Ramp, 19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County.
By the boat ramp, see the WWALS water trail signs about the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536

• The 3-mile trip starts along the Little River frontage recently purchased by Lowndes County for Troupville Nature Park and Nature Preserve. After the Little River Confluence, we’ll go a very short way up the Withlacoochee River to the future site of Troupville River Camp. Then down the Withlacoochee 1.3 miles past Valdosta’s cleaned up Outfall from its Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) on the left bank in Lowndes County. After another mile, the early takeout is at a private boat ramp on the right bank in Brooks County, thanks to Paul DeLoach.

  
  Map: Troupville Boat Ramp to Paul DeLoach private boat ramp –WLRWT

• The 11-mile journey continues another eight miles, past Spring Branch to a mid-point lunch stop, thanks to The Langdale Company. Then we pass Millrace Creek, the notorious Sabal Trail Methane Pipeline, the US 84 Bridge, and Spook Bridge, to take out on the left bank, also thanks to The Langdale Company. Thanks to Steve Miller for a four-wheeler to get paddlers and their boats back to the paved road.

  
  Map: Troupville Boat Ramp to Spook Bridge in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

Getting in, 2025-03-04, 10:12:31, 30.8514595, -83.3475713

Take Out: Spook Bridge Landing, US 84 west from Valdosta, left on Ousley Road, right on Old Quitman Highway, park at Martin Lane.
Thanks to Steve Miller for providing a 4-wheeler for getting boats and people from Spook Bridge back to the paved road.

Spook Bridge, 2023-03-04, 14:40:38, 30.7909281, -83.4522522

Boats: Bring your own kayak or canoe if you can.
If you do not have one, WWALS will have a few canoes and kayaks, first come, first served.

Paddlers near and far, 2023-03-04, 10:29:41, 30.8459195, -83.3514804

Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit.
Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
Please follow Leave No Trace principles by packing out all trash, avoiding damage to vegetation, and respecting wildlife.

Safety: Be on time. If you miss the safety briefing, you cannot paddle with us.
Each person in a boat, no matter how young or old, must wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD).

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1603504050556169/
https://www.meetup.com/withlacoochee-alapaha-suwannee-rivers-wwals-outings/events/305789933/

Duration: 6 hours

Paddle: 11 miles, 6 hours.

Valdosta WWTP clean outfall, 2023-03-04, 10:50:40, 30.8361045, -83.3595411

Shuttle: 24 miles, 30 minutes.
Thanks to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for shuttle vans.

Chairman, Mayor, City Manager on Deloach Private Boat Ramp, 2023-03-04, 11:13:14, 30.8380884, -83.3701976

Lunch Stop: Withlacoochee Hunt Club Private Boat Ramp, thanks to The Langdale Company.

Lunch stop at Withlacoochee Hunt Club Private Boat Ramp, 2023-03-04, 13:02:56, 30.8158549, -83.4250226

Gauge: Quitman @ US 84, Highest safe 10.5 feet, 94 NAVD. Lowest boatable 2.0 feet, 85.5 NAVD.

Host: Phil Hubbard

Contact: wwalswatershed@gmail.com or 850-290-2350

Backup: in case of bad weather or high or low water is: Reschedule

More: For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

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