Tag Archives: Old State Road

Hotchkiss Road Landing, Old State Road, and Naylor Boat Ramp

Common question: isn’t Hotchkiss closed? Answer: the old Hotchkiss Landing in Lowndes County is closed, private, and don’t go there! Caution! But Hotchkiss Road Landing in Lanier County is open as always, do go there to get to the Alapaha River. Boat landing And there’s a new park at US 84, with a Naylor Boat Ramp being built by Lowndes County, as urged by WWALS.

600x450 Bret Wagenhorst, Dave Hetzel, Gretchen Quarterman, at Hotchkiss Road, in Alapaha River Outing, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 24 August 2014
Bret Wagenhorst, Dave Hetzel, Gretchen Quarterman, at Hotchkiss Road (open, do go there Boat landing), in Alapaha River Outing, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 24 August 2014.

Previously there was some discussion of using a different name for Hotchkiss Road Landing in the Alapaha River Water Trail, but then nobody would know what we were referring to, since that’s what it’s always been called, down at the end of Hotchkiss Road off of US 84.

For those relatively new to WWALS, WWALS was heavily involved in Continue reading →

Alapaha River Park?

Update 2019-11-12: This is happening, as Naylor Boat Ramp.

WWALS logo WWALS Watershed Coalition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alapaha River Park?

Adel, GA, 18 February 2013 — WWALS Watershed Coalition opposes closing Old State Road to Hotchkiss Landing at the Alapaha River, and proposes Lowndes County instead increase access and conservation of the Alapaha River by creating a park, which will also boost the regional economy.

looking upstream The Lowndes County Commission will vote Tuesday February 26th on closing the only public access to the Alapaha River in that county. A regional watershed group, WWALS Watershed Coalition, suggests instead that the county purchase land along the Alapaha to create a county park with a boat ramp and trails to match the ones on the Withlacoochee River in Langdale Park.

“A park would simplify maintaining the 100 foot natural vegetative buffer required by the state in a Protected River Corridor,” said Dave Hetzel, WWALS President. “It could even reduce potential liability to the county from Continue reading →

WWALS asks that Old State Road be kept open to the Alapaha River in Lowndes County

Letter from WWALS to Lowndes County Commission, signed Friday, mailed Saturday; the hearing is 5:30 PM today 12 February 2013, 327 North Ashley Street 2nd floor, Valdosta, GA.

Signed letter from WWALS to Lowndes County Commission

Lowndes County Board of Commissioners
327 North Ashley Street
Valdosta, GA 31601

WWALS Watershed Coalition
www.wwals.net

Dear Lowndes County Commissioners,
Continue reading →

Blocked: Hotchkiss Landing closed by big blocks of concrete, October 2010

Why was a public road, Old State Road, blocked by concrete blocks from late 2010 through at least early 2012, right at Hotchkiss Landing on the Alapaha River in Lowndes County, Georgia?

According to two witnesses, this is what Old State Road at Hotchkiss Landing looked like shortly after the Lowndes County Commission decision of 26 October 2010 to keep the road open:

Seen from north side
Picture by Cactus Clyde on flickr, who wrote:
“Alapaha River a mile upstream pf the US84 bridge (on the Hotchkiss Road) east of Naylor, GA- river level 77.96′ at Statenville, GA on 12/11/11. No acces on the west side any longer- this was taken looking west.”

April Huntley says “It happened right after the decision to not close the road.” Chris Graham says this was “Few days after we won.” According to the date on that picture, the road was still blocked 11 December 2011.

Google Earth shows that same blockage for 14 January 2012 in imagery taken by NASA, and that’s also what the current google map shows:

Continue reading →

Alapaha River trip 2009, ending at Hotchkiss Landing

In 2009 Bret Wagenhorst of Tifton organized a canoe trip on the Alapaha River. He says:

I believe we had nearly 15 people on that trip. The put in was at Burnt Church, just above the Boy Scout camp outside of Lakeland. The take out was the state road that is being proposed to be closed due to lack of use. The photos are in an album on my Facebook page. I believe it is titled “Alapaha River Trip”. The last photo of the album shows lots of people at the take out— the state road access that “is hardly ever used”! Feel free to copy any of the photos you like.

Since his facebook album requires facebook login to view, I’ve copied it to a flickr set. That last picture sure does look like Hotchkiss Landing:

Continue reading →

Alapaha River at Hotchkiss Landing, Naylor, Lowndes County, GA, 1 Feb 2013

Scouting for a potential WWALS outing (since scheduled for 16 February 2013, two WWALS board members and three local residents went to look at Hotchkiss Landing on Old State Road at the Alapaha River in Lowndes County. Here are a few pictures; we also have videos, some of which will follow.

Looking west (upstream):

Looking west (upstream) Continue reading →

WWALS February Event, Alapaha River, Hotchkiss Landing

When: 1PM, Saturday, February 16, 2013
Where: Hotchkiss Landing on the Alapaha River, Old State Road, Naylor, GA

The WWALS river outing for February is planned for the Hotchkiss landing.

B.Y.O.B.: Bring your own boat (there are none for rent at this location).

However, some folks have canoes with room in them so don’t let lack of a vessel stop you from joining us.

We have a local host and parking is available at a local land owners property.

Facebook event.