The Broad River is among the last free-flowing rivers in Georgia and perhaps the state s most wild. The Broad River User s Guide traces the unique characteristics of the full 60 miles of the river and 110 miles of its three forks (South, Middle, and North) before the main river s convergence with the Savannah River.

In doing so, the guide outlines the river s cultural and natural history, telling the story of humans relationship to the river from precolonial days to the present. Though the mainstem of the Broad is one of the few Georgia rivers to escape dams, it was one of Georgia s first inland river valleys to be explored and settled. Along its course are rare species like shoals spider lilies and the Bartram s bass, not to mention some of the most popular whitewater paddling in North Georgia.

With this handbook, river explorers will find all the information needed to embark on a Broad River journey, including detailed maps, put in/take out suggestions, fishing and camping locations, mile-by-mile points of interest, and an illustrated natural history guide to help identify animals and plants commonly seen in and around theriver.

This guide includes:

an introduction and overview of the river
chapters describing each river section with detailed maps and notes on river access and points of interest
a compact natural history guide featuring species of interest found along Georgia s rivers
notes on safety and boating etiquette
a fishing primer
notes on organizations working to protect the river

JOE COOK is executive director ofthe Coosa River Basin Initiative and coordinator of Georgia River Network s annual Paddle Georgia event. His photography has been widely published, and he is the author of Etowah River User s Guide and Chattahoochee River User's Guide (both Georgia) and coauthor with Monica Cook of River Song: A Journey down the Chattahoochee and Apalachicola Rivers.

Cover design: Erin Kirk New
Cover photo: Joe Cook
Author photo: Paul O Mara

Wormsloe Foundation Nature Book

Georgia River Network Guidebooks

The University of Georgia Press
Athens, Georgia 30602
www.ugapress.org

ISBN 978-0-8203-4888-9"