Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – Georgia

Hewett Lodge sits among the trees in the Chattahoochee River corridor. This building is nestled into the forest, overlooking the river that has shaped this region for centuries. Inside the lodge, there are exhibits that speak of the historic and current importance of this river.

By the 1970s, rapid development around Atlanta threatened to overtake the Chattahoochee corridor. Concerned citizens recognized that without federal protection, access to the river could be compromised. Their efforts lead to the creation of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, established on August 15, 1978, when President Jimmy Carter signed it into law.

This designation protected 48 miles of river corridor north of Atlanta preserving the forest as well as the historic mill remnants that were ties to Georgia’s industrial beginnings.