Accessing Chattooga’s upper segment

The Forest Service announced an early opportunity this week for the public to preview notices of draft decisions on recreation access to the upper segment of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River. Legal ads that are to be published next week are part of the federal agency’s efforts to implement 2012 decisions to allow boating on the river’s upper sections. Within that corridor, the Forest Service plans to designate sustainable river access trails at locations including Lick Log Creek and Burrells Ford Bridge. “There are over 19 miles of eroding, unsafe, unmaintained user created trails crisscrossing the banks of this wild and scenic river,” said Ed Hunter, Chattooga River District ranger. “These draft decisions propose maintaining a total of 1.63 miles of sustainable foot trails to support current and future use of this much loved place.” A 45-day formal objection period begins with the legal notices published in the paper of record for each of three districts within the river corridor.