First Saturday Paddle - August 2024
First Saturday Wolf River Paddle
The “Lost Swamp Section” of the Wolf River
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Launch time: 09:00 End Time: 15:00 (approx.)
This program is free to Conservancy members. Non-members will be charged a paddle fee of $25.00, which may be paid upon registering. To assist with planning, please register early. Online registration closes at Noon on Thursday, August 1, 2024.
Come along and join our River Guides as we paddle one of the most inspirational sections of the Wolf River, "The Lost Swamp." This section of the river is approximately 6 miles in length and a beautiful, Class 1 meandering water trail. It is still very wild and natural. Your boat handling skills will be challenged as we paddle through a pair of swamps filled with mature bald cypress trees and their associated cypress knees.
High points of the trip include quietly paddling beside the Gnome tree, the Wolf River black sands spa, and a cypress-filled swamp locally known as the cathedral. Often as you pass through this majestic area, you are serenaded by the church bells of the Moscow Methodist Church heralding your arrival into town.
The put-in at Bateman Road bridge consists of a graveled access ramp and parking area. The take-out in Moscow TN will be the car wash on your right as you cross the Wolf river heading east. There is a $5.00 charge for parking here. You can pay Jim Gafford the money and he will ensure it reaches the owner. To avoid this charge, you can park free at the Bateman Road launch site. We will conduct both pre- and post-trip shuttles.
Our River Guide swill share the trip leader's responsibilities on this paddle. They are a great bunch of volunteers and will ensure you have both a safe and enjoyable adventure. If you have questions about the trip, please don't hesitate to contact Jim Gafford via email (jim.gafford@wolfriver.org) or call/text (901-573-2353). Jim will be happy to discuss the particulars of the trip with you.
To assist with planning, please register early for the event. Again, registration will close at noon on Thursday August 1.
If this is your first trip or if you want to learn more about the Wolf River, please read the following documents under the paddling section of our website (www.wolfriver.org/paddling): "River Descriptions," "Wolf River Access Map," and "Safety Information."
For Those Renting Boats: Our recommended outfitter for this trip is Mike Dawkins. Mike can be reached by email dawkinsjm01@gmail.com@gmail.com or call him at (901) 485-2531.Please contact Mike as soon as you register to ensure equipment availability and discuss pricing.
For Those Bringing Boats: You will meet our River Guides at the Bateman Road ramp. To reach the ramp, drive east on Hwy. 57 out of Moscow, TN, about two miles. Turn right onto Bateman Road and continue south about one and a half miles down to the parking lot on the northeast side of the bridge. If you cross the bridge, you probably saw us waving to you from the parking lot. Please arrive around 8:00 am to unload your gear and participate in the frontend vehicle shuttles. The last shuttle will leave at 8:30. We will also run a shuttle at the end of the trip as needed.
Parking Disclaimer: You should be able to leave your vehicle in the relatively safe put-in and take-out parking areas; however, Wolf River Conservancy cannot guarantee conditions at the time of launch. The Conservancy is not responsible for loss or damage to private property.
Safety and PFD Requirement: Participants in Wolf River Conservancy on-river programs will be required to wear a US Coast Guard-approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) while on the river. Children must wear child-size-approved PFDs. If you are renting a craft, the outfitter will provide you with an approved PFD as part of the rental package. Those using boats provided by the Conservancy will also be supplied PFDs and paddles. There are no exceptions to the PFD requirements. Please note that they must also be securely fastened at all times. Please do not use the "belt-type" units popular with the SUP community. These are single-discharge units and cannot easily be reloaded once deployed.
Google Maps Keyword (Input) Ghost River Canoe Run (Outlet)
Google Maps Keyword (Take-out) 13770 TN-57 Moscow, TN
