Charles Oliver
charlesoliver@daltoncitizen.com
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You’ll think you are diving near some coral reef, but the water will probably be a bit colder.
That’s how Conasauga River Alliance Watershed Director Joshua Smith describes the Conasauga snorkeling hole.
Located near where the Jacks River and the Conasauga merge — in Bradley County, Tenn. — the snorkeling hole is home to a wide variety of fish and mussels.
“The Conasauga is a biodiversity hot spot,” said Smith.
He said the river is host to 76 fish species, including three that are listed by the federal government as endangered and 15 that are protected by the state government.
By contrast, the Columbia River and the Colorado River are home to just 58 fish species combined.
“And the Conasauga River watershed covers less than 1 percent of the area they do,” Smith said.
Smith was one of several speakers who addressed the United Way of Northwest Georgia’s Young Leaders group on Tuesday at Dalton State College. The theme was outdoor activities in Whitfield County and surrounding areas.
“We really wanted people to be aware of the outdoor events and activities that are available here in Dalton,” said Andrea Dobbins, who organizes the Young Leaders program. “Folks who are young and raising families are looking for things to do that are free or low cost. And if they are outside, that’s even better.”
Dalton is, of course, surrounded by the 750,000-acre Chattahoochee National Forest, and Lisa Blackmon, a ranger with the Conasauga Ranger District, spoke of some of the things to do in this area. The Conasauga district includes those parts of the forest in nine Georgia counties, including Whitfield and Murray. It includes more than 300 miles of trail for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding, and 45 miles of trails for off-road vehicles, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles.
“Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t seem to understand that it is illegal to ride motorized vehicles in any area of the forest that isn’t specifically designated for it,” she said.
Among the places to visit in the Chattahoochee is the Lake Conasauga campground near the summit of Grassy Mountain. Lake Conasauga is the highest lake in the state. The campground is open from the middle of April to the end of October and includes restrooms, hiking trails, a picnic area and camping areas.
The Pocket Recreation Area, south and west of Dalton, includes a picnic area, camping areas, restrooms, water for cooking and drinking, as well as a 3.6-mile walking trail.
Conrad Fernandez with the Northwest Georgia chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association said this area is a hotbed of mountain biking.
John Lugthart, a biology professor at Dalton State College, said that he and other volunteers have cleared about two miles of walking trails around the college. He said the Dalton State College Foundation has acquired land that will enable the trails to be extended to the ridge line behind the school. He said they hope to eventually extend those trails along the ridge line to the George Disney Trail in Rocky Face.
