SOUTH CAROLINA —As USDA Forest Service employees, we have the honor of stewarding landscapes that transcend our lifetimes. It can be both humbling and encouraging to reflect on the windows in which we designate landscapes under special protections. The Chattooga’s 50th Wild and Scenic anniversary offers the opportunity to do just that while inviting others into the fold.

Throughout 2024, the Forest Service will be working alongside community partners, delivering benefits to the public in celebration of the wild and scenic river stewardship of the Chattooga; one of the last free-flowing undammed rivers in the southeast. A variety of hands-on service events and projects will help secure a lasting future for this iconic river that has played a special role in U.S. conservation history, flowing freely under the care of the Cherokee and other tribes living near its shores since time immemorial.

The energy around the Chattooga is alive with opportunities for both adrenaline and serenity seekers. The journey to designation included identification as a potential wild and scenic river in 1968, a starring role in the movie Deliverance in 1972, and a visit from President Jimmy Carter and subsequent designation in 1974. Three national forests co-manage the Chattooga along a tristate border—the Sumter National Forest in South Carolina, Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina and the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. They collaborate with the local communities that value the many wonders of the river like the canebrakes, waterfalls, fish and abundant recreation opportunities to maintain them and encourage the next generation of stewards. 
Join in the celebration by learning more about the Chattooga at the national forest websites and rivers.gov.

Adapted with permission from Greg Cunningham’s article on American River’s: Celebrating the Chattooga’s 50th Anniversary as a Wild and Scenic River.