Sandy Ford Rapid
Save this feature with the run it belongs to.
Gauge Conditions
Data from American Whitewater & USGS
Photo
Photo courtesy of American Whitewater
Description
Pretty easy at lower levels. But rather interesting at high water. When 5 falls is too high for mere mortals, lots of boaters end up doing high water runs of section 3. Above 4.5 feet Sandy Ford hides the biggest hole on section 3. Three of my friends tell about a simultaneous cartwheel session in this hole at high flows. 2 of them swam out. The boats ran the narrows without them. Getting the boaters back with the boats got kinda epic.
Just below the rapid on river left is an access point. Whetstone Creek enters the Chattooga here right below Sandy Ford and boaters can hike their boats up this creek for some waterfalls.
Just below the rapid on river left is an access point. Whetstone Creek enters the Chattooga here right below Sandy Ford and boaters can hike their boats up this creek for some waterfalls.
Location
Interactive river map
Loads as you approach this section.
Other Rapids on This Run (19)
Rapid
N/A
Earls Ford
Rapid
II+
Warwoman Rapid
Rapid
II
First Island Rapid
Rapid
II+
Rock Garden
Rapid
III
3 Rooster Tails
Rapid
III+
Dicks Creek Ledge
Rapid
III
Narrows - First Half
Rapid
III+
The Narrows - Second Half
Rapid
III
Second Ledge
Rapid
III+
Eye of the Needle
Rapid
Fall Creek
Rapid
III
Rollercoaster
Rapid
III+
Painted Rock
Rapid
N/A
Thrifts Ferry Access Parking
Playspot
II+
Thrifts Ferry
Rapid
II
Kick n’ the butt
Rapid
IV
Bull Sluice
Rapid
Bull Sluice (high water)
Rapid
N/A
Highway 76 Take Out
View Full Run
Section 3 - Earls Ford to Route 76 Bridge
Chattooga
II-III+(IV)
12.0 mi
Current Conditions
5-Day Forecast
Whitewater data from
American Whitewater
American Whitewater