In North Carolina, new trails — all located south of Cashiers in the Nantahala National Forest — include:

• Greens Creek Trail, a 0.28-mile trail to a put-in only ramp. 
• County Line Trail, a 1.2-mile trail along an old roadbed to a put-in and take-out access just downstream of Norton Mill Creek. 
• Bullpen Bridge, a put-in and take-out about 100 feet upstream of the bridge. A short trail will be built below the bridge. 

Access trails will also be built at Burrell Ford Bridge in Georgia and Lick Log Creek on the South Carolina stretch of the Chattooga.

Paddlers have only recently won the right to use the river following a years-long battle between paddlers who wanted to use the river and opponents who feared that paddlers would diminish the wilderness experience and cause lasting environmental damage.

In 2012, the U.S. Forest Service decided to end the ban but limited paddling to periods of high water and only during winter and early spring. The river lacked adequate trail access to facilitate paddling, however, which the new trails will address. 

“Boaters, hikers and fisherman alike will now have designated and safe access to this incredible resource,” said Nantahala District Ranger, Mike Wilkins. “We are pleased to protect the wild and scenic values of the river while providing sustainable trails, put-ins and take-outs.”