Join us as we set out to Rediscover The Chattahoochee one paddle stroke at a time.

Dear Friends of the Chattahoochee,

In this edition, we enter a season of awakening. The plants and animals in the environment around us have rekindled their energy from winter’s gifts and are preparing to reemerge. This March we encourage you to do the same with your awareness in relation to each of our individual definitions of the river. I would like to present to you our campaign to Rediscover the Chattahoochee.

Two adventurers will set out on an expedition to rediscover the Chattahoochee River one paddle stroke at a time. This high endurance challenge will lead our participants over 500 miles from the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River in the Appalachian Mountains to the Apalachicola river basin where it meets the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, Stephen and Jared will cultivate a new conversation around historic and natural landmarks which embody this sacred river system we so often overlook.

Who We Are

Stephen Burden is a local to Forsyth County, Georgia, and is an avid outdoorsman and adventurer. He has paddled many rivers of many different styles all over the southeast, with distances of up to 400 miles and heights including 50-foot waterfalls. This will be Stephen’s second journey down the length of the Chattahoochee, and his first following it all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

Another local to the Hooch, Jarod Horne hails from Phenix City. Also an expert outdoorsman, he enjoys his time skiing, kayaking, and climbing near his current residence in Buena Vista, Colorado. He discovered his love of adventure and water on the Chattahoochee, kayaking on the flooded winter waters and braving massive waves.

Join Stephen Burden, Jarod Horne, and the Chattahoochee River Conservancy on a 500-mile expedition to rediscover the beauty of the Chattahoochee River and the communities that call it home.