07:31:11, Georgia, 33° 7.319’N, 84° 31.157’W – Plug in this GPS to paddle the Flint River from White Oak Creek Landing and keep a sharp eye out for a couple of features hard to find.

In a few of hours of paddling upstream keep your eyes on the right bank and you might see a tree bent by the Creek Indians over 200 hundred years ago (most likely). There’s a beautiful dry swamp behind it.

Indian Trail Trees are all over the South if you know how to spot one. Goto to www.mountainstewards.org to learn more and to report a tree you may have seen like the one in this post.

Another feature is an old bridge ruin. I’ve seen many built in different past times but this one on the Flint is the oldest. If you’re not careful you’ll paddle right by it. Look for piles of stacked stone crossing the river, no concrete or iron works.

The current is gentle with the occasional deadfall that can easily be navigated around. There are a few shoals to drag over. If you get overheated beach on a sandbank and take a dip in the cool, unpolluted water – just the fix you’ll need to get back on your journey of discovery.

– Steve Tanner