Kayaking Near Canton - Hickory Log Creek Reservoir
Aug 11th, 2009 by Admin 1
My brother-in-law and I couldn’t wait until it was completely full to get out on the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir so this last spring we loaded up the kayak, looked for a spot (which was more difficult than anticipated) and put-in for our first official outing on Canton’s newest body of water. We spent a few hours touring the shoreline and the dam and had fun taking our time on the way around. It rained pretty heavy near the end of our paddle and at one point a crane dive-bombed us when we got too curious about the nest it had created in the middle of the lake on one of the trees most likely left for habitat purposes.
The reservoir will cover around 411 acres when full, and offer 15 total miles of shoreline to the Canton area while supplying a source of drinking water for residents of both Cherokee and Cobb county. As most of you local to the area probably know the water is being pumped through a pipeline to the reservoir from the Etowah River about a mile away and from what I have read is supposed to facilitate regulated withdrawal of about 39 million gallons to be shared by Canton and CCMWA.
The Hickory Log Creek Dam is a 180-feet high, approximately 950 feet wide and one of the largest dams in the state not built by Corps or Georgia Power.
We are currently researching more specifics on access and limitations and will post any finding’s we come up with but if you have occasion to visit and have a self powered or electric powered boat I highly recommend getting over there while its calm and quiet! 
Where did you end up putting in?
Well, I am a little reluctant to say but we ended up taking a dirt road past the dam on the parkway. I won’t say much else except that you will need either 4wheel drive or at least a truck.
We have put in twice (second time today 6/6/10) at the creek entrance to the lake opposite end of the lake from the dam on Fate Conn road near Bluffs Parkway. Have you found out any more information as to when official access areas will be added? Send me an e-mail.