Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area preserves a 48-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River between Atlanta and Lake Sidney Lanier as a chain of sites that blend outdoor recreation with historic landscapes. Established in 1978, it became the first river designated a National Water Trail in 2012. Its 10,000 acres support fishing, boating, canoeing, rafting, tubing, and trail use, while rangers patrol by land and water. Notable sections include Cochran Shoals, Sope Creek, the East and West Palisades, Powers Island, and Vickery Creek, where scenic features and surviving mill and ferry sites connect the river corridor to Georgia’s industrial and Civil War-era history.