For those of us who enjoy getting out in the woods with our dogs, one of the best things about warm weather is the opportunity to hike the wet trails. These are trails that follow a stream and frequently cross it, forcing you to get, as the name implies, wet. These hikes keep you cool on the hottest day, and give the dogs a chance to have more fun than is humanly possible.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 sought to set aside areas of land that would be allowed to grow and become what they would, unaltered by man. The act describes wilderness as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain”. This act of preservation is a gift to ourselves, and to those who follow, a token reparation to the planet we have altered so.

A true wilderness area is difficult to find, especially in the east, where mans presence has been heavy. The Cohutta Wilderness Area in north Georgia was set aside in 1975, and added to in 1986, so that it now encompasses over 37,000 acres. Although it was logged early in the last century, time will erase almost all traces of the past.

The Cohutta Wilderness Area has within it almost 90 miles of hiking trails, and among them are two of the best wet trails in this state or any other. The Jacks River Trail is the better known of the two, and gets more visitors. While not as popular as Jacks River Trail, the Conasauga River Trail is in many ways a more enjoyable hike. If you enjoy quiet and solitude, you’ll like it here, and although it is not as wide as Jacks River, the Conasauga has more quiet pools to cool off in. Both are mountain streams with the kind of crystal clear water you don’t see often in Georgia.

The Conasauga Trail starts on top of a mountain and the first mile is downhill to the river. That should tell you what the last mile will be like. The trail begins on an old road across from the parking area, and soon turns to the right and into the woods. Descending through a hard-wood forest, crossing an occasional brook, it takes about 45 minutes to reach the river. It’s time to get your feet wet!

Measuring distance traveled in the woods is nearly impossible, and who cares anyway? On a trail like this, where you come back out the way you went in, it is better to measure the amount of time you have hiked. Remember, two hours in, two hours out, maybe a little more going up. Leave time to relax, eat, take a dip, and play in the water with the dog.

An old pair of athletic shoes is perfect for stream walking. You know, the ones at the back of your closet that you won’t wear in public, but won’t throw out because they are still good for something. Well, this is it. A walking stick is really handy for keeping your balance on slippery rocks.

As soon as it reaches the river, the trail crosses it, so you get your feet wet right away. It’s just as well, you're going to be in out of the water from now on, so you might as well get used to squishy shoes. Most dogs love this part; the water is clear and shallow, and they can run and splash around in it, do “dog stuff”, and have a ball.

ost places where the trail crosses the stream are shallow, and easy, but a few differ. At the 3rd or 4th crossing, the water is deeper, but slow moving. Depending on the rainfall, it can be waist to chest high. There is a nice campground here, and the river forms a natural pool you can swim in.

Farther on, at the 7th crossing, the water is deep and fast, but a cable has been hung across the river to help you cross. It’s fun and not that hard to cross.

This is a fun trail for people with a sense of adventure who don’t mind getting wet, and their dogs.

Take I-75 north to Dalton, exit 333; go right on Hwy 52 for 13 miles to Hwy 411, then left for 12 miles. Look for Greg’s General Store on the left. Turn right on State Road #2. Cisco Baptist Church is on the corner. In about a mile it becomes a dirt forest service road. When the road forks, stay to the right for 4 miles to a well signed intersection, then go right toward Conasauga Lake. When the road forks again, go left, away from the lake for about another mile to the Conasauga River Trail parking area.