Swinging Over Toccoa River
Toccoa River Swinging Bridge
Deep in the Chattahoochee National Forest, 17 miles northwest of Suches, Georgia, stands the Toccoa River Swinging Bridge. A 3-mile rough gravel road is not for the faint of heart. The winding drive between dense gatherings of mountain laurel and tall pinewoods appears endless in anticipation of the grand swinging structure. After uphill bumps and potholes, a rocky path awaits at the end of Fire Service Road 816. Take the Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT), which intersects with the Duncan Ridge National Recreational Trail, and the Swinging Bridge awaits as a celestial aside for thru-hikers and tourists alike.
Benton MacKaye Trail
Benton MacKaye Trail
We gently gallivant along the footpath, following the blazed white diamonds on the Benton MacKaye Trail, the ground saturated from the previous night’s heavy rains. Twisting vines show the way, roots protrude creating a stair-like formation, and the bark of each tree sinks in more obscurity as we make our way toward the water.
Along the trail, we slither around flat platform rocks for resting points, large roots split in two, and stumps sticking up in the middle of the path. The bark so sodden, it looks as though it could peel off of the tree like an onion, layer by layer, until reaching the root of this place. We dredge through puddles, our boots sinking in the mud, admiring batches of bright green fern. The gusts of wind swirl aromas of wet mulch and wild moss. Left-over rain drops drip down on our faces as we ascend a quarter-mile to the start of the Swinging Bridge, and we suddenly see the river peeking through the long trees.
Toccoa River
Swinging Over the Toccoa River
Constructed in 1977 by the National Forest Service, the 270-foot bridge is the longest swinging bridge east of the Mississippi. As we approach the wooden slats, I imagine walking upon the plank of a pirate ship over rushing waves of the Toccoa River. The river is loud and calls us over to the other side. The anchored suspension cables do not prevent the structure from swinging and bouncing as I hesitatingly climb up onto the bridge and put one foot in front of the other to the end of the wooden connector. The bridge is wet and slippery, but the wooden fenced sides create a sense of safety above the rapid tides of the Toccoa River.
Toccoa River Swinging Bridge
Wilderness of Wonder
Feeling relieved to be on sturdy ground again on the opposite bank, we are greeted with a fork in the trail with either the continuation of the white diamond-blazed Benton MacKaye Trail, the blue rectangle Duncan Ridge National Recreational Trail, a 2-mile meandering uphill footpath along the mountains, or a simple stroll along the red mulched shoreline of the Toccoa River. Due to the weather, we playfully explore the roots and rocks in a wilderness of wonder along the shoreline. A cascading waterfall of jagged rocks and winding branches offers a shady sanctuary with soothing sounds of fresh mountain water. I’m not sure if the misting air is a result of the splashing waterfall or fresh precipitation.
Nearby camp spots arouse the feeling of recent river gatherings. Burnt bark and chopped wood lay along the circular area near the falls, and the river bank opens up to a land of fern, laurel, and sweet-smelling hemlock, where views of the river wind past where the eye can follow.
Waterfall along Toccoa River
Back over the bouncy bridge, more confidently this time, we venture to see what awaits on the other side of the river bank. A congregation of twisted vines and branches creates a doorway to the unknown. We take the secret passageway and surprised to see the daring depths on the other side, we take our time in the fallen leaves, walking atop down timber on the bank and atop giant logs teasingly hanging above the rushing river. Bright green moss encapsulates the root of each forest tree, leading up to the stem tops covered in mushrooms. Endless enchanting canopies of luscious greens are infinite. Time slows down in the mazes of moss and half-hallowed logs, allowing our sense of wonder to widen.
Trail along the Toccoa River
After moseying around for awhile, we take the brief hiking path back to the parking area. The road opens up and swallows us whole back into reality upon solid rocky ground.
Explore More:
Take a hike with us in the Blue Ridge Mountains…