Shoot the Hooch: A Complete Guide to Tubing the Chattahoochee

Grab some friends, a cooler full of beer, and a ton of sunscreen and spend the day floating down the river! Tubing the Chattahoochee River is a popular summer activity for Atlanta’s locals and tourists alike, earning it’s own rhyming nickname: Shoot the Hooch. And there’s no better way to cool off than an ice cold dip in the Chattahoochee.

Tubing on the Chattahoochee River is one of the best summer activities in Atlanta! Shooting the Hooch is a unique thing to do in Atlanta and is the best way to beat the summer heat.

Learn how to plan the ultimate tubing trip with my top tips! You’ll learn all the information you need about where and when to Shoot the Hooch, what equipment you will need, and tips for having a safe trip down the river.

What is the Hooch?

The Chattahoochee River is a 430 mile long river that runs from the northeast corner of Georgia to the southwest corner of the state.

The name Chattahoochee comes from the Muskogee word meaning “marked or painted rocks”. The name refers to the colorful granite outcroppings along the river.

To Georgia locals, the Chattahoochee River is known as the Hooch.

Shoot the Hooch

You have two options for shooting the Hooch: you can do it yourself, or you can book with an outfitter who will provide everything you need.

If you’re local, I recommend shooting the Hooch yourself; you’ll need to buy all the equipment, but it’s worth it if you shoot the Hooch every summer or multiple times in the season.

If you’re visiting, you’ll definitely want to go with an outfitter so you don’t have to worry about buying the gear.

Shooting the Hooch Yourself

I highly recommend launching yourself. Especially if you’re a local and plan on tubing multiple times throughout the summer.

All you really need are tubes, life vests, and a couple cars. If you want to really make the experience, though, you can find everything you need to shoot the hooch below.

Once you’ve gotten everything you need, all you have to do is find a place to launch. There are a lot of places you can start, like from the parking lot of the Cochran Shoals Trail. We typically launch from Roswell Underpass Park and float to Azalea Park.

When you launch yourself, you’ll need two cars. It can take a lot of logistics and planning to get everyone where they need to be for launching and take-out, but it saves a lot of money if you plan on tubing all summer long.

Our drop-off method typically goes like this:

• Drop off the tubes and most of our party at the launch point
• Inflate the tubes using car pumps
• The two drivers take both cars to the take-out point
• They leave one car and both ride back to the launch point in the other car
• We all float down the river to the take-out point
• The two drivers take the car back to the launch point
• Finally, they bring both cars back to the take-out point to load everything up

It’s not a very quick process, but it works!

What You Need to Shoot the Hooch Yourself

If you want the adventure of shooting the hooch all by yourself, you’ll need to come prepared with all the essentials.

And after going tubing about a million times, I’ve put together the ultimate list of everything you’ll need to shoot the Hooch yourself.

Shoot the Hooch Must-Haves

The following are all the things you absolutely need to be able to tube on the river.

• Gotta have a tube! Kevin and I love using this River Run double tube so that we are never separated from each other, and it comes with a built-in cooler! And if others in your group have the same brand tube, the tubes can link together so you won’t get separated from the group.
• An Electric Air Pump or two for blowing up the tubes quickly so you can get on the river already!
• One life jacket for each person because it’s the law! You don’t have to wear it on most parts of the river, but you do have to have it accessible on the river. We just clip them to the ropes around our tubes.

Items to Make Tubing the River Easier

The following aren’t necessities, but they sure are nice to have. These items will help save you from losing your phone, getting electronics wet, and avoiding other obstacles you may encounter while you tube the river.

• A Floating Wrist Strap for your phone, just in case it goes overboard.
• And of course a waterproof phone case if your phone isn’t already waterproof.
• A wireless waterproof speaker so that you can jam out the whole way down the river.
• Paddles come in handy if you get separated from your group, have to avoid river obstacles, or want to speed up your floating so you can get off the river.
• Water shoes. You never know what’s sitting on the river floor, and you’ll want your feet to be protected. Plus, it will make stepping on rocks to get in and out of the river easier.
• A waterproof pouch for keys, drivers licenses, and phones. You may also want a bigger waterproof bag to keep your snacks, sunscreen, and other extra large items in.

The Things You’ve Already Thought of But Might Forget to Put In the Car

You’ve probably already thought to bring sunscreen and alcohol (the whole point of shooting the Hooch is to drink in the sun, after all), but I’m here to make sure you actually put it in the car and don’t leave that stuff on the kitchen counter.

• The sun essentials: Sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats.
• If you’re like me and attract all the bugs, bug spray never hurts to have on hand.
• Snacks are really great to have, especially if your river trip turns into full day activity.
• Ice or ice packs, because although the river is cold, you want your drinks to be colder.
• Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol — in plastic or aluminum cans, no glass or Styrofoam allowed. I have been reunited with Rekorderlig Cider since it has finally come to Atlanta, and I am in heaven.
• A bag for trash. Whether it’s a mesh bag, a plastic bag, or your waterproof bag, make sure you store your trash so you can take it with you and dispose of it properly when you leave.
• Bring towels and a change of clothes to leave in the car so you can dry off before driving home.

Now you’re well prepared for a float down the Chattahoochee!

Shooting the Hooch with an Outfitter

If you don’t want to launch yourself, there are plenty of outfitters to choose from who will rent out tubes, life jackets, and coolers and will bus you to a launch point on the river.

The Nantahala Outdoor Center is a great option that launches from just outside the I-285 Perimeter. You can take a 2 hour or a 4 hour trip down the river over gentle currents. It’s the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area’s only on-site outfitter.

An outfitter will set you up with all the things you’ll need: an inner tube and a lifejacket. Then they will bus you up the river to a launching point and will help you into the river. When you’ve floated back down the river, they’ll help you get out and return your rentals.

What it’s like to Shoot the Hooch

The Chattahoochee River is very cold. The water is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit when it comes out of the dam. The rest of the day, the river is typically 65-68 degrees.

The worst part is first stepping into the river, trying to get into deep enough water to float and trying to corral your fleet of tubes together.

The best thing to do is to tie all your tubes together (but not with the life vests that you’re required to have handy) so your group doesn’t get separated. Once you’re all pulled together with your cooler floating between you (and your butt has gone numb from the coldness of the water), you’re free to relax and drink and tan as you drift down the river.

At the end point, you’ll have to again corral your tube fleet to the side of the river and dip your feet back into the ice cold water to exit, but by then you’re usually numb to the cold!

Don’t forget to check out my complete Shoot the Hooch Packing Guide so you don’t forget anything important on the river!

Shoot the Hooch FAQ

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• Summer Fun at Fins Up Water Park, Margaritaville at Lanier Islands

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Ready to Shoot the Hooch in Atlanta, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Atlanta using Hotels.com.
• Save on Attractions: Save 40% on admission to Atlanta’s top attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS.

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Cheers!

Paige

Have you gone tubing on the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta, Georgia? Let me know in the comments!