Looking down from Buford Dam to the park.
Everyone should have a special place that is within easy reach where they can go to quietly regain their focus to cope with this crazy, fast moving world. For me, this magic place has always been in a small park just below Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River called Lower Pool West Park. Most of the time, my special place has very few visitors except for some who still love to fish or observe nature. In my case, the always cool waters coming from below Buford Dam brings back wonderful memories and is filled with breathtaking scenery! Encounters with abundant wildlife that include turtles, muskrats, beavers, deer, great blue herons, ospreys, or an occasional eagle are possible, and the lower Chattahoochee River is teeming with explosive brown and rainbow trout to catch.
Water birds in the Chattahoochee River.
Lower Pool Park West is well maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is located directly behind Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River. Driving down to it is possible by a road to the left after crossing Buford Dam on the highway from Gwinnett County.
The Corps has placed picnic tables, grills and restrooms at Lower Pool Park West to make visitor stays more comfortable. There are also scattered benches for those who just want to watch kayakers or fisherman enjoying their pastimes in the river. The concrete boat ramp makes it easy to launch a canoe, kayak or a small boat into the river, but people who use the river below Buford Dam need to be aware that this area can be extremely dangerous due to water releases at the dam! Please call 770-945-1466 for a schedule of water releases from the dam because it takes less than 15 minutes for water released from Buford Dam to begin rising quickly at Lower Pool Park West.
Does at the park.
Hikers can enjoy the nearby Laurel Ridge Trail which is a 3.8-mile trail that provides beautiful views of Lake Lanier, woodlands, the Chattahoochee River, occasional wildlife and glorious wildflowers. You might even be able to observe the goats that are keeping the grass mown on the very steep backside of the dam.
When it comes to fishing in the Chattahoochee River at this beautiful park, the possibilities are great for being successful because the lower river is teeming with explosive brown and rainbow trout to catch! Though the early morning or late evening hours provide a darker, foggy atmosphere that makes trout quite active in the clear waters of the “Hooch,” anglers catch trout throughout the day.
Fisherman at the park: father and son
Learning to fish a fast river with all the currents, obstacles and rapids can take some time, nevertheless, the Chattahoochee River has a healthy population of trout that are fairly easy to catch. So, instead of running off to some exotic place, enjoy the beauty of Lower Pool West Park and experience relaxation, picnicking, hiking, wildlife and some of the best trout fishing available anywhere!
Photos: by Bill Vanderford
