The Toccoa River is one of Georgia’s most pristine trout streams. It has its headwaters in Union County, flows into Fannin County and becomes the major feeder stream for Lake Blue Ridge. It resumes it’s flow below the Blue Ridge Dam and travels north into Tennessee, where it is known as the Ocoee River. (Part of the Olympic games were held on the Ocoee River a few years back).

It is very beautiful drive. The water quality is great as well - very clean water on the Toccoa. Trout fishing is excellent. Now above the dam, the  Toccoa River is located about 7 miles out Aska Road. Up there there’s lots of rural valleys, mountain laurel, and rhododendron thickets and lots of wildlife.

The river also has lots of rapids that you can canoe down. There is a place that you can pull over and walk out on these great big rocks. I use to lay out in the sun there when I was a teenager. Loved it! A lot of people like to take inner tubes and float the river in the summer. Too cold for me, but my nine year old loves it! She goes to a Christian camp called CampLink that takes her there in the summer.

If your hungry while your out Aska Road enjoying the beauty, stop and eat at a place called the Toccoa Riverside Restaurant. The food is excellent. Get the pecan crusted trout! It is out of this world. I wouldn’t get the prime rib, though - it’s a hit or miss. But the trout is always out of this world good.

If you do order the Prime Rib or anything else that maybe you decide you don’t like, please don’t say anything to the owner. He’ll just take your plate and tell you he has nothing else for you. My advice is just pay for it and not say a word, unless you don’t mind an embarrassment. He really takes pride in his food.

At this point you are probably saying to yourself - how does she know this, did this happen to her. No, I use to work there on the weekend about 8 years ago made really good money. The best waitress job I ever had. It’s amazing that a restaurant could be so busy so far out there. It’s 8 miles out of Blue Ridge but it sits right on the Toccoa River. It’s definitely a place you would really enjoy stopping at. The food is excellent!

Oh and one more thing I forgot to tell you - don’t stop to use the bathroom without at least buying a soda drink or something. There is a country store in the building so there are plenty of things to pick up and buy. If you think you can stop and just use the restroom, it’s not gonna happen! He’s got everyone patrolling the bathrooms. He’s a pistol!

Toccoa Riverside Restaurant is a great business and people come from everywhere to eat the trout. Get the window table if you decide to go!