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GET ACTIVE OUTSIDE, cont’d<br />
The cross country running trails around<br />
the park are also a heavily used asset for<br />
the fitness set.<br />
Kayaking is also quite popular in<br />
Columbia County. Paddlers are regularly<br />
seen floating down the AUGUSTA<br />
CANAL from SAVANNAH RAPIDS<br />
PARK in Martinez or along B E T T Y ’ S<br />
BRANCH, a tributary that feeds into the<br />
Savannah River. Every April nearly a<br />
thousand paddlers converge on<br />
Riverside Park in Evans for the six-mile<br />
paddle along Betty’s Branch for the<br />
Benderdinker Paddle and Food Festival.<br />
While appreciation for Columbia<br />
County’s great amenities is not lost on<br />
the locals, the venues have also gotten<br />
great national acclaim. In recent years,<br />
Columbia County has hosted the<br />
NCAA DII Soccer Championships, the<br />
AAU Cross Country National<br />
Championships, and the USA Cycling<br />
Marathon Mountain Bike National<br />
Championships. The 2016 US<br />
Adventure Race Nationals were<br />
hosted here and more high profile<br />
events are on the horizon. Our locals<br />
consider themselves fortunate to have<br />
such great diverse recreational<br />
offerings just a short drive from home.<br />
This is a welcoming community of<br />
great people who love to share all we<br />
have to offer.<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
84 | THE NEWCOMERS GUIDE: GREATER AUGUSTA
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