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Hart State Outdoor Recreation Area

http://www.gastateparks.org/Hart

Swimming, boating, water skiing and fishing on Lake Hartwell are prime reasons to visit Hart Outdoor Recreation Area in northeast Georgia. Large mouth bass, hybrid bass, striper, black crappie, bream, rainbow trout and wall-eyed pike can be found in the sparkling waters of this 55,590-acre reservoir. The park’s boat ramps and docks offer easy access to all water sports. Visitors can also enjoy hiking/biking trails and a children’s playground. 

High Falls State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/HighFalls

Located northwest of Macon, High Falls is named for tumbling cascades on the Towaliga River.  Boat rental, ramps and fishing docks provide easy access to the park’s lake, known as one of Georgia’s top fishing spots for hybrid and white bass. Overnight visitors can choose from a spacious campground or lakeside yurts, which are like canvas and wood tents.  Each yurt features a small deck, picnic table and grill outside, plus furniture, electrical outlets and a ceiling fan inside.  During summer, guests may cool off in the park’s swimming pool. 

Hike Inn

http://www.gastateparks.org/HikeInn

Georgia’s only backcountry inn is located at the end of a beautiful five-mile journey through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Parking at the top of the Southeast’s tallest waterfall, inn guests hike a moderate trail that leads to this eco-lodge with only 20 rooms. Dinner and breakfast are included, allowing hikers to carry only their personal items along the trail. A bathhouse with hot showers and composting toilets is centrally located, and meals are served family-style in a colorful dining hall.

Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation Historic Site

http://www.gastateparks.org/HofwylBroadfield

This beautiful plantation represents the history and culture of Georgia’s rice coast. In the early 1800s, William Brailsford of Charleston carved a rice plantation from marshes along the Altamaha River. The plantation and its inhabitants were part of the genteel low country society that developed during the antebellum period. While many factors made rice cultivation increasingly difficult in the years after the Civil War, the family continued to grow rice until 1913.

Indian Springs State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/IndianSprings

Conveniently located near I-75 in middle Georgia, Indian Springs is one of the oldest state parks in the United States and a popular spot for outdoor recreation.  For centuries, Creek Indians collected the spring water for its healing qualities, and during the 1800s, the area was a bustling resort town. Today, visitors can still sample the spring water flowing inside the stone Spring House built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.

James H. (Sloppy) Floyd State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/JamesHFloyd

Surrounded by rural countryside and the Chattahoochee National Forest, this quiet park in northwest Georgia offers outstanding fishing on two stocked lakes. Visitors can hike along three miles of lake loop trails and relax in swings while watching for the many bluebirds that live in the park. The trailhead to the scenic 60-mile Pinhoti Trail is only a 1.6-mile hike away.

Jarrell Plantation Historic Site

http://www.gastateparks.org/JarrellPlantation

Nestled in the red clay hills of Georgia, this cotton plantation was owned by a single family for more than 140 years. It survived Gen. Sherman’s “March to the Sea,” typhoid fever, Emancipation, Reconstruction, the cotton boll weevil, the advent of steam power and a transition from farming to forestry.

Jefferson Davis Historic Site

http://www.gastateparks.org/JeffersonDavis

When Confederate President Jefferson Davis and a few remaining staff members crossed the Savannah River into Georgia on May 3, 1865, they were headed for the Western theater of war where Davis planned to unite rebel forces and continue fighting for the “lost cause.” On May 9, 1865, they camped in this pine forest, not knowing that pursuit was so close behind. At dawn, they were surrounded by two independent groups of Union cavalry who were unaware of each other’s presence. Gunfire ensued until the federal forces realized they had been shooting at one another. Two Union cavalrymen died during the skirmish. Davis was taken prisoner and held in Virginia for two years until released.

John Tanner State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/JohnTanner

Operated by Carroll County, this west Georgia park is best known for its large sand swimming beach. It is a recreational haven for water lovers looking for boating and fishing opportunities as well. Visitors can enjoy camping, picnicking, miniature golf, volleyball, pedal boats and horseshoes. A short nature trail and paved lake loop invite guests to enjoy wooded scenery.

Kolomoki Mounds Historic Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/KolomokiMounds

This historically significant park is the oldest and largest Woodland Indian site in the southeastern United States, occupied by American Indians from 350 to 750 a.d. Georgia’s oldest great temple mound, standing 57 feet high, dominates two smaller burial mounds and several ceremonial mounds. The park’s museum is built around an excavated mound, providing an unusual setting for learning who these people were and how they lived. Inside, visitors will find numerous artifacts and a film.

Lapham-Patterson House Historic Site

http://www.gastateparks.org/LaphamPatterson

The Lapham-Patterson House is a monument to the imagination, creative engineering and craftsmanship of the Victorian Era. Fishscale shingles, oriental-style porch decorations, long-leaf pine inlaid floors, and a remarkable double-flue chimney with a walk-through stairway and cantilevered balcony exemplify the quality and skill of its Victorian creators. Due to its architectural significance, the Lapham-Patterson House was named a National Historic Landmark in 1975.

Laura S. Walker State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/LauraSWalker

Located near the northern edge of the mysterious Okefenokee Swamp, this park is home to many fascinating creatures and plants, including alligators and carnivorous pitcher plants. Walking or biking along the lake’s edge and nature trail, visitors may spot the shy gopher tortoise, numerous oak varieties, saw palmettos, yellow shafted flickers, warblers, owls and great blue herons. The park’s lake offers opportunities for fishing, skiing and boating, and canoes and bicycles are available for rent.  The park’s namesake was a Georgia writer, teacher, civic leader and naturalist who loved trees and worked for their preservation.

Little Ocmulgee State Park and Lodge

http://www.gastateparks.org/LittleOcmulgee

Conveniently located off Highway 441 in south Georgia, this park features a wide variety of amenities. Golfers can test their skills on the 18-hole Wallace Adams Course with clubhouse, golf pro and junior/senior discounts.  During summer, children will especially enjoy the splash pad where they can run through fountains and squirt their friends.  The park’s 2.6-mile Oak Ridge Trail winds through sand hills, scrub oaks and pines, taking hikers to a short boardwalk.

Magnolia Springs State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/MagnoliaSprings

Beautiful Magnolia Springs State Park is known for its crystal clear springs flowing 7 million gallons per day.  A boardwalk spans the cool water, allowing visitors to look for alligators, turtles and other wildlife near the springs. A 28-acre lake is available for fishing and boating. Overnight guests can choose from cottages and a small campground.  Magnolia Springs State Park is part of both the Park Paddlers Club and the Muddy Spokes Club. Paddlers who explore the small lake and bikers who finish a 3-mile loop can work toward earning members-only t-shirts.

Mistletoe State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/Mistletoe

Located on 71,100-acre Clarks Hill Lake near Augusta, this park is known as one of the finest bass fishing spots in the nation.  Fishing docks and boat ramps provide easy access to one of the Southeast’s largest lakes.  During the summer, guests can cool off at the sandy beach or on miles of shaded nature trails.  Many programs are hosted throughout the year, such as astronomy programs, concerts and nature walks.  Bike riders who explore this park can join the Muddy Spokes Club.

Moccasin Creek State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/MoccasinCreek

Sitting on the shores of lovely Lake Burton, Moccasin Creek prides itself on being “where spring spends the summer.”  Despite its mountain location, the park is relatively flat, offering easy navigation for large RVs, children’s bicycles and wheelchairs. A fully accessible fishing pier sits above a trout-filled creek open only to physically challenged visitors, senior citizens and children.

New Echota Historic Site

http://www.gastateparks.org/NewEchota

New Echota is one of the most significant Cherokee Indian sites in the nation and was where the tragic “Trail of Tears” officially began.  In 1825, the Cherokee national legislature established a capital called New Echota at the headwaters of the Oostanaula River.

Panola Mountain State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/PanolaMountain

This unique park near Atlanta protects a 100-acre granite monadnock (mountain) similar to Stone Mountain and Arabia Mountain. Minimally developed, the mountain shelters rare plants of the Piedmont region. During autumn, it is blanketed with colorful Yellow Daisies, while from late winter to early spring, the tiny red Diamorpha showcases its white blooms. Hikers may explore the park’s watershed and granite outcrop on their own, or they may make reservations to join park rangers for guided hikes onto the restricted-access mountain.

Picketts Mill Battlefield Historic Site

http://www.gastateparks.org/PickettsMillBattlefield

Pickett’s Mill is one of the best preserved Civil War battlefields in the nation. Visitors can travel roads used by Federal and Confederate troops, see earthworks constructed by these men, and walk through the same ravine where hundreds died.  An authentic 1800s pioneer cabin is furnished and open for tours during certain events.

Providence Canyon Outdoor Recreation Area

http://www.gastateparks.org/ProvidenceCanyon

Georgia’s “Little Grand Canyon” is a testament to the power of man’s influence on the land. Massive gullies as deep as 150 feet were caused simply by poor farming practices during the 1800s, yet today they make some of the prettiest photographs within the state. The rare Plumleaf Azalea grows only in this region and blooms during July and August when most azaleas have lost their color. The canyon soil’s pink, orange, red and purple hues make a beautiful natural painting at this quiet park.

Red Top Mountain State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/RedTopMountain

This popular park on Lake Allatoona is ideal for swimming, water skiing and fishing. Visitors can bring their own boats or rent from nearby marinas. A sand swimming beach is nestled in a cove and surrounded by trees, providing a great place to cool off during summer.  Picnic shelters and group shelters may be rented for meetings, parties, reunions and other celebrations.  Guests often stay overnight in rental cottages, a spacious campground or the park’s lakeside yurt.  

Reed Bingham State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/ReedBingham

Visitors to this pretty park usually see abundant wildlife, including species such as gopher tortoises, spotted turtles, limpkins, indigo snakes and nesting bald eagles. American alligators are often seen sunning along the lake’s edge. During winter, thousands of “buzzards,” actually black vultures and turkey vultures, roost in the trees and soar overhead. Nearly 80 percent of the Coastal Plain’s plant community can be found along the park’s Coastal Plain Nature Trail, making this park’s habitat some of the most diverse in the country.

Richard B. Russell State Park

http://www.gastateparks.org/RichardBRussell

Located on a 26,650-acre lake, Richard B. Russell State Park offers some of the state’s finest fishing and boating. The park’s campground and fully equipped cottages are located on or near the water’s edge for a relaxing getaway. Most park facilities are designed for wheelchair accessibility, including the swimming beach.  A nature trail follows the shoreline to one of the oldest steel pin bridges in the area, loops through the adjoining woods and returns to the beach.

Robert Toombs House Historic Site

http://www.gastateparks.org/RobertToombs

A legend in his own time, Robert Toombs was a successful planter and lawyer who led a turbulent career as state legislator, U.S. Congressman and Senator. “Defend yourselves; the enemy is at your door . . . !” thundered Toombs from the Senate floor on January 24, 1860. The following year, Georgia seceded from the Union and Toombs personified the South by evolving from conservative Unionist to fire-breathing secessionist. After serving just five months as Confederate Secretary of State, he resigned to serve as brigadier general in the Army of Northern Virginia.

Roosevelt's Little White House Historic Site

http://www.gastateparks.org/LittleWhiteHouse

Franklin Delano Roosevelt built the Little White House in 1932 while governor of New York, prior to being inaugurated as president in 1933. He first came to Warm Springs in 1924 hoping to find a cure for the infantile paralysis (polio) that had struck him in 1921. Swimming in the 88-degree, buoyant spring waters brought him no miracle cure, but it did bring improvement. During FDR’s presidency and the Great Depression, he developed many New Deal Programs (such as the Rural Electrification Administration) based upon his experiences in this small town.
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