TREE AND SHRUBSLeaf it to me

Visiting Georgia on Your Next Road Trip

Georgia, the largest state east of the Mississippi River, offers tourists lots of natural vacation options – southern-style mountain magic, splendid rivers and waterfalls, fragrant forests and unspoiled Atlantic beaches, plus quaint Georgia campgrounds and luxurious Georgia RV camping resorts couched in the middle of it all.  

In the “Peach State’s” mountainous northwest corner in a border town called Rising Fawn, it doesn’t take travelers long to discover Cloudland Canyon, a scenic park that’s a favorite destination for hikers. Located on Lookout Mountain’s western boundary, Cloudland’s elevation plunges dramatically from nearly 2000 feet above sea level at its upper rim to 800 feet at the forested base of the canyon. A massive gorge carved into the mountain by the waters of Sitton Gulch Creek cuts through the core of the park. Cloudland’s steep sandstone cliffs, pine-studded layered shale, wooded canyon bottom and limestone valley floor give visitors a fascinating visual perspective of Georgia’s geologic past. Well-marked trails lead hikers on a loop around the high canyon rim, past two tumbling waterfalls on Daniel Creek, and into Cloudland’s rugged backcountry.     

Another gem in north Georgia’s mountainous region is Unicoi State Park, a 1,000-acre outdoor playground located just outside the Alpine village of Helen. Unicoi presents opportunities for swimming, fishing, paddle boating and canoeing. Consider the park’s additional 20 miles of scenic trails a pleasant bonus for hikers and cyclists. For waterfall enthusiasts, the cascades of Anna Ruby Falls are accessible by footpath and definitely worth a look.

A quick drive south, to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, provides a breath of fresh air, fresh water, and wide open spaces for residents and visitors fleeing the hubbub of metropolitan Atlanta. Just 25 miles north of downtown, this recreation area preserves a 48-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River, as well as bubbling streams, hiking trails, waterfalls and a parcel of Appalachian woodlands. Besides rafting, kayaking and canoeing, Chattahoochee’s recreation area offers an easy riverside hike on the Jones Bridge Trail and plenty of chances to observe Georgia wildlife.

Georgia’s central region is graced with the Oconee National Forest, a 115,000-acre preserve of rolling green hills, lakes, rivers, and wildlife stretching between the cities of Athens and Macon. The forest’s lakes – Oconee, Hillsborough and Sinclair – and the peaceful Oconee River are noted for excellent swimming, boating, canoeing and fishing. And for hikers and horseback riders in your group, there are developed trails winding past the ghost town of Scull Shoals, prehistoric Indian mounds and the Ocmulgee River, where red-breast sunfish are caught in the spring. The highest elevation in Oconee National Forest, 645 feet above sea level, is reached by way of the Burgess Mountain Trail. U.S. Highway 129 runs through the center of Oconee’s forest, splitting the wooded landscape into two pleasing parts, both worth exploring.

A trip to Lumpkin in the southwest portion of the state takes nature lovers to one-of-a-kind Providence Canyon State Conservation Park. Known as “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon,” this recreational area boasts geologic features that were accidentally formed 200 years ago due to farming-related erosion. Sounds like a good example of nature turning lemons into lemonade. Scalloped canyon walls at Providence display dramatic pastel hues of pink, purple and orange while the landscape is brightened with swatches of southern wildflowers, including rarities like Plumleaf Azalea. For those who want to experience a hint of wilderness, there are three miles of hiking paths and seven miles of backpacking trails winding through the craggy terrain.

Near Darien, on Georgia’s southeast coast, travelers find Sapelo Island National Estuarine Sanctuary. Those who arrive via ferry from Meridian might be lucky enough to see white-tailed deer, alligators, undomesticated cows and nesting loggerhead sea turtles on the island’s sandy beaches or among its wax myrtle, loblolly pine and butterfly peas. Meanwhile, birdwatchers catch glimpses of yellow-throated warblers, egrets, painted buntings or any of more than 200-plus feathered species. Lucky shell hunters won’t have to work too hard to uncover such treasures as cockles, angel wings and sand dollars.

A short drive down the Atlantic Coast and a ferry ride from St. Mary’s, Georgia, transports travelers to Cumberland Island National Seashore. Mossy oak forests, shining lakes, salt marshes, mud flats, tidal creeks and miles of tranquil dunes and beaches delight Cumberland’s guests. And why not? It’s a national seashore, replete with otters, bobcats, wild horses, armadillos, minks and bottlenose dolphins. There are sandy trails everywhere, so observant birdwatchers find a huge variety of species, from songbirds and sandpipers to hawks and peregrine falcons. Surfcasting and freshwater fishing are permitted.  

A trip to Georgia’s southeast corner leads travelers to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness Area. This remarkable region encompasses a 700-square-mile tract with the unique designation as the largest peat-producing bog swamp in North America. How’s that for trivia? The sanctuary consists of tree islands, lakes, wetlands, pine and cypress forests, scrub-shrub and prairie grasslands where visitors hear alligators roar, black bears rumble and sandhill cranes bugle. Opportunities for boating, canoeing, fishing and wildlife observation are everywhere, and extraordinary plant life – including carnivores (!) – keep the scene interesting for swamp guests. Georgia campgrounds and Georgia RV camping resorts are nearby all the area attractions, but remember to make reservations, especially in the spring and fall months when Georgia campgrounds are most occupied.

About the Author

Article Courtesy of Woodall’s Campground Directory, where you can search Georgia campgrounds, and Georgia RV camping resorts at the touch of a button. Search for Georgia Campgrounds.

Woodall’s Campground Directory is the largest and most detailed North American Campground Directory available, with nearly 15,000 campgrounds included. Woodall’s rates and inspects privately owned campgrounds with its trusted 5W-5W rating system. Find out more about Woodall’s at Woodalls.com. Woodall’s… We’re everywhere RVers go.

Southland in the Springtime – Indigo Girls

Peach bloom delay and tree responses to fall applications of ethephon (Bulletin) …

Effects of uniconazole on peach tree growth and flowering (Research report) …

The Big Thicket Guidebook: Exploring the Backroads and History of Southeast Texas (Temple Big Thicket Series) $17.55 Start your engines and follow the backroads, the historical paths, and the scenic landscape that were fashioned by geologic Ice Ages and traveled by Big Thicket explorers as well as contemporary park advocates—all as diverse as the Big Thicket itself. From Spanish missionaries to Jayhawkers, and from timber barons to public officials, you will meet some unusual characters who inhabited an except…