25 Things To Do At Georgia's State Parks

By Author: AKM
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There is so much to do at Georgia's 63 state parks and historic parks in Georgia that it can be difficult to know where to begin! Here's a short list to get you started.

There are items on this bucket list for adventurers, historians, sportsmen, academics, and nature lovers. What's on your to-do list?

1. Become a Canyon Climber
The Canyon Climbers Club of Georgia is for those who dare to cross the swinging bridge in Tallulah Gorge, scale Amicalola Falls, explore the depths of Providence Canyon, and master the staircase in Cloudland Canyon. Hike through all four parks and earn rewards for your efforts!

2. Go mountain biking
Take on 68 miles of trails at 20 state parks ranging from Unicoi in Helen to Magnolia Springs in Millen.

3. Try camping for the first time
More than 40 Georgia state parks have campsites equipped with everything you need for a fantastic camping trip. Are you unsure if you'll enjoy camping? Try staying in a yurt, a cross between a tent and a cabin that allows you to test your level of comfort in the great outdoors.
All of the campsites are close to great ...
... places to hike, bike, boat, and other activities. While staying at Unicoi in Helen, visit the nearby Yonah Mountain trails for spectacular views.

4. Commune with alligators
The American Alligator is perhaps the most well-known resident of the Okefenokee Swamp. The 402,000-acre refuge is home to 12,000 of the country's largest reptiles, according to officials. While exploring Stephen C. Foster State Park, keep an eye out for them.

5. Hike Georgia's Little Grand Canyon
Georgia's Little Grand Canyon, also known as Providence Canyon State Outdoor Recreation Area, produces some of the most beautiful photographs in the state. The pink, orange, red, and purple hues of the canyon soil create a beautiful natural painting at this peaceful park.

6. Go ziplining
An aerial adventure tour through the North Georgia mountain canopy is available at Unicoi State Park. Fly through the trees on zip lines and cross suspension bridges for breathtaking lake views and physical thrills you'll never forget!

7. Learn archery
Archery ranges, ranging from traditional static ranges to realistic targets, are available at eight Georgia State Parks. Some parks, such as Panola Mountain State Park, offer archery lessons and events to teach you how to shoot like a pro.

8. Play championship golf
The eight Georgia State Park golf courses, such as Highland Walk Golf Course at Victoria Bryant State Park, will challenge your skills just as well as private courses at a fraction of the cost.

9. Look for Georgia's official state reptile
Gopher tortoises are a threatened species that may be listed as endangered. They live in longleaf pine ecosystems. They can be found in Georgia's south, including Reed Bingham State Park.

10. Explore colonial history
Georgia, one of America's original 13 colonies, has two coastal forts dating back to the 1700s: Fort King George Historic Site in Darien and Fort Morris State Historic Site in Midway.

11. Go birding on the coast
To see osprey, bald eagles, wood storks, and painted buntings, take the Colonial Coast Birding Trail to Crooked River State Park in St. Marys. The Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation State Historic Site in Brunswick is a great place to spot herons, egrets, and ibis.

12. Enjoy a picnic with a view
Dowdell's Knob in F.D. Roosevelt State Park and peace monument is where President Franklin D. Roosevelt used to picnic and think about world affairs. Visitors to the overlook are now greeted by a life-size sculpture of the president.

13. Take your dog for a walk
If you bring your four-legged family member to Georgia's State Parks, you'll see a wagging tail the entire time! Dogs are welcome on most state park trails, including the Sweetwater Creek State Park trail to the mill ruins.

14. Learn about the nation's first major gold rush
Thousands of gold seekers flocked to North Georgia to make their fortunes twenty years before the 1849 gold rush to California. The United States Branch Mint in Dahlonega coined more than $6 million in gold between 1838 and 1861. The Dahlonega Gold Museum provides visitors with an insight into Georgia's mining history.

15. Learn about Cherokee culture
New Echota State Historic Site was the site of the first Indian language newspaper office, a court case that reached the United States Supreme Court, and the gathering of Indians for removal west on the infamous Trail of Tears. See original and reconstructed structures, interpretive exhibits, and a short film.

16. Watch an iron pour
Red Top Mountain State Park hosts an iron pouring demonstration to commemorate North Georgia's rich 19th-century history and mining traditions. Dates can be found on the park's calendar.

17. Go geocaching
The Parks GeoTour includes more than 40 state parks, and the History Trail GeoTour includes 14 historic sites. Take the Wormsloe State Historic Site geo-challenge and search for multiple caches to solve clues and earn prizes.

18. Ride a train
Travel through southwest Georgia in air-conditioned 1949 vintage cars on the Historic SAM Shortline Railroad. There are exciting train stops, such as Georgia Veterans State Park at Lake Blackshear, the Telephone Museum, Americus, and Plains, President Jimmy Carter's home. Check the train's schedule for special events such as visits from Thomas the Tank Engine and Santa Claus!

19. Camp with your horse
Horseback riders are welcome at seven Georgia State Parks, with some parks providing miles of horseback riding trails, equestrian campsites, horse stalls, or riding rings. F.D. Roosevelt State Park offers guided rides.

20. Climb in the trees
You can climb into the canopy of a noble Southern Red Oak that towers over 100 feet at Panola Mountain State Park! You can even spend the night in the tree if you learn how to use ropes to lift yourself into the branches. Look for introduction climbs, night climbs, and sleepovers on the park's calendar.

21. Kayak whitewater rapids
Tallulah Gorge is a two-mile-long and nearly 1,000-foot-deep canyon in the eastern United States. The dam's water release is high enough for paddlers to experience the rapids on the first two weekends of April and the first three weekends of November. Boaters must be extremely skilled in order to navigate Oceana, Bridal Veil, and the other falls. If you don't want to kayak, spectating can be just as exciting!

22. Study the night sky
During astronomy programs at Georgia State Parks such as Mistletoe, Hard Labor Creek, and Red Top Mountain, visitors can view the wonders of the night sky through telescopes and learn about the constellations from park rangers. Other Parks After Dark Events, such as candlelight hikes, twilight paddles, and campfire stories, will allow you to experience the parks like never before.

23. Hear stories of the CCC Boys
During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps built many facilities at Vogel State Park. In the park's museum, which is open seasonally, you can hear stories about the CCC Boys.

24. Climb Georgia's oldest great temple mound
The Kolomoki Mounds State Park, which was occupied by Indians from 350 to 750 A.D., preserves seven Indian mounds, including the 57-foot-high great temple mound. The park's museum, built around an excavated mound, teaches visitors about the ancient people.

25. Experience the darkest skies in Georgia
Stephen C. Foster State Park is one of the best places in the world to gaze at the stars. The gold-tier "International Dark Sky Park" in the Okefenokee Swamp provides spectacular views of the moon, stars, planets, and comets. Check the park's calendar for guided galaxy tours.