25 Things to Do at Georgia's State Parks

Georgia's Canyon Climbers Club is for those few who brave the swinging bridge in Tallulah Gorge, scale to the top of Amicalola Falls, explore the depths of Providence Canyon, and master the staircase in Cloudland Canyon. Hike all four parks and earn rewards for your adventures!

Join the Muddy Spokes Club, and set out to tackle 68 miles of trails at 20 state parks from Unicoi in Helen to Magnolia Springs in Millen. Complete 12 of the 20 parks and earn a certificate!

More than 40 Georgia state parks offer campsites with everything you need for a terrific camping experience. Not sure if you'll enjoy camping? Try staying in a yurt, a cross between a tent and a cabin, that lets you test your comfort level with the great outdoors.

All of the campsites are located near great places to hike, bike, boat and more. While staying at Unicoi in Helen, venture to the nearby trails on Yonah Mountain for spectacular views.

See more camping options in 9 Amazing Ways to Go Camping Without a Tent.

Perhaps the most famous inhabitant of the Okefenokee Swamp is the American Alligator. Officials estimate that 12,000 of the country's largest reptile live within the 402,000-acre refuge. Keep an eye out for them while you explore Stephen C. Foster State Park.

Otherwise known as Providence Canyon State Outdoor Recreation Area, Georgia's Little Grand Canyon makes some of the prettiest photographs within the state. The canyon soil's pink, orange, red and purple hues make a beautiful natural painting at this quiet park.

Related: Visit Brent Cobb's Favorite Places in Southwest Georgia

At Unicoi State Park, you can fly through the North Georgia mountain canopy on an aerial adventure tour. Soar through the trees on zip lines and cross suspension bridges to get unbelievable lake views and physical thrills you won't soon forget!

Eight Georgia State Parks have archery ranges, ranging from traditional static ranges to realistic targets. Some parks, including Panola Mountain State Park, offer archery lessons and events, so you can learn how to take aim like a pro.

With designs that take advantage of the diverse terrain across the state, 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 and at a fraction of the cost.

Residents of longleaf pine ecosystems, gopher tortoises are a threatened species and a candidate for listing as endangered. They can be found in the southern part of Georgia, including at Reed Bingham State Park.

One of the original 13 colonies of the United States, Georgia has two coastal forts dating back to the 1700s: Fort King George Historic Site in Darien and Fort Morris State Historic Site in Midway.

Follow the Colonial Coast Birding Trail to Crooked River State Park in St. Marys to spot osprey, bald eagles, wood storks and painted buntings. Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation State Historic Site in Brunswick is an excellent spot to look for herons, egrets and ibis.

At F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Dowdell's Knob is where President Franklin D. Roosevelt sometimes picnicked and pondered world affairs. A life-size sculpture of the president now welcomes visitors to the overlook.

Bring your four-legged family member along to Georgia's State Parks, and you’ll see a wagging tail the whole time! Dogs are welcome on most state park trails, including the trail to the mill ruins at Sweetwater Creek State Park.

Twenty years before the 1849 gold rush to California, thousands of gold seekers flocked into North Georgia to make their fortunes. Between 1838 and 1861, more than $6 million in gold was coined by the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega. The Dahlonega Gold Museum offers visitors a look at Georgia's mining history.

During its short history, New Echota State Historic Site was the site of the first Indian language newspaper office, a court case that carried to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the assembly of Indians for removal west on the infamous Trail of Tears. See several original and reconstructed buildings, interpretive exhibits and a short film.

Celebrate North Georgia's rich 19th-century history and mining traditions while watching an iron pouring demonstration at Red Top Mountain State Park. Check the park's calendar for dates.

More than 40 state parks participate in the Parks GeoTour, and 14 historic sites are on the History Trail GeoTour. Take the geo-challenge at Wormsloe State Historic Site and search for multiple caches to solve clues and earn prizes.

Ride the rails on the Historic SAM Shortline Railroad through southwest Georgia in air-conditioned 1949 vintage cars. There are fun and exciting train stops, including at Georgia Veterans State Park at Lake Blackshear and in Plains, the home of President Jimmy Carter. Check the train's schedule for special events like visits from Thomas the Train and Santa!

Seven Georgia State Parks welcome horseback riders, with some parks offering miles of horseback riding trails, equestrian campsites, horse stalls or riding rings. Guided rides are available at F.D. Roosevelt State Park.

At Panola Mountain State Park, you can climb into the canopy of a noble Southern Red Oak that tops out around 100 feet! Learn how to use ropes to lift yourself into the branches. Check the park's calendar for introduction climbs.

One of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern U.S., Tallulah Gorge is two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep. The first two weekends of April and first three weekends of November are when the dam’s water release is high enough for paddlers to experience the rapids. Boaters must be quite skilled to tackle Oceana, Bridal Veil and the other falls. If you're not up for kayaking, spectating can be just as thrilling!

View the wonders of the night sky through telescopes, and learn about the constellations from park rangers during astronomy programs at Georgia State Parks, including at Mistletoe, Hard Labor Creek and Red Top Mountain. Experience the parks like never before at other Parks After Dark Events, such as candlelight hikes, twilight paddles and campfire stories.

Many facilities at Vogel State Park were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corp during the Great Depression. Hear stories of the CCC Boys in the park's museum, open seasonally.

Occupied by Indians from 350 to 750 A.D., the historically significant Kolomoki Mounds State Park preserves seven Indian mounds, including the 57-foot-high great temple mound. Learn about the ancient people in the park's museum, built around an excavated mound.

Stephen C. Foster State Park is among the best spots in the world for star gazing. The gold-tier "International Dark Sky Park" located in the Okefenokee Swamp offers exceptional views of the moon, stars, planets and comets. Check the park's calendar for guided tours of the galaxy.