Extraordinary Escapes at Georgia State Parks

The landscape may be a sea of grass, but its contours make it easy to imagine the vibrant settlement that once occupied this 54-acre plot. Constructed by the Mississippian people between 1000 and 1550 A.D., six earthen mounds rise above a broad expanse that once served as a central plaza. Surrounding it all are 10-foot defensive ditches and the sparkling Etowah River, which still holds the Native Americans’ ingenious stone fish traps. Etowah is the most intact site of its kind in the Southeast.

Visit Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site

This quad-busting, 7.2-mile grind is worth it for the sweeping views and forested beauty. As the most advanced hike in Georgia’s highest-elevation state park, the James E. Edmonds Backcountry Trail challenges with lengthy and steep ascents, especially on the latter half, along with stunning Blue Ridge panoramas. Survey the scenic Wolffork Valley, miles of indigo peaks and a vivid palette of wildflowers: flaming azaleas and deep-purple trillium in spring, pale-pink mountain laurel in summer. Other features include cascading streams and a sparkling lake. Recuperate in a rocking chair on the porch at one of the park’s 10 newly renovated cottages for a helping of blissful solitude.

Visit Black Rock Mountain State Park

The vast, glassy surface of Georgia’s largest reservoir, Clarks Hill Lake, makes an especially beautiful mirror for pink-streaked skies at this family-friendly park. Take in the view from 10 fully equipped cottages and cabins overlooking the water, a lakeside “tent cabin” for four (bring your sleeping bags) or campsites on a peninsula surrounded by open water — which means you can watch the sun set and rise without moving your hammock. When you’re not kicking up your feet, hike or mountain bike on more than 15 miles of shaded trails, play on a sandy beach, rent a kayak to explore numerous quiet coves or try your luck reeling in the trophy bass for which the reservoir is famous.

Visit Mistletoe State Park

Perched on Lookout Mountain, this poetically named park is known to hold the state’s most spectacular scenery, revealed to visitors across 64 miles of footpaths. Backpacker magazine named the West Rim Loop Trail one of the country’s best day hikes thanks to endless views of a 1,000-foot chasm—a playground for birds of prey, who float and dive over the lush foliage below. Tackle 600 metal stairs to admire a pair of waterfalls plunging over sandstone cliffs into emerald pools, and hike deeper into the canyon to experience a serene hemlock forest. No need to pack it all into one day: The park offers 16 cottages, a variety of campsites and — for the glamping crowd — 10 canvas yurts.

Visit Cloudland Canyon State Park

The centerpiece of this South Georgia gem is a 412-acre blackwater pond that’s so scenic and tranquil, you won’t mind sharing it with the occasional gator. To paddle it is to navigate around grand cypress trees draped with Spanish moss and crowned with osprey nests. Bring your own kayak or rent one from the park, and then skim past lily pads, turtles sunning on logs and a covered bridge from an 1879-built mill. On dry land, keep an eye out for endangered gopher tortoises along 7 miles of hiking trails, and spend the night in one of the spacious cottages or waterside campsites that bring the otherworldly beauty right to your door.

Visit George L. Smith State Park

Once upon a time, a VIP named FDR came to GA for a little R&R, then formed the CCC. Translation: From the 1920s to the 1940s, former U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt frequently traveled to Warm Springs to recover from the crippling after-effects of polio. In 1932, he built a modest vacation cottage — today a national historic landmark where visitors can tour the property and see artifacts such as his hand-controlled Ford convertible and the “Unfinished Portrait” for which he was sitting when he collapsed and died at the home in 1945. Historians credit FDR’s time in rural Georgia with inspiring the public works programs of the New Deal, among them the Civilian Conservation Corps, which erected many of the state and national parks we enjoy today.

Visit Roosevelt's Little White House State Historic Site

If you’ve ever traveled through the American Southwest, you’ll find this sight oddly familiar, with its mineral-streaked gullies, chimney-shaped rocks and narrow gorges that stretch across 300 acres. Aptly known as Georgia’s “Little Grand Canyon,” the park makes for an unforgettable day hike or overnight camping adventure. Ten miles of trails, including a 7-mile backcountry loop, showcase the striking colors and textures. Bring shoes you don’t mind getting a little dirty while exploring the canyon floor, home to uncommon flora such as bigleaf magnolias and plumleaf azaleas.

Visit Providence Canyon State Park

Marking the confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers, 37,500-acre Lake Seminole is broad enough to accommodate tube-toting pontoons, peaceful enough for a scenic paddle and one of the top fishing destinations in Georgia. Rent a kayak on site and explore lily-pad-loaded coves, or bring your tackle box to hook catfish, crappie or bass from the large dock. Kids will love making sandcastles by the swimming area or s’mores at the cottage firepits. Hike the 2.2-mile Gopher Tortoise Trail, and keep your eyes peeled for alligators, bald eagles and the telltale burrows of the path’s namesake reptile.

Visit Seminole State Park

At 2 miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep, this magnificent gash in the earth incites awe from every angle. Casual onlookers can view its thundering waterfalls from a flat rim trail, while adventurers may aspire to cross a knee-buckling suspension bridge or rock-hop along the gorge floor. Don’t neglect more serene vantage points, including a paved path along the Tallulah River and a sandy beach on Tallulah Lake — a summertime treat in a park famed for fall color. Visit on dam-release days in April and November to watch skilled kayakers brave the churning waters.

Visit Tallulah Gorge State Park

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