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Georgia

Georgia Road Trip Itinerary

February 21, 2024 Raven About The Parks 3 Comments

Georgia

36,808,634 acres (1.6% of U.S.)

Statehood 1788 (4th of 50)

Capital: Atlanta

Population: 10,711,908 (8th of 50)

High Point: Brasstown Bald (4,784 feet)

Best time of year: Spring for mild temperatures and flowering dogwood blooms

We recently published our guidebook 50 States of Great: Road Trip Guide to America, so we decided to start a new type of blog post where we create a travel itinerary for all 50 states, in addition to our usual National Forest and National Park entries. After starting with Kansas, we decided to do an east coast state. We made an ambitious seven-day plan starting in the northwest corner of Georgia, with many options to extend the trip.

Day 1

Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area (click here for our blog post)

Formerly named after Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (click here for our blog post) is marked with a bronze plaque and trail register. Most backpackers start from potholed Forest Service Road 42 and ascend 0.9 miles south to the summit then spend the night in the open-front trail shelter or turn around to head back north. For day hikers, a nice option is to add the eastern part of the Benton MacKaye Trail to make a 4.7-mile loop that passes Owen Vista.

Chattahoochee National Forest (click here for our blog post)

The Gennett Poplar (a tulip-poplar tree more than five feet in diameter) is accessed by hiking 1.8 miles out-and-back with two stream crossings on the Bear Creek Tail. Other large tulip-poplars and yellow buckeyes are found in 175-acre Sosebee Cove Scenic Area. You can spend the night riverside at the free Hickey Gap Campground, one of our Top 10 National Forest Campgrounds.

Optional stop at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (click here for our blog post)

Half of this park is situated in Tennessee around Lookout Mountain, but at Georgia’s Chickamauga battlefield a seven-mile long driving tour explains what happened there on September 20, 1863.

Optional stops at Brasstown Bald, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Amicolola Falls State Park, and Cloudland Canyon State Park

Start your itinerary a day early in Georgia’s northeast corner by enjoying some State Parks and the state’s high point Brasstown Bald, managed by Chattahoochee National Forest.

Day 2

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (click here for our blog post)

Wait out the morning traffic into Atlanta by driving or hiking to the top of this steep hill in the city’s suburbs.

Georgia Aquarium

Holding more than 10-million gallons of water in its numerous tanks, Georgia Aquarium is the best in the nation (even better than California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium). It contains more than 500 aquatic species, but the most impressive are the 30-foot-long whale sharks that reside in the 6.3-million-gallon Ocean Voyager Gallery, the world’s largest indoor marine exhibit.

Optional stop at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (click here for our blog post)

A short walk from the visitor center is required to enter King’s boyhood home (which is wheelchair accessible). Silence is mandatory while inside. Outside the neighboring King Center, the Reflection Pool contains the tombs of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King, as well as an eternal flame.

Optional stop at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (click here for our blog post)

Established in 1978, this park is a combination of government jurisdictions and private land that protects 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River downstream from Lake Sidney Lanier northeast of Atlanta. Due to its lack of large rapids it is popular with canoers.

Day 3

Andersonville National Historic Site (click here for our blog post)

This notorious Civil War prison remains an active military cemetery and is also home to the National Prisoner of War Museum run by the National Park Service. This may not be the best place to bring children, given that the exhibits in the museum do not pull punches in their depictions of the brutality endured by captured combatants throughout the ages.

Museum of Aviation in Macon

This free Air Force aviation museum has airplanes on display both inside and outside, everything from a P-40 Flying Tiger to an SR-71 Blackbird.

Optional stop at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park (click here for our blog post)

One of the best examples of temple mounds from the Mississippian Culture that began around 1,100 years ago. Starting from the National Park Service museum (which contains artifacts dating back to 8000 B.C.E.), walk under the railroad tracks, go inside the replica earth lodge, and up the stairs to access the top of the 55-foot-tall Great Temple Mound.

Day 4

Savannah

Savannah is a great city for walking that offers countless public squares, beautifully landscaped Forsyth Park with its iconic fountain, spooky Bonaventure Cemetery (see photo), legendary River Street shopping district, and architectural gems like the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (who founded the Girl Scouts of America in 1912). Do not miss a photo at the tree-lined entrance to Wormsloe State Historic Site, a plantation located on the edge of an expansive marsh.

Optional stop at Tybee Island

After touring the city, drive on to the Atlantic Ocean for some beach time. Once you have soaked up some saltwater, sand, and sun, check out the Tybee Island Light Station and Museum, built at this site in 1773, then reconstructed after the Civil War. Also, check out the nearby World War II-era Battery Garland in the decommissioned Fort Screven.

Day 5

Fort Pulaski National Monument (click here for our blog post)

Located 17 miles from Savannah on Cockspur Island, photogenic Fort Pulaski National Monument protects a brick fort named for a Polish Count who was killed in action during the American Revolution. Claimed by the Confederacy early during the Civil War, it was surrendered to the Union Army in April 1862 after thirty hours of shelling from nearby Tybee Island.

Optional stop at Fort Frederica National Monument (click here for our blog post)

The British established Fort Frederica in the 1730s to stop Spanish encroachment from Florida into their American colonies. The town that formed around the fort peaked at a population of 1,000. Today it is a beautiful setting with tabby wall ruins and Spanish moss-draped trees.

Day 6

Cumberland Island National Seashore (click here for our blog post)

Only accessible by boat, most visitors arrive by ferry from St. Marys (reservations recommended) and spend a full day here. Bicycles can be rented once you arrive on the island (they are not allowed on the ferry) and are permitted on the many miles of roads, but not on the trails or beach. While it is fun to spend time beachcombing or seeing the ruins of the Dungeness mansion, what really sets Cumberland Island apart are the 50 miles of hiking trails that cut through the maritime forest of twisty live oak trees. Watch for feral horses, white-tailed deer, armadillos, turkeys, and other birds along the way.

Day 7

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

The largest freshwater wetlands in the country are home to about 12,000 alligators. The baldcypress swamp spreads across 448,000 acres around the Suwannee River. There are no roads across Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and it is most easily accessible from the west through Stephen C. Foster State Park, which has a campground and kayak rentals to access camping platforms in the swamp.

Day 8+ optional swing through western Georgia

Providence Canyon State Park

Clearing the forests for farmland in the mid-1800s is what allowed these 16 gullies to erode the soft red-clay hills into the colorful spectacle they are today (with many shades of orange, pink, lavender, and yellow). The 1,003-acre State Park was established in 1971 to protect the area and it is featured as a U-Haul Super Graphic. The best views are from the rim walk, but to truly appreciate the depth (up to 150 feet deep) and palette of colors you need to hike down into some of the nine canyons with trails.

Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains

The former Governor, Nobel Peace Prize-winner, and U.S. President Jimmy Carter is the most well-known peanut farmer in Georgia, and was a regular at the Plains Peanut Festival held every September. The National Park Service manages the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park with two visitor centers, one at the former Plains High School and the other at the family’s 360-acre farm.

Learn more about Georgia’s Most Scenic Drive, Wonderful Waterfall, Top State Park, and other categories in in our new travel guidebook 50 States of Great: Road Trip Guide to America.

Georgia

Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area

August 3, 2022 Raven About The Parks Leave a comment

Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area

Georgia

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Chattahoochee National Forest

23,330 acres

Overview

Your first question is probably, “Who is Ed Jenkins?” Edgar Lanier Jenkins (1933-2012) was a politician who served as one of Georgia’s U.S. Congressional representatives from 1977 to 1993. This spot was initially proposed as Springer Mountain National Recreation Area, but was renamed when established in 1991. If Springer Mountain sounds familiar, that is because it is the southern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail that runs 2,185 miles to Katahdin in Maine through numerous National Forests (as well as Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks). A memorable part of Bill Bryson’s book A Walk in the Woods takes place in Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area.

Highlights

Benton MacKaye Trail, Owen Vista, Appalachian National Scenic Trail southern terminus

Must-Do Activity

The southern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail was at Mt. Oglethorpe until 1958, when it was moved 14 miles northeast due to increased development. Thru-hikers can access the bronze plaque and trail register at the top of Springer Mountain by hiking 8.5 miles from Amicolola Falls State Park. An easier option is to start from potholed Forest Service Road 42 and ascend 0.9 miles south to the summit. Some thru-hikers choose to spend the night in the open-front trail shelter near the top, but many simply turn around to head back north.

Best Trail

Similar to summiting Katahdin at the northern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, thru-hikers have to hike to the end of the trail, and then turn around. For day hikers, a nice option is to add the eastern part of the Benton MacKaye Trail to make a 4.7-mile loop that passes Owen Vista.

Instagram-worthy Photo

It was quite foggy when we visited, so we did not get any great vistas, but you have to photograph the bronze plaque marking the southern terminus of the famed Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Peak Season

Spring

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Forest Service Road 42 that accesses the trailhead is dirt and full of potholes, but it is doable in a passenger vehicle.

Camping

Some thru-hikers choose to spend the night in the open-front trail shelter near the summit of Springer Mountain. If you have a car, we recommend you drive west in Chattahoochee National Forest to the free Hickey Gap Campground (which made our Top 10 Campgrounds in National Forests list).

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (Georgia)

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (Maine to Georgia)

Nearest National Park

Great Smoky Mountains

Explore More – How many National Forests does the 2,185-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail cross?

Georgia

Chattahoochee National Forest

July 27, 2022 Raven About The Parks Leave a comment

Chattahoochee National Forest

Georgia

Managed by U.S. Forest Service, Southern Region

1,516,006 acres (750,145 federal/ 765,861 other)

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/conf

Overview

In mountainous northern Georgia, Chattahoochee National Forest stretches 200 miles east to west, bordering North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In addition to the highest point in Georgia (4,784-foot Brasstown Bald), the National Forest includes the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River and one side of the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River. West of the North Georgia Mountains, the Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway traverses the disjunct portion of the National Forest encompassing Johns Mountain, Little Sand Mountain, and Taylor Ridge.

Highlights

Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area, Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway, Keown Falls, Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway, Brasstown Bald, High Shoal Falls Scenic Area, Lake Conasauga Recreation Area, Anna Ruby Falls, Sosebee Cove Scenic Area, Timpson Falls, Popcorn Overlook, Track Rock Gap Petroglyph Site, DeSoto Falls Scenic Area, Angel Falls, Raven Cliff Trail, Helton Creek Falls Trail, Duncan Ridge National Recreation Trail, Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Must-Do Activity

One of the National Forest’s most popular spots, 150-foot-tall Anna Ruby Falls is accessed by a short trail northeast of Helen, Georgia on State Route 356. Large tulip-poplar and yellow buckeye trees grow in 175-acre Sosebee Cove Scenic Area, even though it is a second growth forest. We will have a separate blog post on Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area, which surrounds Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the 2,185-mile long Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Best Trail

Chattahoochee National Forest started when the Forest Service purchased 31,000 acres from the Gennett family in 1911 for $7 per acre. Visitors can still see their namesake Gennett Poplar (a tulip-poplar tree more than five feet in diameter) by hiking 1.8 miles out-and-back with two stream crossings on the Bear Creek Trail. The rows of holes in the old tree’s trunk were made by yellow-bellied sapsuckers, a type of woodpecker. The trail continues and connects with the Pinhoti Trail to form a 6.6 to 9-mile long loop.

Watchable Wildlife

In addition to the plentiful white-tailed deer, other large mammals found in Chattahoochee National Forest include black bears, coyotes, bobcats, red foxes, squirrels, beavers, and river otters. There are a wide variety of songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors, as well as wild turkeys. One insect species of note is the blue ghost firefly, which produces a distinctive blue phosphorescence. Panther Creek is among the approximately 2,000 miles of rivers and streams popular for fishing.

Instagram-worthy Photo

There is a small waterfall at Barnes Creek Picnic Area, which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s.

Peak Season

Summer

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Most of the major routes in Chattahoochee National Forest are paved. Forest Service Road 42 that accesses the Springer Mountain Trailhead is unpaved and full of potholes, but it is doable in a passenger vehicle (as are the dirt roads to Hickey Gap Campground and Bear Creek Trail).

Camping

The riverside Hickey Gap Campground is so nice that it made it into our list of the Top 10 Campgrounds in National Forests; the best part is: it is free. We once overnighted at the Locust Stake ORV Area Trailhead north of Atlanta, which was fine until someone decided to ride their motocross bike at 2 a.m.

Wilderness Areas

Big Frog Wilderness (also in Cherokee NF)

Blood Mountain Wilderness

Brasstown Wilderness

Cohutta Wilderness (also in Cherokee National Forest)

Ellicott Rock Wilderness (also in Nantahala and Sumter National Forests)

Mark Trail Wilderness

Raven Cliffs Wilderness

Rich Mountain Wilderness

Southern Nantahala Wilderness (also in Nantahala National Forest)

Tray Mountain Wilderness

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (Georgia)

Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area (Georgia)

Nearest National Park

Great Smoky Mountains

Hickey Gap Campground is on Mill Creek trout stream

Conifer Tree Species

eastern hemlock, loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, Table Mountain pine, pitch pine

Flowering Tree Species

flowering dogwood, mountain laurel, pawpaw, American beech, white basswood, red maple, mountain maple, moosewood maple, tulip-poplar, sweet buckeye, yellowwood, yellow birch, cucumber magnolia, black cherry, sourwood, pale hickory, mockernut hickory, rock chestnut oak, scarlet oak, black oak, Catawba rhododendron, yellow birch, sweet bay magnolia, mountain-ash, ninebark

Explore More – How many acres are within the Cohutta Wilderness, the largest designated Wilderness east of the Mississippi River?

Learn more about Chattahoochee and the 154 other National Forests in our new guidebook Out in the Woods

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Georgia

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

September 28, 2021 Raven About The Parks Leave a comment

Overview

Similar to the other National Park Service (NPS) sites in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area (see Related Sites below), visiting Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area requires navigating many suburban streets. Established in 1978, this park is a combination of government jurisdictions and private land that protects 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River downstream from Lake Sidney Lanier northeast of the city. Due to its lack of large rapids it is popular with canoers, although a release from Buford Dam can lead to a quick rise in river levels and the water is typically a chilly 44° to 58°F.

Highlights

Hewlett Lodge, Vickery Creek, Cochran Shoals, Sope Creek mountain bike trail

Must-Do Activity

A good place to start your visit is the NPS headquarters at Island Ford, which is housed in Hewlett Lodge, a beautiful Adirondack-style mansion built in the 1930s. There you can get information about hiking, canoeing, and fishing within the National Recreation Area. You can also walk down to the river’s edge to watch boaters and wildlife from shore. Not far away in Roswell, Georgia, a short creekside trail leads to the ruins of a textile mill and a dam.

Best Trail

Most sections of the park have some type of hiking trail and there is a wetlands boardwalk within the Cochran Shoals unit.

Instagram-worthy Photo

The covered walking bridge is quite photogenic at the old mill in Roswell, Georgia.

Peak Season

Summer (although we have heard from an Alan Jackson song that it can get “hotter than a hootchie cootchie”)

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

Parking fee of $5 per day or America the Beautiful pass

Road Conditions

All roads paved

Camping

No camping is allowed along the river. The U.S. Corps of Engineers manages campgrounds on Lake Sidney Lanier at the northeastern end of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (Georgia)

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park (Georgia)

Explore More – How long is the Chattahoochee River from its mountain headwaters to its confluence with the Flint River at Lake Seminole?

Georgia, Tennessee

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park

August 5, 2021 Raven About The Parks Leave a comment

Overview

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park was authorized in 1890, the first park of its kind in the United States. It covers multiple battlefields from late-1863 that straddle the Tennessee-Georgia borderline. Though the Confederate army initially won at Chickamauga, Georgia, the Union took control of Chattanooga, Tennessee after the arrival of General Ulysses S. Grant with reinforcements in November. Like Fort Monroe in Virginia, this area then became a beacon for escaped slaves, eventually numbering 2,000 people.

Highlights

Museums, film, driving tour, Point Park, Ochs Memorial Observatory, Cravens House, cannons

Must-Do Activity

Point Park sits on top of Lookout Mountain offering awesome views of the city of Chattanooga and Moccasin Bend on the Tennessee River. It is also the home of Ochs Memorial Observatory and museum, one reason Point Park charges an admission fee. The nearby National Park Service (NPS) visitor center displays the 30×13-foot painting The Battle of Lookout Mountain by James Walker. At the Chickamauga battlefield, a seven-mile long driving tour explains what happened there on September 20, 1863. The National Military Park also entails seven small military reservations and the Phelps Monument along the road atop Missionary Ridge, east of Chattanooga.

Best Trail

There are miles of trails atop Lookout Mountain and Ochs Memorial Observatory is only accessible by trail (and many stair steps). It contains a museum dedicated to the Civil War and American Indians, specifically the Cherokee who passed through Moccasin Bend (which has its own three-mile loop trail) on the Trail of Tears in 1838.

Instagram-worthy Photo

The entrance to Point Park is designed to look like the Army Corps of Engineers insignia.