Visit Georgia State Parks for Free

Have you hiked to the bottom of Tallulah Gorge or the top of Amicalola Falls? Have you stepped down into Providence Canyon or explored the stand of old growth trees in Indian Spring State Park? If you have places you've been intending to explore or a lake you've been meaning to fish within a Georgia State Park or Historic Site, Saturday, Sept. 29 would be a great day to cross something of a wish list.

As part of "Your State Parks Day" parking and admission fees in Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites will be waved on Sept. 29. Savings range from $2.50 to $10, depending on the park selected. The day, which is sponsored by Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites will also feature special volunteer days in a host of parks throughout the state.

Three parks, Jekyll Island, Stone Mountain and Lake Lanier, are not operated by the Department of Natural Resources' State Parks Division and are not included in the free day.

Backyard Treasures

As my daughter and I began hiking the Hurricane Falls Trail at Tallulah Gorge State Park this afternoon, I realized it had been a few years since I'd hiked in the park and that Sarah had never hiked to the suspension bridge that spans the gorge above the falls' main drop, let alone continuing to the base of the falls. How easy it is to forget about the beautiful places that are so close to home.

A narrow 1,000-foot-deep gorge that flanks the Tallulah River as it pours over four major waterfalls, Tallulah Gorge is only 15 miles from my house, and the spectacular hike to Hurricane Falls really doesn't take long to complete. I'm blessed to live at the edge of the Appalachian Mountains, to enjoy the schedule control that comes from self employment and to have a wife and children who enjoy exploring God's creation. It's pretty silly, therefore, to not spend more time exploring places like Tallulah Gorge, Amicalola Falls and the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River.

Even today, we only ended up planning a gorge hike because Sarah wanted reference pictures of Hurricane Falls for a pressed flower picture she hopes to do at some point. We gained much more than a few pictures from the hike, though, and I'm thankful for the motivation to get on the trail and the reminder about the treasures that are so close to home.