July 23, 2025
On July 1st, 2024 (just over a year ago) I set out on a quest. I decided that I wanted to visit all 59 State Parks/Historic Sites in Georgia. On July 21st, 2025, at General Coffee State Park in Nicholls, I got my final stamp. This adventure took 4 camping trips, several overnight trips, and visiting a record of 6 parks a day. I went from the majestic mountains at Cloudland Canyon, Fort Mountain, and Black Rock Mountain, to the swamps of Laura Walker and Stephen Foster, to the coastal forts of McAllister, Morris, and King George.
I visited 3 sets of Indian Mounds at Kolomoki, Etowah, and at Hardman Farm. Majestic plantations like Jarrell Plantation, Wormsloe, Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation/Rice Kingdom. I camped at Cloudland Canyon, Reed Bingham, Indian Springs, Black Rock Mountain, and James Floyd. I got to learn about the Cherokee history in Georgia at New Echota and the Chief Vann House. I got to see a gator at Stephen Foster. Was forced to ride a 20 minute shuttle ride 4 times at Wormsloe. I walked a mile at George Smith down a bug-infested trail to find a geocache. I had to hike 2 miles out the Smithgall Woods trying to find a geocache that wasn’t there.
The most interesting ones were those that had historical significance. I learned about what 19th century travel was like at Traveler’s Rest. The Georgia Gold Rush at the Dahlonega Gold Museum. I learned about Georgia’s long, lost towns at Tugaloo, Etowah, Don Carter, Moccasin Creek, and Fort Morris. I learned about Georgia’s Civil War past at Alexander Stephens, Picketts Mill Battlefield, Sweetwater Creek, Magnolia Springs, and Fort McAllister. I got to learn about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at Roosevelt’s Little White House, Vogel, and Fort Mountain. Georgia’s top industry is agriculture and I got to learn its long history at New Echota, Providence Canyon, Hardman Farm, Jarrell Plantation, General Coffee, and the Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation. The mills at Hamburg, George Smith, and Sweetwater Creek, and Watson Mill.
This journey was like no other. I valued every moment of it. The amount of history I learned has inspired me to take up writing. As for my next adventure... I don’t know. I need to take a break for a while. Focus on my writing and future plans.
