Located only 18 miles southeast of Atlanta, Panola Mountain State Park attracts millions of visitors every year with its convenient location to the city as well as its truly unique landscapes. Panola Mountain State Park has been added to the National Natural Landmark for its truly delicate features and untouched lands. This Georgia state park has been minimally developed which in turn creates a safe haven for various wildlife, foliage, and geological formations.
Few are as proud of this distinctive state park as this site's Friends chapter. The Friends chapter at Panola truly strives to promote and preserve this great treasure, marking a great legacy. They have accomplished much and their vision for this park continues to grow. Recently, Friends began developing a site called "Scout Lake" which is a small hike in campground in the Power of Flight area of the park. This is truly a developing area, created entirely through generous contributors, funding from State Friends, and volunteer efforts. A bridge has already been constructed thanks to an Eagle Scout project and more plans and preparations are underway.
However, with their first major step completed, a renewed sense of purpose and vigor, Friends is excited to share their final product with park guests in months to come. Their first step truly began with the necessities: installing composting toilets. The composting toilet is environmentally friendly and requires very little maintenance, perfect for its backcountry location. Once complete, Scout Lake Campground will provide its visitors with overnight sites which are currently unavailable at Panola.
Future plans include building campsites, adding gravel, building picnic tables, and installing fire rings. If you would like to volunteer or make a contribution, please contact the Park Office at (770) 389-7801 or contact the chapter through their Facebook Page by CLICKING HERE.